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An Indian woman in Pakistan
The story of Shabnum goes only to highlight the degree of suffering inflicted upon women in Pakistan.
Shirley Ann Hodges, now called Shabnum Gul Khan, met and married a Pakistani money-lender in the Indian city of Ahmedabad in 1997. PHOTO: FILE
Human beings behave in strange ways. Their actions are sometimes inexplicable, lacking logic, and in certain cases, hideously cruel. One such case involves a woman of Indian origin, who has spent the last 13 years locked in a room on the top floor of a house in Karachi, alongside her daughters who are not allowed to attend school.
Shirley Ann Hodges, now called Shabnum Gul Khan, met and married a Pakistani money-lender in the Indian city of Ahmedabad in 1997. Three years later, he took her and their new-born daughter to his home in Karachi. Shabnum had no idea of the fate that would await her there. Though details are unclear, she seems to have been met with hostility by her in-laws, and also from her husband’s first wife and children. It is uncertain if she had known of their existence before agreeing to marry her husband.
Banished to a one-room prison, Shabnum has not been permitted to meet any outsider, with anyone making inquiries — including reporters from this newspaper — told that she is in “strict purdah”. It is unclear why this should extend to other women, as seems to be the case. Shabnum’s case has been reported to the Human Rights Commission of Pakistan, which is making inquiries.
The story of Shabnum goes only to highlight the degree of suffering inflicted upon women. Perhaps, there are others in a position similar to hers, whose tales have not been heard. We do not know how many there may be in number. What is an unfortunate established fact is that the rate of domestic violence in our country has not fallen over the years. Past reports by international human rights groups have stated that a considerable percentage of women in Pakistan are subjected to violence in some form. The suffering Shabnum has borne for so long is just one small indication of what goes on in our country. We need to find a way to combat such atrocities — and also ensure that men like her husband are punished for their crimes and for destroying lives in the name of love.
Published in The Express Tribune, September 4th, 2012.
Reader Comments (8)
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OK. The HRCP concludes its investigation.
The matter goes to court.
The court cites Supreme Court’s judgement in Rinkle Kumari case as precedent.
All ends well.
JazzakAllah.
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This is simply unbelievable in our modern age when we have the Internet. Yet, the story of this poor Indian woman, gullible as she was to fall for this ugly fascist, whose eyes convey the cruelty and barbarism that are buried in his heart, has aroused worldwide the anger, contempt and disregard for Pakistanis. This tragic tale of the woman has further strengthened the belief that Pakistan has been thrown back to the stone-age culture when man killed man for petty things and the law of the jungle existed. The case of the catholic girl Rimshah, who was framed by a mullah (supposed to be a God’s man who should be preaching love, truth and humanity) on charges of blasphemy tells a lot about the people and culture of the primitive country which Pakistan has become. We were equally distressed and terribly angry to read earlier the heart-wrenching tale of a Hindu girl (a 14 year old child) who was kidnapped by Muslim thugs under the direction of local mullahs, forcibly converted into Islam and married off (at gunpoint) to a much older man fit to be her grandfather. The cave-dwellers of Pakistan should realize that history teaches us that persecution of minorities and women has always resulted in disaster and self destruction. The decent and just people of Pakistan, if there are any with courage, should condemn and take action against such barbarism which is fomented by mullahs and their political lackeys in madrassahs. These “schools” will contribute to Pakistan’s total fragmentation and destruction one day.
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Writ of state is weak and jihalat wide spread in society.Such events are occuring in almost every second street.Moral level sinking even though religious schools spreading at mushroom growth.
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Just because the woman was Indian, should not be a reason for writing this editorial, although it is shameful. There are so many women suffering like Shabnam all over Pakistan. Just open a door in a small street in any town and you will hear stories of inhumanity.
This is part of our culture coupled with conservative interpretation of religion about the status of women. In west if women are mistreated, they can get a divorce and the husband has to pay alimony. I knew a women who was brought from Pakistan in Germany and the husband used to beat her up. When she complained, the husband offered her haq meher if she went back to Pakistan. Some friends asked her to contact the police. Police came and asked the husband to leave the apartment and live somewhere else. And because she did not work, husband had to pay all her expenses each month. The amount was deducted from his pay. This made him almost bankrupt and he came back begging for reconciliation. Some men come to senses only when the brutality hurts them financially.
But then in west the laws give women more rights, in Pakistan wives are just sent back to their parents without any regular support. Is that fair?
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Let that be a lesson to all those who claim that Pakistan can be asafe place for anybody – including minorities!
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Poor woman and children. After freeing her and the kids, the twisted husband and in-laws need to be locked up in jail cells.
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@Prof. Sujata Singh Lahiri:
These “schools” will contribute to Pakistan’s total fragmentation and destruction one day.
*These are taught in government and private schools in their text books. This curriculum was introduced by the educated section of Army and welcomed by the moderates, be they political leaders or judges, or most of the general public. So, it is not the Mullas who are to be blamed. *
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@Toticalling: You made a fair point. The issue is not whether the woman was Indian or not. The issue is the lack of rights for women in their marital homes. The inheritance laws and the laws of divorce too discriminate against the woman and favour the man. PPP tried to pass domestic violence bill but was blocked. MEdia too played along ramping up opposition against a much needed bill.
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