Women found alone in the marketplace will be arrested and shopkeepers entertaining such women will be punished. PHOTO: AFP.
DERA ISMAIL KHAN: Clerics in parts of Khyber Pukhtunkhwa have issued a temporary ban on the shopping of women unless they’re accompanied by a male relative.
District police official Fazal Hanif told Reuters that the ban, which was announced over mosque loudspeakers in the Karak district on Friday, is being supported by the police.
According to the new law, women found alone in the marketplace are to be arrested and shopkeepers entertaining such women punished.
One trader said he feared the ban would affect business and damage the region's reputation.
"We never supported this ban and [have] convened a meeting on Wednesday to protest over the clerics' decision," Munawar Khan, one of the merchants in the region, told Reuters.
The mosque announcements said the ban was intended to stop men from being distracted during sacred period of Ramazan. The annual period of fasting and prayer falls in July this year.
The ban was proposed by the faction of the Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam party led by Fazl-ur-Rehman (JUI-F), local administration official Sarfaraz Khattak claimed.
Such religious parties have typically performed poorly in Pakistani elections, winning only a handful of seats. But mainstream politicians are often slow to criticise religious leaders, partly for fear of being targeted by their supporters.
Reuters learned that some residents of the area also oppose the ban.
"The male members of the family don't have enough time to take women to the market," said Mohammad Naeem Khattak. "Where can women go for shopping if they are banned in the market?"
COMMENTS (20)
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Well in these times of fitna and immorality women should certainly not go out alone under normal circumstances as much as possible unless accompanied by an adult mahram ie brother, father, uncle or husband. Yes as far as some emergency or genuine reason's concerned that's an exception.
It feels a lot like Saudi Arabia! KP folks are discovering true Islam as practised by the Arabs, who are the forefahters of Pakistanese! Next, let us see stoning, beheading and flogging. Are these women eligible to drive?
What a pity the clerics think so poorly of Pakistani men that they have to treat them like children and hide the lollies so the men won't be "tempted". Maybe if the men would grow up, take responsibility for their own actions and then they could learn to treat the other half of their society with due respect. Pakistan will continue to be one of the lowest countires in the world for as long as their men act like children and need Islamic clerics to make stupid laws like a parent does, and stop the other half of their society from being able to contribute. Mind you this childish behaviour is good for the west because it means this country will never be strong enough to be any real threat to any of our countries and will continue to be viewed as a 3rd class backwater.
Women cannot go shopping but the men engagae in bacha bazi. Long beards are the biggest hypocrites.
I think this is an Israel-India-USA conspiracy to send Pakistan back to the stone ages.
who is running the govt in KP...PTI,JI..OR JUI(f)
Let us see who is ruling KPK, PTI or JUI? PTI is not responsible for what is happening in the country as they only rule one province. They are also not responsible for what is happening in KPK especially with the already suppressed women.
Congratulations. PTI is silent!!!!!! And silence on part of the RULERS means approval. This is the change that Imran Khan has been promising all along. NAYA PAKISTAN.
Blasphemy Law.....Block You Tube....Ban Unaccompanied Woman from venturing out..... ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ Pakistan is making rapid progress ...towards the 7th Century.
@Bharatvarsh
What does IK have to do if JUIF issues this ruling? JUIF and PTI have fierce opposition in KP!
Does this mean that the Indians have arrive in the area?
Rex Minor
Time for KPK CM to stand up and oppose this ridiculous ban.
These clerics doubt the fidelity of their women folk who already vexed with the criminal behaviour of these clerics ,mullahs, moulvis etc.
These clerics and parties are Taliban supporters. They should be themselves banned.There is a limit to suppression of women. Why don't the men wear burka so that they are not distracted?
If muslim men can't control themselves and get distracted in the holy month of ramzan then what is the point of Ramzan!!!! I think this is the naya pak that IK had promised, 7th century has already dawned upon us and KP folks are the 2nd one to enter it after their afghan brethren.
What else you could expect from JUIF?
In which era are we living? People with weak EMAAN propose such things. This is ridiculous, women got no right in this country.