Day: December 20, 2012

LAHORE: A 40-year-old woman was gunned down by her second husband in Ghaziabad area on Wednesday. The deceased was identified as Kalsoom Bibi, a resident of Manzoor Colony.

Police said that Kalsoom Bibi left the house of her first husband Allah Ditta and eloped with another man, Din Muhammad, almost one year and a half back. Kalsoom and Din Muhammad were residing in a rented house in Manzoor Colony.

On the day of incident, Kalsoom was recovered dead in her house with a bullet wound to her face. Police have registered a case against the accused on the complaint of her first husband and sent the body to morgue for autopsy.

Meanwhile, a 20-year-old youth was knocked down by unidentified vehicle in the precincts of Shadbag police. The deceased was identified as Azhar, resident of Kasurpura, in Shafiqabad. Police officer said that Azhar was on his way when some unknown vehicle hit him near Amir Road and fled. Police reached on the spot after being informed by some locals. The injured was taken to a local hospital where doctors pronounced him dead. Police handed over the dead body to his heirs after legal formalities.

Household items including furniture and electronic appliances were gutted in ashes when fire broke out in a house in Johar Town. Cause of fire was said to be short circuit. Firefighters rushed to the scene and extinguished fire after hectic efforts.

No casualty was reported in the said incident. Panic gripped the locals of Islampura when a transformer installed outside a house was caught by fire.

Daily Times

Justice in Pakistan may be slow but there is a chance that with a lot of luck, courage and perseverance, it may eventually arrive. Kainat Soomro was viciously gang-raped back in 2007, when she was only 13 years old and has been on a quest for justice ever since. She credibly accused four men of the crime but instead was declared “kari” herself for dishonouring tribal customs. Unlike most young girls, Kainat did not succumb to brutal societal pressure, instead she lodged a case against the four men she accused of the rape in Dadu. For another three years, she fought a doomed legal battle at the sessions court but ultimately, the men were acquitted because of supposedly conflicting evidence. Even then Kainat was not deterred. She then went to the Sindh High Court where finally, after two more years of legal hell, the arrest of the four men has been ordered. It may have taken far too long but it seems like she may get a measure of justice.

The one thing her long saga should not lead us to do is believe that our justice system is working well. That this case has gone as far as this is due solely to Kainat’s heroism. She was rebuffed by both society and the judiciary but refused to be treated as a citizen without any rights. What should have been her natural rights at birth was instead something she had to fight for. The court’s belated realisation of its duties shows not that the judiciary is functional but that it has to be shamed into action.

While Kainat might have an opportunity for closure as her rapists are put behind bars, the same cannot be said for countless other rape survivors in the country. Perceived shame and tradition lead to most rape cases not being reported. Then, despite being illegal, jirgas and the like continue to enjoy popular support and patronage from local bigwigs and have absolutely no interest in the rights of women. The courts are lethargic and rarely empathetic. Society at large has little understanding of the causes and effects of rape. In Pakistan, Kainat is the honourable exception, not the general rule.

The Express Tribune

MANSEHRA: A 12-year-old girl from Kohistan, who was recovered on the order of Chief Justice Iftikhar Chaudhry from Chelas in Gilgit-Baltistan after eight months of her abduction, was handed over to her parents here on Wednesday.

The chief justice had taken suo moto notice of the kidnapping of 12-year old girl, Zaiba, early this month. The chief justice had ordered the police to recover the victim girl and produce her before the district and sessions judge in Mansehra.

Recording her statement under Section 164 of Pakistan Penal Code in the court of district and sessions judge, Zaiba said that one Abdul Naser along with his accomplices had kidnapped her from Mansehra some eight months ago. She added that later the accused Naseer forcibly married her in Chelas (Gilgit-Baltistan).

“Naseer along with his accomplices kidnapped me and took me to Chelas where he kept me in a rented house. Later, he married me against my will,” Zaiba told court, adding that she wanted to live with her parents.

The girl who was kidnapped from Mansehra but the people of Dassu (Kohistan), the native town of the victim, were furious over her kidnapping and a bloody feud was imminent between the two tribes because of the honour-related issue.However, a party of Chelas Police recovered the girl after the Supreme Court notice and handed her over to Mansehra Police on Tuesday.

The News

PESHAWAR: The civil society organisations have launched a programme to develop a culture of participation and accountability among the public through different activities.

The programme titled ‘Voice and accountability’ is supported by UKaid with Aurat Foundation, South Asia Partnership Pakistan, Strengthening Participatory Organisation and Sungi Development Foundation as its partners in about 41 districts of Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.

In this connection an event was held at a local hotel wherein civil society organisations were told about the need for making the programme a success.

“The programme would focus on political and social participation of women, promoting accountability so that people can hold authorities of health and education departments responsible for their negligence,” said Shabina Ayaz while giving details of the programme.

Provincial Minister for Social Welfare and Women Development Sitara Ayaz and Minister for Information Mian Iftikhar Hussain, who were present at the meeting, extended support to the programme, aimed at creating awareness and a sense of responsibility among the people as citizens of the country.

Mr Hussain termed terrorism as a major challenge for the people of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and said that people had fought militancy bravely. He said that peace could be brought through talks but if Taliban did not want to come to the table to talk or Pakistan, Afghanistan and America were not on the same page in resolving the issue, then operation against militants was the only way to deal with them.

Senator Rahat Gul of JUI-F said that Islam didn’t differentiate between a man and woman when the word Muslim was used so both had rights.

Dawn