I am writing this letter on the behalf of many Pakistani-American Muslim women in the United States. Most of us are living here for decades. I myself have been living here for 12 years. We love Pakistan we are proud to call ourselves a Muslim and a Pakistani-American. Our image is some what damaged because of the stereotyping from the western world and recent effects of September 11th, but we always try to present a positive image of Islam and Pakistan to the western world and the media. Unfortunately the recent horrible gang rape incidents shattered them all. Reading through all those horrifying events in the name of justice. I really do not understand the justice of an Islamic State. Is this the law of my country that we got after so many sacrifices?
General Sahib, I have been writing for many different newspapers here in America. I have been reading and writing about such events for a very long time but let me tell you the truth, I have been in shock since I read about these events. How can this gang rape is justified and enforced in the name of law. For a week, I couldn’t write any thing, my hands are shaking while I am typing this. The face of that innocent girl is in front of me. Her screams for help are making me nervous.
Who are these law makers those twelve judges of so called “Panchiyat” who ordered the father of an innocent “Hafiza” to brought his daughter for punishment. I really don’t understand the mental state of those five hundred Muslims who saw this horrible act of crime and participated in it also by watching all this and never did any thing to stop this. Think about the Azab of Allah on such people. I wondered how all those so called honorable Muslims went back to their homes that night and face their own daughters and wives. Did any of them ever think about their own daughters or wives, imagine them in the same room facing the same crowd while they all watch the enforcement of the law.
It is a horrible fact that these kinds of acts are happening each and every day in the Islamic Republic of Pakistan. According to the human rights statistics of this year in our Pakistan a woman is raped in every two hours and gang raped in every four months.I am sure many of us are suggesting different advice to you, like you should make a law of hanging the criminals of gang rape. Take steps to finish the rule of so called “Jagirana Nizam” or “Wadara system” in Pakistan .Be prepared to finish the system of “Panchiyat” Too. Make strong laws against a rape, gang rapes and other sexual acts against young boys and girls. Be prepared to hang such evil people.
I also like to suggest that if you cannot take any action against those culprits, then at-least reward them. They definitely deserved some thing from the head of the State. Think about the bravery of those four Macho men who participated in the enforcement of the law. The highest military or any civil award from the government should reward them. “Nishana-e- Imtiaz” or may be Nishan-e- Haider should be given to those people.
General Sahib, we all are waiting for you to announce those awards. The world is watching you and waiting. And don’t forget about those five hundred Muslims adults who believe in one God, one Quran and his messenger Prophet. My heartiest condolence to all those Muslims whose souls are dead. Their conscious (Zameer) is dead. If you are not able to or willing to take any steps, at-least other people who will definitely repeat the act again should video tape their justifiable acts so that the parents of a daughter should think twice before giving birth to a girl. They should bury their daughters right after the birth. They should realize this by now that they are living in such a society where honor of a girl is nothing. Where a gang rape is justified through a law enforced by the honorable judges of a committee. In such a society women have no right to live like an equal right citizen.
Many people can object that we shouldn’t bring up such shameful events or rather called them “Crimes” in front of world media. It would be a curse a “badnami” for all of us. But let me ask you if it ever happens to you; to your daughter to your granddaughter, sister or wife. Don’t you feel any thing? I know the answers of many respectable Muslim Pakistani men, fathers and husbands that such girl or woman should not live; should end her life at once in order to hide those horrible crimes. The death of such girls can only brought back their honor. The honor killings are one of those steps in such shame-full crimes.
I remember in1999 I wrote about the honor killings in Pakistan. The Islamic journal refused to publish my article as it was considered to be shameful for the Islamic world. I described many events happened in Jordan as well. Same article was published in Pakistan link and in many American newspapers. The discussion of such events was not to embarrassed Islamic world or to Pakistan but to bring out such things in front of the world. When such things happened in an Islamic country western world assumed that it is the law of Islamic State. That’s what Muslims are capable of. You are the only one who can do some thing; take some steps to stop these events. This can only horrify many of us. We as a Muslim women are terrified, let me tell you honestly I feel much safe here in this western society where such a crime can happen but I know I will get justice; I can be heard. But honestly can we say the same thing about Islamic Republic of Pakistan?
As a writer I can write any thing here. I cannot do any thing from here but at-least I know I am raising voice against such shameful acts. Our Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) said on many occasions that “if you see some thing evil try to stop it if you don’t have any courage or strength, just condemn it or even if you are afraid of the consequences by raising voice than at-least just believe the evilness of the event in your heart.” Now éa- days we all are silent, we want to keep our silence. We are not even feeling the shame in our hearts and minds. I think this the worst part of the event. If you and us don’t take any steps than we are not any more different than those brave four men and those five hundred honorable Muslim citizens.