A sick statistic from Pakistan

I point out the degradation and subjugation of women, justified through the Qur'an and hadiths of Muhammad on a regular basis, and am called names and accused of being anti-Muslim and an Islamophobe each time I do.  The subject of honor killings is a touchy one, with the left not wanting to acknowledge it exists, and the right saying it is only a little bit, practiced by not too many so not to worry.  Besides, it's their culture, we are told by all sides, and we have no right to interfere.

So, it happens, it is a terrible thing, but we cannot really talk about it, for fear of upsetting or, God forbid insulting Muslims or Islam.  So we don't talk about it, in a public forum, and the problem continues unabated.  675 women and girls dead because they dared break the rules laid down 1400 years ago.  675 dead because we are too much the politically correct coward, fearing anything we do or say will inflame already high tensions...and people, innocent people will die.  Newsflash; 675 dead already, is that not a high enough number for you to take action?  Maybe a thousand will hit the mark?

Disgusting and shameful.

We have sent billions to Pakistan in jizya over the years.  Money to a country who is obviously not our friend, but a country which is also responsible for 91% of all honor killings world-wide.  Your tax dollars at work.  Aren't you proud?


From AFP/Yahoo December 20

675 Pakistan 'honour killing' victims: commission

 At least 675 Pakistani women and girls were murdered during the first nine months of the year for allegedly defaming their family's honour, a leading human rights group said Tuesday.

The statistics highlight the scale of violence suffered by many women in conservative Muslim Pakistan, where they are frequently treated as second-class citizens and there is no law against domestic violence.

Despite some progress on better protecting women's rights, activists say the government needs to do far more to prosecute murderers in cases largely dismissed by police as private, family affairs.

"A total of 675 women and girls were killed in the name of honour across Pakistan from January to September," a senior official in the Human Rights Commission of Pakistan told AFP.

They included at least 71 victims under the age of 18.

The official, who spoke on condition of anonymity because he is unauthorised to speak to the media, said figures were still being compiled from October to December, and that a full report would be released in February.

Simple math says the end of year number should be around 800.

The Commission reported 791 honour killings in 2010 and there was no discernible decrease this year, the official added.

Around 450 of the women killed from January to September were accused of having "illicit relations" and 129 of marrying without permission.

Some victims were raped or gangraped before being killed, he said. At least 19 were killed by their sons, 49 by their fathers and 169 by their husbands.

In Islam it is rare that family members are prosecuted for killing other family members, especially the woman. "A manual of Islamic law certified as a reliable guide to Sunni orthodoxy by Al-Azhar University, the most respected authority in Sunni Islam, says that "retaliation is obligatory against anyone who kills a human being purely intentionally and without right." However, "not subject to retaliation" is "a father or mother (or their fathers or mothers) for killing their offspring, or offspring's offspring." ('Umdat al-Salik o1.1-2)."  (Thanks to Jihad Watch and Robert Spencer for the above quote)

The killings will continue as long as Islam is defined and practiced as defined above.

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