PakMedia; 23rd Feb 2004

ISLAMABAD, Feb 23: Pakistani women rights activist and Vice Chairperson of the Ansar Burney Welfare Trust International, Mrs Shaheen Burney, has requested for the attention of President General Parvez Musharraf and Prime Minister Mir Zaffarullah Khan Jamali towards the inhuman and cruel treatment of the male dominating society on women in Pakistan. She sent a letter to President and Prime Minister in this regard.

“There are so many instances of cruelty towards females in Pakistan” Mrs. Burney said.

Shaheen Burney said with sorrow and grief that on Saturday 7th of February, in a village near Sargodha, both legs of an innocent married woman were amputated by her brother-in-law in the name of honour (Karo-Kari).

”Her bother-in-law, Farman Ali, with the support of his friend roped innocent Musarat Sultana of Chak 75-NB, whose husband Ehsan lives abroad, on a chorpoy (bed) before carrying out the amputation of her both legs”, Shaheen Burney added.

The accused, Farman Ali was arrested in the evening. He alleged that Sultana had illicit relations with a villager; but according to the victim Ms Musarrat Sultana, who was admitted to the DHQ Hospital, Sargodha, the attack occurred because the accused wanted to marry her sister. And when she rejected the proposal, Farman Ali took it as an insult and amputated both her legs.

Shaheen Burney demanded the authorities to punish those responsible and bring justice to the innocent woman.

The Ansar Burney Welfare Trust International also demanded the attention of the President and Prime Minister on another shocking incident of shame – the marriage of a sixty year old man with a four year old girl in Dera Ghazi Khan.

According to the Ansar Burney Welfare Trust International, the Nikah registrar Qadir Bux recited the Nikah of bridegroom Muhammad Asghar, 60, with Hasina, 4, in January 2004.

The innocent little girl was wedded to a 60-year-old man in exchange for her father, Nazar Hussain’s 2nd marriage. The Nikah registrar Qadir Bux and father of the girl Nazar Hussain had showed the age of Hasina as 16 years, while she was actually only four year old.

“The mother of 4 years old Hasina, Mst Aisha Mai, has two daughters. Her husband had sought her permission for a second marriage so that he could have a male baby. But Aisha Mai refused to do so. Upon this he become angry and kicked her out of their home. However, he kept her minor daughters in his custody. Later in exchange of his 4 years old daughter with a sixty years old man he managed to have a girl for his second marriage”, Shaheen Burney added.

Shaheen Burney said that in January another heinous crime was committed - a seven-year-old girl, Aziza Bi Bi, was wedded to a 40 years old man in Baluchistan.

Mrs. Burney requested the government’s most urgent attention into these matters and other such cruelties towards women in Pakistan; and vowed to continue fighting for women’s rights even of several life threats.

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