Re: Help sought for girl sold to settle gambling debt
When we as a society collectively allow this to go on time and time again, it reflects on all of us Muslims for not doing anything to stop this. We can’t blame anyone else but ourselves.
Poker debt girl shows women’s plight in Pakistan.
A sad state of affairs in Pakistan.
KARACHI (AFP) - When she was one, Rasheeda Begum’s late father promised to marry her off to a relative to settle a poker debt. Fifteen years later the man came calling to collect his winnings.
The teenager’s fight to escape being handed over despite alleged threats to her family is the latest case highlighting how women’s rights in Pakistan are still threatened by conservative customs.
“I am not this man’s queen of hearts. I would prefer death if I cannot protect myself or my pride,” Rasheeda told AFP by telephone from her house in Hyderabad, some 160 kilometers (100 miles) from Karachi.
“When I was about 10 years old, my mother told me what had happened. But even at that time I could not believe my father could have committed such a crime,” Rasheeda said.
Rasheeda’s mother Nooran Begum said her late husband Rahib was a gambler and lost Rasheeda in the card game with his friend Lal Haider in 1992. He promised to give his daughter to Haider in lieu of 10,000 rupees (166 dollars).
Nooran said she paid off the debt several years ago, following her husband’s death.
Recently, however, Haider started visiting their house and demanding custody of Rasheeda, saying that it was his right under ancient tribal customs, she added.
Rasheeda said friends of Haider had started turning up outside their house and threatening them. Haider said he would kidnap her and take her to the mountains of southwest Baluchistan province, she said.
“We are poor people and can’t defend ourselves on our own. We cannot leave our house,” said her uncle Dur Mohammad, who lives with the two women.
The government of Sindh province said it had ordered the arrest of several suspects in connection with the case and ordered authorities to protect the family.
“It’s barbaric to sell a girl,” said provincial government spokesman Salahuddin Haider.
But rights groups and politicians say** her case – and a string of other recent outrages – shows the wider problems women must still overcome in this Islamic republic of 150 million people.**
Police in January arrested six men who allegedly raped a teenage girl and made her parade naked through a village in Sindh in a so-called “honour punishment” for acting immorally.
At around the same time two lovers were tied to a tree and stoned to death for adultery by angry relatives in central Punjab province.
Then in February another girl was allegedly raped by four men, again in Sindh, and two women in the same province were hacked to death by close relatives who suspected them of flirting with neighbours.
Finally on February 20 a hardline Islamist cleric shot Punjab provincial minister Zilla Huma Usman in the head at a public meeting because she did not wear a veil.
It later emerged that her killer, Mohammad Sarwar, had escaped trial despite confessing in 2003 to killing four prostitutes.
“This is all a reflection of a strong and deep-rooted feudal society, where women are treated as slaves,” said Zia Awan, a senior lawyer who provides legal aid to women and children.
The independent Human Rights Commission of Pakistan said in its annual report last month that there were 565 honour killings in Pakistan in 2006, nearly double the number in 2005.
This year four major cases of gang rape had been reported, said legislator Hummera Alawani, from the Pakistan People’s Party of Benazir Bhutto, the country’s first – and only – female prime minister.
As a member of an organisation called Gender for Justice “we will look into Rasheeda’s case,” she said.
But while official intervention should save Rasheeda from an unwanted marriage, the pain of her ordeal remains. “I am really ashamed that I was born in such a society,” Rasheeda said.
Re: Help sought for girl sold to settle gambling debt
Good write-ups should always be appreciated. :cllap:
Re: Help sought for girl sold to settle gambling debt
Good write-ups should always be appreciated. 
Re: Poker debt girl shows women's plight in Pakistan.
.
Re: Help sought for girl sold to settle gambling debt
they are doing a fine job of keeping this forum informed with up-to-date negative india articles, and i doubt they appreciate you stealing market share from them.
Exactly the same way as the Indians on this BB are doing a pretty good job by keeping * this forum informed with up-to-date negative Pakistan articles,*
The sad part is that in case of the “Indians” its 100% of them, where as in case of Pakistanis its only 90%. (Talking about this BB only)
:)
Re: Help sought for girl sold to settle gambling debt
Exactly the same way as the Indians on this BB are doing a pretty good job by keeping this forum informed with up-to-date negative Pakistan articles,
The sad part is that in case of the “Indians” its 100% of them, where as in case of Pakistanis its only 90%. (Talking about this BB only)
:)
Any negative article about India is always accepted not defended:D
Re: Help sought for girl sold to settle gambling debt
^^ Ok! I shall follow suite.:D
Re: Help sought for girl sold to settle gambling debt
this story is a prime example of the media twisting and with-holding facts to create a more contraversial headline.
although theres still some aspects which are not right(from a respectable pakistani view), the actual thruth is that the girl was promised as bride for the winners son! not the oldman himself