Dawn.com invites its readers to debate current affairs in this forum.
By now, most Pakistanis have seen the video of a teenaged girl being flogged by Taliban militants in Swat. The footage, captured on a mobile phone, has angered the nation and provoked condemnation and calls for inquiries among government circles.
That said, there are some elements, such as a leader of the Awami National Party, who claim the video release is aimed at undermining the Swat peace-for-Sharia deal. Others point out that flogging is a common punishment in the Swat Valley these days, and that the government knew this before agreeing to negotiate with militants based there.
How do you think the government should respond to this video’s circulation? What should be done about other men and women in the valley who have faced similar punishment? Should a video like this be cause for abandoning the peace-for-Sharia deal brokered with the TNSM?
No one is defending anybody. When a person gets up and puts pressure on the tender skin, after a severe flogging, the way that lady did, raises doubts whether the entire was real or just staged. Please don’t link Lahore, Islamabad and Mumbai shootings and suicide bombings with this video. In this age mercenaries can be hired for a price, sometimes small and sometimes a big one. Has anybody asked him/herself why all of a sudden Pakistan has become so important for the West? Why the “mighty” Indian Navy could not defend its borders from an “attack” from “outsiders”? Why do we have lost the capacity of asking questions and believe what we see?
The Gruesome flogging of an innocent and hapless 17-year-old Chand in Swat by Taliban takes us back to an age when no human beings lived in this world. To think of it, it has happened in the 21st century and in Pakistan, the abode of heroic warriors is unbelievable.
What kind of justice is this?? And that too punishment against a hapless young girl is something that is simply abominable. Of course, not for they are swayed by a primitive and dead ideology and a blind thought that their acts will be rewarded by the Almighty God himself (a special place in paradise)
Should not all of us be ashamed of seeing one of our fellow human and a sister (don’t we all have our own sisters) being lynched so shamelessly in front of people?
Swat flogging is a blot in the history of mankind and an insult to the very principle of decent and respectable human living. DISGUSTING!!!!
I can’t believe some comments about fabrication. For heavens sake stop defending these gangsters. Were the Lahore, Islamabad and Mumbai attacks fabrications? Are all these suicide bombings a figment of our imagination? Even if it is fabricated does not mean it is not happening. Pakistani’s have defied dictators for 40 years. Why are they afraid of a few thugs with beards.
The most important thing is for the media and us (ordinary folk) not to let this incident fade from public memory until the perpetrators of this cruel act get the punishment they so richly deserve. Keep writing about it – at the very least.
Where is this little girl now? What about the boy? Have they been given medical treatment? Psychiatric care? Security? If not, why not?
If there is anything you can do to help them, please don’t dither or debate with yourself. Please come forward and help the downtrodden of the world. Be a hero.
This incident is minor compared to all the other acts the Taliban have commited. Suicide bombings, beheadings, bombing of schools, absolute disrespect of our mothers and sisters and treason are afew of the unislamic deeds committed by these evil people.
Face it, we have an anarchy spread by the Taliban. Pakistan is truly in an era of darkness.
Problem with the majority of moderate peace loving Pakistanis is we talk too much and never do any thing about it. When it comes to some outsiders defaming our religion we’re all up in arms out on the streets boycotting foreign produce etc. But when our own so call ‘muslim brothers, the Taliban’ defame our religion and kill innocent muslims and fellow humans, there’s absolutely no uproar or street protests ….. something is definitely wrong with this picture.
We are our own worst enemies – lets get our house in order and deal with these false muslims ‘the Taliban’. String them up I say – they are the vermin of the land and will only accelerate the destruction of our beloved country and religion.
Lets unify against the cancer of our land.
I like most Pakistanis was deeply sadened by what has happened in Swat. Shame on Pakistan’s government and it’s army. What good are nuclear weapons when it can’t even protect it’s own citizens against barbaric acts of Taliban. Pakistan’s Army needs to wipe these people out of existence. Only then will have any respect for it. God bless most of the people of Pakistan for speaking against these in-human act. Not sure why patahans are defending this act? How would they feel if it was their own daughter or sister? Very sad.
Where is the champion of free judiciary Aitzaz Hussain? Where is the champion of democracy Nawaz Sharif? Where is our Iftikhar Chaudhry? Guys are you not planning any long march from Islamabad to swat to protest against this henious crime committed by these animals?
If the video is fake, it can be analyzed.You don’t need a rocket scientist to do it. If it is fake, then get hold of the individual who made it.
We Muslims continue to point the finger at everyone else but ourselves and therein lies the truth! We just can’t handle the truth. Looking in the mirror must be hard!
So it must be those foreign powers that have done this, nothing but one conspiracy theory after another… Were we so powerless/toothles/gutless and just fell into that trap! Search deep into our souls and we will find the answer to that one. Yes, it’s US.
We are our own worst enemy! We were blessed with Islam and we have squandered Allah’s blessings.
If we as muslims don’t recognize this fundamental truth we will continue to find ourselves mis-understood and lost as we are today!
Surprise surprise! wake up people? Did everyone think Sharia law would make flowers and petals to shower pone its victims? Why are we so surprised now did we not READ the Sharia law before passing it or perhaps we are unable to read as all the schools are blown up? Sorry have fun with Sharia.
I am a pushtun and honestly I am ashamed that my fellow pushtuns stood there and watched this young girl being beaten. If they couldnt prevent this atleast they could have declined to watch.
I am very glad this video was released. This is the real face of the Taliban and they are unapologetic about this beating. Infact Muslim Khan (the Taliban spokesman in Swat) even said that the girl is lucky because she could have received death by stoning. The reaction on this forum as I would have expected is divided between people who are shocked and people who are in denial. These people will never believe even if you bring the girl and the three Talibans infront of them – they will always think this is a US/Indian/Afghan conspiracy.
As far as the peace deal is concerned; this is not a peace deal its a surrender.
First of all we agree to enforce Sharia now we must accept the consequences. Should have objected before, too late now! enjoy!
We should wait until Supreme Court has heard this case, Let the justice take it’s course. Otherwise why did thousands of people participated in the long march. If it was to restore justice in Paskistan then lets wait for the judicial process to conclude. Then we can comment on this issue.
I am also deeply disturbed by this. This young woman is our sister and our daughter.
Well the video could be instrumental but the incident is not a bogus one. Of course these Taliban do such things (and capable of)and those who say that this is conspiracy should stop blaming everything on others. Rather it should be considered ablessing that someone showed us our real picture. But you will not abandon supporting these Taliban unless you face them yourselves.
my parents were from Pakistan;we feel so shocked that we have gone back to old eras.i love pakistan, its people .Its high time india,pakistan unite to fight the menace of terrorism.Pakistan govt should wake up,accept reality.
AS far as the release, circulation and publicity of the video goes, I think it has been tremendously instrumental is raising the real spectre that is taking place within the borders of Pakistan. It is a reality check for those who turn a blind eye. It is also reveals how deeply flawed our understandings are of the religion that we purport to accept and understand. And at an even deeper level it is indicative of the desperation that is felt in some regions of the country that have enabled the constitution of a state within a state. I think it is in imperative that the government should work towards a politics of unity and inclusion, tackling root causes of inequity between regions and form a cohesive whole. A nation of Pakistani’s as opposed to a nation of divided entities.
Dear friends, i am an Indian,and for the first time i am visiting any Pakistani website,and the name Dawn,is most prominent here in India.Well, till day before, me, like any other Indian,hated everything Pakistan, but recent events in your country have changed my views completely. I am feeling sorry for the citizens, you people are also as much the victim of dirty politics as we are.Its a horrible sight, watching innocent Pakistanis getting killed by these militants. Its time the awaam of Both the countries unite and demand better, both sides of the border.Has the media in pakistan ever questioned their govt about their surrender at swat valley, or where do these militants get their weapons from? ISI is very resourceful, they know every street of India, do they know where do these terrorists get their supplies from.Pakistan has to awake to save both our nations.
Pakistan is beautiful country, and it can’t live alone in this world, there are many muslim countries living in peace and prosperity having friendly relationship with whole world.
What happening in Pakistan, will only lead us in isolation. We all have to stand against this extremism, it will not benefiting thousands of people who are living on daily wages.
I was hopeful about our youngster to build up Pakistan stronger and stronger… I was really disopointed by the comments on this forum since last few days. Every body is trying to show his anger and curse Taliban, Pakhtoons and even some of them comment on Sharia. It is not right to criticize the Sharia that way. Like a civilized nation, wait for the court decision, every thing will be clear. I think that will be the right time to comment on.
The govt is not taking action because it is not happened to anyone they know personally. only when it comes to Islamabad,then only Ruler will realise the fact and pain.
This video is not fake at all, anyone who says this is lying to himself and trying to change the subject.
I am a Pakistani and a Pashtun and I am more angry at those people who refuse to believe their own eyes, of course this is real, the people who watched this are real, the people who flogged her are real, they have admitted to flogging her, the woman who got flogged is real, now her family and Taliban are putting pressure on her for denying this out of fear for their lives, which is understandable, the entire country cannot handle Taliban, what can this small family do?
But the real disgraceful people are the officials of NWFP claiming the video was fake, knowing full well the video is not fake, they are more interested in saving their jobs than facing the truth.
Well you officials can fool yourselves and live in denial, but the world is not stupid, people are more advanced nowadays and can clearly tell the difference between real and fake, and this video is 100% real.
Double shame on NWFP officials for their cowardice to face these barbaric Taliban, and for denying the shameful act ever happened to a innocent weak girl. I wonder what you would do if that girl was your own daughter or sister.
This brings tears in my eye. I never imagined in my wildest dreams that this sort of cruelty can be done. Why are the men holding the girl? Is that not haram? Why is she being beaten in public with her covering removed? They’ll get their share of sins in this world.
It is very easy for westerners to misguide us, who made this video?
I am not surprised to read all the emotional comments. We are emotional people in Pakistan and always react in this way. There was a video a few years ago where a turboned man was beating a couple of women in open area. It also caused emotions in public and we all raised our voices to crush such people in Afghanistan. later it turned out the video was fake but it was too late. same thing is happening in Pakistan and all of a sudden we start fuming against Islam and everyone who looks like muslim. a muslim and all humans should be fundamentalist otherwise they are hypocrates. Please people wake up. if you are reading Dawn then you are one of the educated people in Pakistan and if you react in such a way then what about the rest of the world.
I request everyone to open your eyes and see what implications such a video clip is going to bring and its already working. we are asking government to do a military action in Swat and NWFP. thousands of peole would be killed for a video that no body knows where it came from. we belived the first one and now we are not believing anything else.
May Allah save us and help us all. and grant us sincere leadership.