Targeting textiles: Taliban make bonfire of ‘un-Islamic’ cloth
A Taliban group in South Waziristan on Tuesday burned a huge quantity of cloth taken from shopkeepers, saying it was too thin to be made into suitably modest garments, officials said.
The extremists stormed shops in Wana and made a bonfire of the cloth in a public area near the bazaar.
Shopkeeper Rahimullah Khan said that at least eight armed men burst into his premises and took away bundles of raw cloth that they said was too thin to make respectable clothing.
“They said it was un-Islamic to wear clothes that don’t properly cover the human body,” Khan said.
A local official in Wana who declined to be named said the perpetrators were local Taliban, adding that shop owners calculated thousands of metres of material had been destroyed.
“The men confiscated big bundles of raw cloth which they declared was too thin to wear from dozens of shopkeepers in the main bazaar and burnt them,” he told AFP.
“They had warned shopkeepers almost a week ago to stop selling un-Islamic
cloth. Today, the militants stormed the shops and confiscated the rolls.”
Published in The Express Tribune, July 27th, 2011.
COMMENTS (37)
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It is ironic that these people talk of Islam when they have no regard for human values. You might as well kill then for not being humans. Even if they feel that it is un-Islamic then they should not use it. Why impose your own desires upon others' if the do not share them?
@Sabih Shad: Be wary Shadsaab. Pretty soon, you will be welcoming them to your premises. Which wont leave much room for you to reason, would it?
Taliban make bonfire of innocent human beings -- the best creature of God in this universe -- and you talk about cloths....
It is fascinating to watch Pakistan's gradual transformation into a true Islamic country. Becoming something like Saudi Arabia isn't bad. There's peace, and justice and paak Islam all around. Pakistan is finally fulfilling the destiny it was created for.
I'm glad I'm on the other side of the divide of course because I'm not Muslim and will never become one but good on the Pakistanis for their advances. And thank the Gods for Partition!
Wake up Pakistan! The Barbarians are at your gates. Recently bearded vigilantes have been going around in Lahore'e elite neighbourhoods ordering shopkeepers to shutter down for prayers. This country will become as medieval and tyrannical as Saudi Arabia and will then implode into bloodshed and mayhem. Take charge of your destiny and reclaim your heritage and your citizenship rights. Or go the way of Iran, a theocratic cesspool of mad mullahs!
The women of the powerful mujahideen (mostly arab) wear mini-skirts (even in places like S.Waziristan).
@Y Khan r u doing anything different? its not abt me or u going out... because its not us that have made them what they are today... they don't train in my backyard, don't burn clothes in my neighborhood... its their neighborhood burning, be practical... its easy to say u do it because u say so... its not affecting me, those who are being affected they need to act... their silence brought them where they are today... they need to speak up... they live in those areas, we cant even think of going there.. they have spent their childhoods there... they are the people who can be effective, not us!
Please don't posts such arguemtnts, we all know thats not possible... if thier is water spilled in your garage u clean it, not your nighbours.
Can anyone teach them that there is a concept of 'astar' (cotton lining) that is attached under thin cloths to make them wearable...? GOD these people...!!!
A real threat to exposure :|
The TIP needs to read Quran in language they understand. The also need to spend some type on the psychiatric couch.
Oh my. They certainly have pressure on them from the Pakistan government and military. They've been reduced to freely wandering about with such lack of fear that they can make bonfires out of cloth when a big fire would usually mean death. To the point of it nearly being suicide by clearly showing their location because they're actually being looked for. Give em hell, Pakistan. You're as great as you say.
@sohail....so easy to ask other people to put their lives on the line when you are sipping your latte behind a keyboard!
rather than asking others why don't you go there and show how it is done?
Seems like management of women and their issues is at the core of TTPs philosophy. Maybe they didn't get any love when they were kids.
Could someone correct me - is this another picture of the tribal area . I was always under impression that there always the element of 'Ghairat' among its people and against this backdrop everyone stood up against any aggressors who dared infringe upon their freedom. And that the tribal society as a whole prided its weapon bearing tradition - a reason for its oppossition to weaponless society. Here we have the Taliban come into the tribal area and run society according to their interpretation of Islam and no one in the tribal area dares oppose them and there is no whimper of protest. Isn't it the same society which opposed rule by federal government now looking towards the state for relief from these intruders whove take to dictating the way tribal society lives. Was all the 'bravado' posturing in the past a charade to oppose rules and laws that did not conform to vested interests that oppossed anti smuggling measure, payment of taxes and payment of utiltiy bills and general uplift of the common people etc.
This is Pakistan, the la la land. Nothing surprises anybody anymore.
@Sabih Shad: oh really??please move to saudi arabia. leave Pakistan alone.
Is there a Guinness Book of Record for Lunacy ?? We have a serious contender here.
Waiting for the day when it comes to "oh yea ur face is haram"
i thought it was Waziristan, not Warizistan!
Our Pious Hero
s, Our Mujahids, Our Iman. Ghazi Imran Khan sahib should honour these great Islamic Holy warriors for protecting the honour of our Islam.Clearly the taliban haven't seen Munni badnaam huee and sheila ki jawani. If they had, they would thank God how decent the women of peshawar are :P
when will GOD terminate this savageness?
what next, the air of particular region is unislamic to breath,my my these ttp men and thier allies have gone crazy.
To my tribal friends
They come, they take, they burn... you stand their watching afraid they might shoot you! You brought this plight on yourself... no one else to blame.. you need to raise tour voice against them... show the world where they train, where they live, where they come from... clarify the Karachi lahore drawing room analysts these are not American agents... if you can't do this then no one can help you... help urself as it says... 'himmat e marda madad e khuda'... you need to sacrifice urself for ur own... one person dying raising his voice, showing the world what they really want, showing TTP that they wanna get rid of u... is much better then hundreds dying monthly in drone attacks for no use.... one sacrifice could save the whole nation or u might b the next drone victim...
Ermmmm... perhaps that cloth was to make dupattas :S
I am sure all PTI supporters will appreciate this move :-D All women coming to meet Imran Khan must be covered from head to toe or he will tell the Taliban :P
Did TTP ever considered discussing this issue with Maulana Junaid Jamshed the god fearing religious scholar, singer and designer. Fabric sold at J. too is 'un-islamic'.
Nothing could be more un-Islamic than these animal Taliban themselves, so following their own example, these vermins should all be rounded up, doused with kerosene and burned to eradicate them off this land. That'll make a huge bonfire.
Although the premise was correct, the action wasn't.
What the? "Un-Islamic" fabric? And it's "Halal" confiscation. What next? They'll burn un-islamic kiddy wear? Oh God please don't send me to hell, I don't wanna mingle with Taliban.
Wow! i think next target will be Mr. Junaid Jamshed for designing lawn for women..
wow unislamic cloth? whats next? unislamic water? unislamic medicines? Wake Up PAKISTAN and take charge against these extremists!
No matter where you go in the World there is never a shortage of people who want to tell you how to live. In Pakistan they happen to carry guns.
TTP is right because only killing people in this country is islamic and everything else is un islamic.
But they could wear them with a shameez! :( So much cloth wasted, Astaghfirullah!