Knife’s edge: ‘PAT dharna broke up my family’
Man divorced wife, asked daughters to leave his house after they wanted to return to the sit-in
MULTAN:
A man divorced his wife on Monday and expelled his daughters from his house when on joining Pakistan Awami Tehreek’s sit-in in Islamabad.
Mazhar Hussain, a daily wage worker living in Basti Shumaali near Mian Channu, told The Express Tribune that his eldest daughter, 24-year-old Shaziar had been attending Minhajul Quran gatherings for several years ago.
He said she was convinced that Qadri could save Pakistan. He said she had joined Minhajul Quran under Fatima Nanhi, the Minhajul Quran women wing president of Mian Channu.
He said Shazia also taught at a high school run by Minhajul Quran. He said his other daughters had followed her sister and were studying at the school where Shazia taught.
Hussain said his wife and daughters had gone to Lahore in June to welcome PAT chief Qadri on his arrival from Canada.
He said later, they decided to join PAT’s long march in the first week of August.
He said they returned to Mian Channu on August 28.
“As soon as they arrived home, they started talking about leaving again,” he said.
Hussain said he forbade them from going again.
“I told them that if they wanted to go back to Islamabad, they should at least ensure they went by my leave,” he said.
He said he argued with his wife and forbade her from attending any PAT or Minhaj gathering.
Hussain said at this point, and their daughters beat him up.
He said he was rescued by neighbours. He said he then told his wife he wanted a divorce and told his daughters that they should leave his house. He said some of the neighbours tried to restrain but he did not change his mind.
“No one wants to leave their family,” he said. “The truth is, they left me.”
He said Tahirul Qadri should preach the importance of family values.
“What kind of a scholar teaches women to ignore their responsibilities towards their families,” he said.
He said he blamed Qadri for state of his family.
He said Pakistan Awami Tehreek workers were giving him death threats.
Talking to The Express Tribune, Shazia said her father had abused them in a bid to stop them from attending the sit-in in Islamabad. She said they had rented a house in Jinnah Town after her father told them to leave.
Shahid Mehmood, a neighbour, said Hussain was a gentleman and that his wife and daughters had been unfair to him.
“I work with him every day,” he said. “He struggles to make a living for them and they disregard his efforts.”
Naeem Chaudhary and Mian Jamshed, also residents of the area, also said Hussain was a soft spoken person and had not hurt anyone.
PAT Mian Channu president Matiur Rehman denied that Hussain was being harrassed.
“No one is harassing Hussain as all party workers are busy in Islamabad,” he said. He said Hussain had no grounds for leaving his family.
Published in The Express Tribune, September 12th, 2014.
A man divorced his wife on Monday and expelled his daughters from his house when on joining Pakistan Awami Tehreek’s sit-in in Islamabad.
Mazhar Hussain, a daily wage worker living in Basti Shumaali near Mian Channu, told The Express Tribune that his eldest daughter, 24-year-old Shaziar had been attending Minhajul Quran gatherings for several years ago.
He said she was convinced that Qadri could save Pakistan. He said she had joined Minhajul Quran under Fatima Nanhi, the Minhajul Quran women wing president of Mian Channu.
He said Shazia also taught at a high school run by Minhajul Quran. He said his other daughters had followed her sister and were studying at the school where Shazia taught.
Hussain said his wife and daughters had gone to Lahore in June to welcome PAT chief Qadri on his arrival from Canada.
He said later, they decided to join PAT’s long march in the first week of August.
He said they returned to Mian Channu on August 28.
“As soon as they arrived home, they started talking about leaving again,” he said.
Hussain said he forbade them from going again.
“I told them that if they wanted to go back to Islamabad, they should at least ensure they went by my leave,” he said.
He said he argued with his wife and forbade her from attending any PAT or Minhaj gathering.
Hussain said at this point, and their daughters beat him up.
He said he was rescued by neighbours. He said he then told his wife he wanted a divorce and told his daughters that they should leave his house. He said some of the neighbours tried to restrain but he did not change his mind.
“No one wants to leave their family,” he said. “The truth is, they left me.”
He said Tahirul Qadri should preach the importance of family values.
“What kind of a scholar teaches women to ignore their responsibilities towards their families,” he said.
He said he blamed Qadri for state of his family.
He said Pakistan Awami Tehreek workers were giving him death threats.
Talking to The Express Tribune, Shazia said her father had abused them in a bid to stop them from attending the sit-in in Islamabad. She said they had rented a house in Jinnah Town after her father told them to leave.
Shahid Mehmood, a neighbour, said Hussain was a gentleman and that his wife and daughters had been unfair to him.
“I work with him every day,” he said. “He struggles to make a living for them and they disregard his efforts.”
Naeem Chaudhary and Mian Jamshed, also residents of the area, also said Hussain was a soft spoken person and had not hurt anyone.
PAT Mian Channu president Matiur Rehman denied that Hussain was being harrassed.
“No one is harassing Hussain as all party workers are busy in Islamabad,” he said. He said Hussain had no grounds for leaving his family.
Published in The Express Tribune, September 12th, 2014.