Islam & Women Protection Bill

Couple of issues that need to be addressed becasue they are being used to make a lot of fuss by the religious parties.

1. "Rape and Adultery are the same in Quran"

As ridiculous that might seem, this actually is the point of view of these people who are opposed to Women Protection Bill. The condition for adultery is that 4 witnesses be brought forth who can testify that a certain person has performed adultery. If No - then the charges cannot be brought forward.

The opposite camp says that since Rape and Adultery are the same in Quran(no proof offered for that), so one needs to bring 4 witnesses to prove Rape charges as well!

2. "Quran states that Rapist to be stoned to Death"

Another preposterous claim. No where the Quran states that Rapist be stoned to death. In fact none of the Quranic verses talk of stoning to death. Rape is not discussed at all in Quran - adultery is. Quran does mention oppression and creating tumult in earth as worst offences and humans were left to devise on their own what punishment they come up with - and rape is oppression of worst kind.

So the first thing one should ask these guardians-of-Islam is - where is rape mentioned in Quran? where is stoning to death mentioned in Quran? I am yet to hear any argument. Tell me if you hear any.

Women's Protection Bill

After the passage of Women's Protection Bill from the lower house of the Parliament, National Assembly, the upper house (Senate) also cleared the Bill. A landmark reform in the infamous Hudood Ordinance of military dictator Ziaull Haq through which women were exploited.

The religious opposition is raising a lot of hue and cry against the passage of this bill terming it against Islam and Quran. But then.. thats what clergy do when their power is threatened. The custodians of Islam are trying everything to exploit the religious sentiment and promote their interest.

What I find most interesting is that they say things are totally opposite to Quran and still maintain that it is from Quran what they are saying!

Quran 3:78 And lo! there is a party of them who distort the Scripture with their tongues, that ye may think that what they say is from the Scripture, when it is not from the Scripture. And they say: It is from Allah, when it is not from Allah; and they speak a lie concerning Allah knowingly.

I'll allude to this more in my next post.

'Arms for Peace'

International Defence Exhibition And Seminar (IDEAS), an arms and ammunition exhibition, is being held in Karachi. Titled 'Arms for Peace', this exhibition is proving to be a huge success for arms exporters especially of Pakistan and huge bother for the Karachiites becasue of its tight security and cordoning off of roads.

I have an issue with the title of this exhibition.. Arms for Peace. Who do you think we are kidding? Ourselves I guess. Arms can never be for peace. Yes I have heard that argument that if you have strong defence then the adversary will have to think twice before taking an action... Agreed.. but this is only one side of the coin.

Remember Cold war not long ago? US and USSR almost put the world at destruction point. They did not fight directly but involved other countries that had no purpse and intent of joining such war (and were dependant upon these powers for defence). Keep in mind that there can be a couple of super powers at an instant. Korean War, Vietnam War, Afghan War... innocent people lost their lives because the powerful strutted their stuff throught their allies as they could not fight directly with each other.. arms as defence as one would like to put it.

Where would you like to live.. in a neighborhood where everybody has arms or a neighborhood where there are no guns? Change the title please.. its hypocritical.