SUKKUR: A young woman was declared a kari for shaking hands with her maternal uncle in Badani Town, Kashmore.
Village elders decided that she should be punished and ordered her husband to unleash the hounds on her. The incident left Rasheeda severely injured. She managed to run away to her parent’s house. For the moment, the family has moved in with relatives and hope that the situation will improve.
Umair Ali Chachar, her father, is a resident of Kashmore and runs a motorcycle showroom in the area. He claims that five years ago he was forced to get his daughter, Rasheeda, married to Ghulam Nabi alias Gul Chachar of Badani. He said that after the couple was married, Gul used to torture Rasheeda and it was an abusive marriage.
According to Umair Ali, things became worse when Rasheeda’s uncle Piyaro Chachar went to visit her on Eid and she greeted him by shaking his hand - a custom in rural Sindh. Her husband, however, disapproved, and announced that his wife was a kari. While talking to the media, Umair Ali said that his son-in-law had put the case before the village elders, including Wahid Bux Chachar and Mithal Chachar, who ordered that he should unleash the hounds on her for ‘committing a heinous crime’.
“Following the elders verdict, my son-in-law unleashed dogs and as a result my daughter was injured,” he said. “Somehow she managed to escape from her husband’s house and took shelter with us.” Umair Ali added that he went to register a complaint at the Badani police station but they refused to do so. He felt that the best thing to do in the situation was to relocate the family to Daharki and stay with some relatives.
Umair Ali claims that they are not safe as his daughter’s husband and in-laws are threatening them.
What happened five years ago
While talking to The Express Tribune, Umair Ali said that Wahid Bux Chachar, Mithal Chachar and a few other influential people of the area implicated him and his son in a fake case.
In order to drop the charges, these men demanded that Rasheeda would have to marry Gul. “I couldn’t think of a way out so I gave in to their demands,” he said. “They got married and soon after he started beating her. This time, however, he has crossed all limits.” He added that his daughter had done nothing wrong by shaking hands with her uncle as it is a customary greeting.
Rasheeda’s father claimed that the field officer of the Madadgar National Helpline, Bushra Syed, had contacted him and asked him to submit an application to her office to process the case.
Bushra Syed told The Express Tribune that the incident took place in Kashmore and the complaint would have to be filed with the area police. She added that she had asked Umair Ali to send an application to the office and that she would forward it to SSP Kashmore to take legal action.
Published in The Express Tribune, August 28th, 2014.
COMMENTS (28)
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@unbelievable: You hit the nail on the head. The so-called "elders" who are illiterate, clueless and bigoted are the bane of society in this region.
very very sad be educated dear it is wrong way to treat a women.
Civilized country would toss the "elders" and husband in jail and throw away the key. In many countries the father of the abused wife would kick the crap out of the husband and probably the "elders" as well. What's wrong with you people?
I can't understand if the husband resents his wife so much then why can't he simply divorce her . Why stay married to her and torture like his .
Now they should sit in at constitution avenue for at-least 15 days and nights. they will be able to register a FIR. This is the way now in our country.
@asim ... you are one angry person. calm down and try to change the thinking of the people.
@M Afzal: Saudi Arabia is the most tormented society in the world.
@M Afzal
Operatin sharia requires billions of dollars in my opinion. However, if you say what you claim to be true, you should also look at sharia somalia
beaten for shaking hands ??? disgusting failed nation...... bah ... and those losers ... the politician cant digest his loss so he creates all the chaos... sick society ...pathetic!!
@M Afzal: you call Saudia Arabia a peaceful society...nobody is safe there...there are no human rights...the dirty things that go on in Saudi Arabia are hidden behind the money and glitter.
What is the PPP doing to improve the situation in rural Sindh? Can anyone provide details.
@M Afzal: The last thing our country needs to get out of that 700 AD timeframe is to get a 700 AD timeframe rule of law. If we had a Sharia law implicated here, matters like these would probably never even see the light of day.
The fingers of all these people in the jirgas should be chopped off. Their eyes pierced with hot iron rods. and their faces dipped in acid. That is a just punishment for these animals.
Rasheeda Bibi...I am very, very shocked and sad to read this news about your humiliation at the hands of 'jungli' tribal lords. This is absolutely barbaric and INHUMAN. Even cave man was not so outrageous. This is time for the PPP to act if it wants to remain relevant as a political party, otherwise, the PPP will also go down like PMLN with its outdated and outmoded way of life. The tribal customs have almost doomed Pakistan. Sindh, Punjab, Baluchistan, and Khyber provinces after independence should have been well on the way to education and economic development. But alas, the tribal traditions are more important than Islam. Salams
Modern education is the key. India and Pakistan should both relegate religion back into the fold of each home. It is a personal thing between a human and his/her Almighty. We don't need agents to tell us what we can and cannot do. I hope I live long enough to see this come into fruition.
@Sindhi_Pakistani: "Will you act or just focus on lip service?" Don't worry. IK will win in sindh and solve "all problems" in 90 days just like did in KP.
Qaim Ali Shah sb, either these scums are bought to justice, or u jump off some cliff.
@Janan: Would calling you a pathetic loser change things? No. Stop calling people with names; hate the sin, love the sinner.
A Pakistani colleague ( Ariba, a young girl ) when first joined our company, she shook my hand with her hand. Here in Canada, we shake hands with our customers regardless of their age, sex and religion. Ariba is a proud member of our company and get lots of compliments from colleagues and customers alike. This is one sad news and give bad name to all Pakistanis living abroad.
If Pakistan was ruled by Islamic Sharia, all of such curses as it happens in this evil society, we're solved by such sharia law. Look at Saudi Arabia a peaceful country as Sharia is the law of the land and SOLUTION to all evil matters.
This is a chance for the media to bring a real issue to light. If issues like this aren't buried and forgotten, Pakistan's media might actually accomplish something. I hope this issue isn't forgotten, because this punishment is Game of Thrones level brutality
More news to enhance the "Good Name" of Pakistan (700 AD Timeframe again!) on the world stage!!!
Uncivilised people
What about the uncle? Any hounds for him too?
Is it amazing that those who write hateful comments about India and Israel are silent about such things happening in supposedly civil nation? People this is twenty first century and you should leave your 7th mentality and moved into modern age where not every innocent action should constitute loss of honour. Where are women commentators. Arise people against such barbarism.
Sorry Rasheeda, we are too obsessed with melodrama in Islamabad. No time for real problems. Just go away and do.... Whatever you do!