Home > Women And Rape In 21st Century Pakistan

Women And Rape In 21st Century Pakistan

by Open-Publishing - Monday 11 September 2006

Women - Feminism International Brian McAfee

by Brian McAfee

The basic human and civil right of a woman not to be raped and if she is, not to be held responsiible for it is front and center right now in Pakistan. Pakistan, a nation of about 166 million people, is one of the world’s poorest countries. The issue in question is a law, established in 1979, by U.S. supported dictator Zia Ul Haq called the Hudood Ordinance Law.

This law basically states that rape victims are liable for prosecution for adultery unless they can produce four male witnesses. Failure to produce the four witnesses is deemed the equivalent of pleading guilty. The Pakistan National Assembly is finally going to take on this issue but not without the opposition of the Islamic Fundamentalists in the legislative body.

President Gen. Perez Musharaff has voiced his support for a change in the law to show his support for a more "enlightened" Islam. Activists, women’s groups and human rights groups all want change but most believe the legislative changes proposed won’t go far enough. The U.S. wholeheartedly supported the Zia dicatorship that established the anti-woman laws in 1979 and has never seriously voiced criticism of any aspect of the Pakistan government except for its dislike of the brief democratic period under Benazir Bhutto.

Instead of addressing the basic needs issues of the impoverished country, the U.S. has chosen to engage it in it’s global arms trade. Receiving over 2.4 billion in military aid. Bush has offered Musharraf 24 F-16 fighter planes while offering even greater weapons sales to neighboring India. While the scarce resources of an impoverished land go towards the greed of a First World nation the women and girls of Pakistan cry, and wait, for justice.