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| Afghanistan/South Asia |
| The Impact of Shari'ah Laws on Minorities in Pakistan |
| 2004-07-26 |
| From the Pakistan Christian Post, an article by Naeem Shakir. ... It may be stated that Pakistan is predominantly an agrarian society and feudal values dominate the socio-cultural life of its people. Abduction and violence against women is a common feature. And women of the marginalized sections of the society are common victims. According to the report of the Human Rights Commission of Pakistan for the year 2002, 'one woman is being raped in every two hours and one woman is gang raped in every eight hours in Pakistan'. ... The Muslim landlords without much uproar abduct the married Christian/Hindu women. And in order to avoid the rigors of penal law, converts the abductee to Islam and under goes the procedure of Islamic marriage with her. The whole exercise is under taken in such a mechanical manner that the law is made a sheer mockery. ... her earlier marriage under the Christian Marriage Act or under Hindu Marriage Law practically stands dissolved ipso facto. Why because she has supposedly embraced Islam and she being a Muslim is prohibited to marry a non-Muslim. As Islamic Shariah has to prevail, the institution of Christian marriage is rendered as a fragile thing and the personal law of non-Muslim citizens becomes meaningless. ... |
| Posted by:Mike Sylwester |