World 5 buried alive 'tradition'

[Pineapple]

ISLAMABAD, Pakistan - A Pakistani lawmaker defended a decision by northwestern tribesmen to bury five women alive because they wanted to choose their own husbands, telling stunned members of Parliament to spare him their outrage.

"These are centuries-old traditions, and I will continue to defend them," Israr Ullah Zehri, who represents Baluchistan province, told The Associated Press Saturday.

"Only those who indulge in immoral acts should be afraid."

The women, three of whom were teenagers, were first shot and then thrown into a ditch.

Pakistani lawmaker defends honor killings

www.jpost.com

 

[Seb!]

It's ALWAYS tradition/religion.

 

[The Helper]

Muslims have a religious law and from what I have read and researched the Koran or whatever has laws in it that are supposed to be used by governments. This religious law is what they are enforcing here. Its the same with the religious police who go around and harass women who dont have burkas on or whatever. The Muslims treat there women pretty bad and it is sanctioned by the Koran and this religious law. I have read there is a movement to reform Islam, from the Dutch I believe to be more moderate and I surely hope that happens soon but we are going to have to this extreme islamic view for a while even if that happens.

 

[Varine]

Islamic law isn't very nice to women.

 

[BlargIAmDead]

Actually, no, this isn't about Sharia religious law. If Senator Zehri is correct, this is a specifically Baluch practice; it has no connection with Islam. Furthermore, Pakistan isn't a Sharia country. Even furthermore, everybody else in Parliament was upset and quite a few denounced him in very definite terms:

Zehri told a packed and stunned Parliament on Friday that Baluch tribal traditions helped stop obscenity and then asked fellow lawmakers to stop making such a fuss about it.

Several lawmakers stood up in protest, describing the so-called honor killings as "barbaric."

Do we have any evidence to assume these senators are "less Muslim" or "less devout" or even "less Pakistani" than Senator Zehri?

Obviously this is outrageous. But let's be outraged at the actual atrocity, not some mythical boogeyman we dreamed up ourselves.