Rape of children on increase in Pakistan

For generations, rape was a taboo subject in this conservative Muslim society. As recently as a decade ago, the news about the 14- and 16-year-old sisters (who were raped and shot dead) might never have traveled beyond this rural area, where rice fields stretch for miles and workers shape bricks from the spongy soil.

But thanks to a freer media and a push by child-welfare advocates to get families to report such crimes, the number of cases under investigation is rising, as is the outrage of parents, the public and advocacy groups.

“People are now reporting things, and people are now seeing children are suffering heinous, horrible crimes,” said Narjis Zaidi, a human rights advocate in Islamabad.

We told you so seems an inadequate response to the following news item which shows how rape of minors, both girls and boys, is increasing in Pakistan. When the brutal dictator General Zia enacted his so called Sharia Laws, we spoke out against them. We said that those laws were not Sharia and the way they were legislated and going to be implemented will give a licence to Pakistani men to rape. Sadly, our words proved true.

We again draw attention to three khutbas given at our mosque in London where we put the correct interpretation of Islamic law to the public and requested amendments to Pakistani law.

Original Source: WashingtonPost.com