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Pakistan at War: Video of Girl Flogged by Taliban in Swat. Chief Justice Takes Suo Moto Notice

Posted on April 3, 2009
Filed Under >Adil Najam, Law & Justice, Society
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Adil Najam

This is a VERY DISTURBING video. Please view at your own discretion.

It is important, however, that we speak about and shout out about this video.


It shows a 17-year old girl being flogged by a Taliban leader of some sort in a perverted form of justice. Reportedly the incident happened in Kalakalay, Swat around 3 months ago (before the supposed peace deal with the government). The girl is being ‘punished’ for going somewhere without a male relative. Supposedly, the male companion was also flogged.

This video is also be discussed vigorously at Pakistaniat’s new Facebook page. Some of that disussion does not carry over here, although we hope it ultimately will.

In more recent developments, supposedly Sufi Mohammad in Swat has condemned the act and said this was not Baitullah’s Taliban. More importantly, the recent reinstated Chief Justice Iftikhar Chaudhry has taken su moto notice of this incident. According to The News

Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP) Justice Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry Friday took a suo motu notice of the media footage in which a 17 year old girl is being whipped out in the broad daylight in Swat. Justice Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhdy ordered the matter to be presented before a larger bench on April 6. He also summoned Secretary Interior, IG and Chief Secretary on April 6. He ordered formation of 8-member larger bench to be headed by himself.

This is a story that all Pakistanis and all Muslims must speak about and speak against. There are those who will try to make this a story about what Pakistan or Islam is. Such bigoted approaches are to be resisted. This is not a story about what Pakistan is. This is clearly not about what Islam is. This is a story about what the enemies of Islam and enemies of Pakistan are doing. This is a story about what Pakistan must not allowed to become. The bad news is obvious in the video itself. The bad news is about the criminality being conducted in the name of religion. The good news is that the media, the judiciary and ordinary Pakistanis ARE speaking up and speaking out. We must do more so. For if we do not speak out against this criminality, who will?

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246 comments posted

Comment Pages: « 31 30 29 28 27 [26] 25 24 23 22 211 »

  1. The Commie says:
    April 7th, 2009 5:17 am

    @zakoota

    Why u wanna hide ur head in the sand???

    Taliban did much more shameful things in Afghanistan.

    Its amazing how a section of people still in DENIAL MODE.

  2. D_a_n says:
    April 7th, 2009 5:11 am

    @ Zakoota…

    Refer to the 2nd Video embedded in this post….

    the spokesman is not only admitting this happened…but is going into the details of the case….!!

    can you please stop lying? ive started to develop a rash just by reading such garbage!

  3. Taha says:
    April 7th, 2009 1:41 am

    This is for every one who think that Sharayt (Taliban sharyat) is the only solution to the problems of Pakistan. First understand it that a vast majority of population of Pakistan is not the same firqa as Taliban are which is Wahabi’s. Who are extremist. So what Taliban plans for all these maslaks kill them all. Pakistan is the land of sofia karams. It was made for this Islam not wahabis Islam majority of whom oppose creation of Pakistan. I don’t know why are we trying to prove these Taliban bandits wrong every one know they are criminals who gathered to earn some profit in the name of Shariyat. Second If you talk about shairat. Do you know when there were real sahriyat in Muslim world, even if a Khalif do some thing wrong an ordinary person can talk about it and tell him to correct it. Do your wahabi’s sharyat or Taliban have such guts to listen. I bet if you say something against the Taliban leader in swat they will hang you. Why do you think that we will support this kind of definition of sharyat.
    I don’t under stand if we talk about the swat incident why you people remember Doctor Afia. It was done by a American who are kafir but what is the difference between him and you if you are doing the same thing in the name of shariat. Shame on every Mulla and every person who are defending Taliban in this barbarian act.
    What about the thousand of innocent Muslims that were killed by these bandits. will you and any Taliban supporter give any explanation to that. There can’t be any explanation or reason for their murders.

  4. faiza zaeem says:
    April 7th, 2009 1:29 am

    why any so-called civil society activist has never protested against making women a mere show-piece in stage shows, theatres, fashion shoots, catwalks and entertainment media? Isn’t that a “bahurmati” of womenfolk.

  5. ATP Administrator says:
    April 7th, 2009 12:38 am

    UPDATE on the Chief Justice’s Suo Moto notice hearings. From THE NEWS:

    ISLAMABAD: The Supreme Court on Monday turned down the government’s request for an in-camera trial of those involved in flogging a girl in Swat and ruled that the facts be brought before the public.

    An eight-member bench, headed by Chief Justice Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry, is hearing a suo motu case of the flogging incident in Swat.

    Other members of the bench are: Justice Javed Iqbal, Justice Sardar Muhammad Raza Khan, Justice Khalilur Rehman Ramday, Justice Faqir Muhammad Khokhar, Justice Mian Shakirullah Jan, Justice Raja Fayyaz Ahmed and Justice Chaudhry Ejaz Ahmed.

    Chief Justice Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry has taken suo motu notice of the public lashing of a teenaged girl in Swat after footage of the incident was shown on Geo TV. The court directed the interior secretary, the NWFP inspector general police and the NWFP chief secretary to prepare a detailed report pertaining to the flogging of the 17-year-old girl by the Taliban in Swat and adjourned the hearing to date in office.

    The court ordered to submit a fortnightly report with the registrar for the court’s perusal. Attorney-General Sardar Latif Khosa, Interior Secretary Syed Kamal Shah, NWFP IGP Malik Naveed Khan and other high officials appeared before the court.

    The attorney-general made a plea before the bench that the matter relating to the flogging of the girl was a sensitive issue and, therefore, the hearing be conducted closed-door. The court, however, turned down the request for the in-camera trial and remarked that as news of the flogging was revealed through the media the facts should be brought before the public.

    During the course of the proceedings, Justice Javed Iqbal observed that people in Pakistan are very well aware of the secrets of the government. Latif Khosa informed the court that there were two incidents of flogging, one of which was a bogus one. NWFP IGP Malik Naveed Khan submitted that an FIR had been registered against unidentified persons and a five-member investigation team, headed by the acting DIG has been constituted.

    He drew the attention of the court to the fact that the police have no access to several areas in Swat. To this, the bench remarked: “Your statement is tantamount to surrender. You have to establish the writ of the government,” the chief justice observed.

    The victim, Chand Bibi, could not be presented during the Supreme Court hearing, while a confidential report was presented from the NWFP chief secretary. The court, while refusing to accept the chief secretary’s report, remarked that no confidential report was required and said all facts should be brought before the public.

    Besides, the girl’s statement before the magistrate was also presented through the attorney-general in which Chand Bibi has denied the alleged flogging incident. A team of two high officials comprising Malakand Commissioner Syed Mohammad Javed and a senior judge had visited Kala village situated in the far-off area of Kabal Tehsil and recorded the statement of the girl.

    The two officials recorded the statements of the girl and her husband in which they completely denied the incident. Chand Bibi and her husband, Adalat Khan, also said that they couldn’t appear before the court, as this would be against their traditions.

    The chief justice observed that the possibility of fake video to malign the people of Swat couldn’t be ruled out. Chief Justice Iftikhar Chaudhry in his remarks said investigations be conducted into the incident to know who conspired to defame Islam and Pakistan.

    He ordered the authorities concerned to investigate the matter in view of the statements of Chand Bibi and Adalat Khan. Peshawar High Court Bar Association President Latif Afridi submitted that there was no writ of the government in Swat. He said out of 1,600 police officials only 700 are working.

    He said despite the military operation the government has opted to surrender in Swat. He said the military action has failed to bring desired results and now it is a total surrender. Meanwhile, the court expressed displeasure over Interior Secretary Kamal Shah’s statement relating to the Swat incident, prompting Justice Khalilur Rehman Ramday to inquire from the interior secretary, “Do you do any work other than arresting judges?”

  6. Aamir Ali says:
    April 6th, 2009 11:59 pm

    @Adnan Siddiqi

    I haven’t taken any funds from West, and neither has the Pakistani media, which circulated the video that shows the Taliban injustice against a young Swati girl. You can make some more the quotations of Imam Shafai in your quest to hide that injustice, the educated will continue to reject it and demand justice.

    @Karachiite
    Whatever self-praise the Jamaatis and mullahs may put on themselves, their record in the creation of Pakistan, and in the uplift of the Muslim community of India is abysmal. The ulema opposed Sir Syed Ahmed Khan, they opposed Allama Iqbal, they opposed Quaid-e-Azam, they opposed All-India Muslim League. The ulema have been wrong on all major decisions including their fantasy that Muslims could dominate a united India, which could be refuted by simple demographics.

    The Constitution, laws and procedures of Pakistan are not emotional slogans, they are documented realities which you can examine for yourself. They deal with ever-expanding subjects concerning state, individual and society. The same goes for English laws which have a long history and long application and require long study. The non-application of Pakistani law/constitution is another matter entirely.

    On the other hand what is Shariat ? A vague concept which in Pakistan gets reduced to interference in personal lives, an obsession with females, and an eagerness to flog, stone and cut off hands. That is why Pakistani Shariat qualifies as an emotional slogan, it is nowhere a substitute legal system.

    Finally regarding re-definition of Islam/Pakistan. The Constitution of Pakistan gives its citizens the right to disagree and dissent , without being branded a kaffir and subject to punishment. That is the spirit of Quaid-e-Azam , whom you Jamaatis still call a kaffir. To give up this natural right of dissent will be to surrender to the mullahs, who are basically as ignorant today as they were 100 years ago.

  7. Umer says:
    April 6th, 2009 9:33 pm

    @Karachite:

    Hamid Mir claims Molvi Kafayatullah and Hussein Ahmad Madni asked Quid-e-Azam for Rs 50,000 (a large sum in those day when salaries where Rs 25/30 and less). When Quid-e-Azam refused these two deobandi guys went to Indian Congress because Congress was able to give them the money.

    http://jang.com.pk/jang/mar2009-daily/26-03-2009/c ol6.htm

    Not very principled or dignified.

  8. Umar says:
    April 6th, 2009 9:23 pm

    @Karachite:

    How come Allah did not guide these “pious” ulema of deoband and instead guided Jinnah? Something tells me these molvis are not in Allah’s good books.

    On the other hand we see the current terrorism, mostly under influence of deobandi group…so deobandi view of Pakistan being a disaster has become a self fulfilling prophecy.

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