Follow-Up: Video of Girl’s Flogging as Taliban Hand out Justice
April 3rd, 2009 | 
Author: The controversy and confusion remain over issues of justice, women’s rights, culture, tradition, state control, mutual agreements, intrepretation of Shariah, and the future of Pakistan. Conflicting statements and shocking confessions are consistently pouring in from all sides. I will be doing a follow-up this evening, stay tuned for Nai Rahain at 7:00pm, Live on Samaa Tv.
Post-Show:
On-Air: Friday, April 03, 2009 (the show will be available online shortly)
The civil society demanded the right to address this issue through an unbiased platform. I invited leading women’s rights activist Samar Minallah, a woman who not only helped get this footage to us but has also been at the receiving end of death threats by militants. She has lived in Swat for 2 years and is still in touch with the locals. Joining her were Senator Iqbal Haider, Chairperson Human Rights Commission Pakistan (HRCP) and Islamic Scholar Dr. Khalid Zaheer from the Lahore studios. We were joined yet again by Shahraaz Khan, Ameer of Malakand from the Peshawar studios.
Samaa employees, including a NWFP reporter and myself were threatened by TTP the previous evening for sharing the specific video with the world. However, it is a matter of honour for Samaa TV to have initiated a process whereby CJP Chaudhry Iftikhar Mohammad has taken suo moto notice of this gross violation of human rights. In light of Haji Muslim Khan’s statement endorsing such a punishment to be valid and deserved, who will guarantee us that such an incident will never take place again? I ask all those individuals, including Information Minister (ANP) Iftikhar Hussain who blame the civil society for creating a hue and a cry over something which is outdated (according to him the incident took place on January 2nd 2009). Commissioner Swat takes the cake. The man denied the incident altogether. The fact that Taliban Commandos are oft found sharing a cup of tea or having supper in the Commissioner House is interesting. If not that, then witnessed accounts of the Commissioner reading prayer behind Maulvi Fazlullah in the good old days definitely gets the ball rolling.
This follow-up actually gives the real story behind the public harassment and flogging of the teenage girl known as Chaand Bibi. A local family friend of Chaand Bibi’s family, who requested to remain unnamed for security reasons, joined us on the line during the first half of the show. Chaand was neither flaunting about unaccompanied in the market nor having an illicit affair, as so many of us are made to believe. Chaand made the mistake of refusing a Taliban Commander for marriage.
Thereafter Ameer Izzat, spokesperson of Tehreek Nifaz Shariat-e-Muhammadi (TNSM) joined us on the line during the live show and was heavily questioned. What is after all TNSM’s role in the peace deal and their realistic power in influencing Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP)? What guarantee can they extend as to this incident never being repeated again?
To Ms. Samar Minallah’s inquiry for confirmation, Ameer Izzat accepted and agreed to two women being beaten by militants a few days earlier for leaving their homes unaccompanied by their men. Although they had left in ‘burqa’ (completely veiled from head to toe) he held that they shouldn’t have conversed with a shopkeeper.
Mr. Shahzaar Khan changed his stance ever so conveniently, denying ever having accused Samaa for doing a disservice to Pakistan by the release of this video. He strongly felt, that the release of this video was, alas, propaganda against their people and Shariah Law.
Dr. Khalid Zaheer shared a beautiful a’hadith in the beginning of the show which left one wondering just how far we are from the true spirit and essence of Islam. It speaks of a time when women will feel so secure and safe that they will be able to walk from one end of the world to the other, carrying valuables and gold, without any threat or risk. That will be Islam.
I couldn’t help but notice that there was no mention of a ‘mehram’ in this a’hadith.
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April 3rd, 2009 4:13 pm
respected Mam
i had been watching ur programme for some time and must appreciate u for being bold and i personally feel that after a long wait now there is someone in media who has the guts to atleast speak boldly and insolently with people like Muslim Khan (as they deserve no respect). but at the same time u look after ur self kuz they r kind of people who will not hesitate to even threaten ur life for being insolent, its time for the whole media to start demonising TTP as a whole and stop using words like “aap” and “unhoon nay Kaha” for people like Baitullah, Fazalullah and other TTP representatives. Big onus lies with media. Now a word on the incident of flogging in swat, plz keep in mind one aspect and that is the character and beahaviour of the common people in swat , by nature the people of swat are docile to an extent of Baigairati (sorry for using such language but this wat the fact is) now TTP is asking the local people to take out the processions against the presence of security forces in swat to ensure 100% writ of TTP. if u see the history of swat and swatis and go back around 100 years there were many fazalullahs even the churchill’s malakand field force was also sent against one such Fazalullah , the character of people like muslim khan is such that seeing media’s reaction they will flatly refuse involvement let me remind u that this incident occured in kabal and talibans are in full hold of this area and such like gathering for flocking a girl if they say is not in their notice, they are simply telling a lie. here i would like to add somthing more and that is the character of taliban , there is no access to this girl right now u cant confirm as to by how many talibans she was raped…..yes raped….they are demons n they had been raping so many dancers in swat before killing them….they are involved in other evil practices like sodomy and this is there dark side not being shown by media so far ….there was lot of liquor retrieved from imam dheri mudrassa of fazalullah which was never reported by media……plz its my request that you are kind of ray of hope in media against them. As for the asking ANP leaders for the deal and hapennings in swat well i dont trust these people i see that both taliban and ANP wants separation from pakistan (plz keep in mind the personality and views about pakistan of ANP’s Quaid-e-Azam burried in Kabul)and the agenda of both is same and to support my point of view is that after changing and bringing the name of the province in line with the Afganistan they have taken following steps, all the schools now for the morning aseembly donot sing national anthem but sing some pushto tarana of pakhtoonkhoa, even the national anthem is being removed from the text books as well, same way on any official occassion where it merits singing of National anthem they the political figures force the government servents to sing puktoonkhoa anthem, annnouncement of issuing 30000 weapons which put to silence for media’s reaction is still being followed but now on the quiet same way licences for another 30000 have been approved by CM so i see their sincerity with pakistan with doubt….the release of taliban due to ANP’s deal is also part of there common agenda…….we are loosing this part of Pakistan (NWFP) and now media is required to take up this challenege……Godspeed and once again look after urself i mean ur security. a patriot well wisher
April 3rd, 2009 4:41 pm
[...] A search on Bloggers.pk shows that Meher Bokhari a show host on Samaa is planing to do a show today at 7pm on this controversial issue of public flogging. Also covered in The Guardian [...]
April 4th, 2009 11:52 pm
It’s all happening! Allah forbid but it’s already all happening. There were no suicide bombings before 9/11 there was no conception of moderates and extremists. Who’s drawing these lines? Separatist movement in Baluchistan is on the rise. The northern areas have already become destabilized. ISI bashing and the notion of nuclear assets being unsafe is on the rise. Pakistan is on the verge of foreign subjugation. It’s all a setup someone clearly has an agenda. The new world order is fast approaching. Atheist and agnostic people need not to worry coz true Muslims are the ones who would suffer. Muslims of Pakistan need to strengthen their already weakened faith because this is a time of test from Allah. Do not lose your faith it will soon be put on trail.
April 5th, 2009 1:10 pm
Wan to say something about the Swat flogging.It was indeed a tragic day of 29 years of my life when i came to know about this incident.If that’s their Islam, sorry to say, i m declaring myself as a non muslim from today.
The man who witnessed as well as filmed the Taliban flogging has spoken out.Shaukat said the allegation against and the treatment meted out to the girl was actually a punishment against her for refusing a marriage proposal.The man who proposed to marry her joined the ranks of the Taliban after the rejection and this was how he took his revenge from the 17-year-old girl.
Can Muslim Khan knows the punisment of lying in Islam.Muslim Khan, spokesman for the Swat Taliban, said the militants publicly flogged a woman nine months ago over allegations that she had an illicit relationship with her father-in-law.
Why her all-enveloping burqa has been hitched up to expose a pair of pink trousers.A crowd of men watched silently in the background.What is this n where it is written.Can Khan code one such example in the 1400 years history of Islam.
April 7th, 2009 4:11 am
Hi Salam,
Your program is awsome. I like your gestures , body language and overall self confidence. You are simply brilliant in your field.
Especially your wardrobe selection is awesome.
I like your program please dont change your outlook.
Best Regards,
Bilal
April 7th, 2009 3:43 pm
Meher g.
If you are a Muslim, you have to follow the law of Islamic punishments. If you think punishments are not Islamic, you have to prove within the Islamic law the punishment is wrong and if you can’t prove, then get rid off your belief on Islam.
April 9th, 2009 7:33 pm
Dear Meher,
i belive u r a bit gender biased towards that “women flogging” issue its not an appropriate thing to do and no one Even Non-Muslims. That action is performed in such a place where they are killing Soldiers they are destroying what they feel is not good. so its an issue of Human Rights not women Rights. Women in pakistan are the most Respected Gender Comparatively. So plz stop this propegating this western Phenomenon.
April 13th, 2009 4:44 pm
I have seen your programme and I am really thinking about the propaganda level of media about the video which is yet to confirm whether it is reality or fake. But the experts say this is a fake video.
I am regular viewer of your programmes and the the stress and pressure you was exerted for this fake video was unpredictable for me .
http://www.express.com.pk/images/NP_LHE/20090413/Sub_Images/1100602166-1.jpg
please go to there and look at the peasant who has died but he failed to get justice from our media,NGOs,Human Rights Organization and Asma Jilanai the HR champion and with sorry ms.Mehr you as wel and me also. You have the position where you can play very good,you can make things and you can help the poors, A femal of 18 years was in Lahore is half dead as her relatives cut her legs because of its relation.
you can also speak over the students arrested in the UK and if you have studied in foreign you know very well about the criteria the westerns are following for the visa.Just money, no character.If i am criminal and want to get visa and if i have money then i just need an unconditional letter from the university and a strong statement. look at the terrorist groups they have very strong bank statement.
thanks if you focus on the issues not the non-issues. I hope you will not answered this comment because truth is very difficult to digest.
I have not seen the girl in swat,but i have the poor man killed by a landlord in sindh and the Human Rights Champion like MQM killier of thousand in Karachi.. oh my God ..MQM is an orgainzation which killed 50 people in onday in karachi and now the champion of HRs.
Regards,
Muhammad Faisal Khan
District Bagh Azad KASHMIR.
Coordinator,
Student Rights Commission International”
03455159235