Life of two abducted Women and their family in danger in Kashmir

Life of two abducted Women and their family in danger in Pakistani Controlled Kashmir

Report: Zafar Iqbal

Muzaffarabad: July 04,2009

Two abducted Kashmiri women would be killed if they are not freed from the custody of a powerful clan who kidnapped them to take revenue of a court marriage in which bride belongs to abductors family, a young girl appealed to government and human rights groups to protect her mother and sister.

Miss Ruhena, 30, on Saturday released an appeal to media and human rights organizations that her mother and sisters would be killed if government not provide them safety immediately.

In Pakistan and its administrated part of Kashmir majority of marriages are arranged by parents who prefer that both partners must belong to same tribe or clan, however, young couples who marry without involving their parents face severe opposition from their respective families, sometimes lodging fake cases of abduction against the male spouse.

Describing the details of the incident, Ruhena said that her mother (Rashida) and sister (Rubina) were kidnapped on 29th June by a powerful family in Muzaffarabad, the capital of Pakistan Controlled Kashmir, who is furious about a marriage of one of girl who got married last month in a local court with my brother. ‘My father, Bashir Lone and brothers, Farooq Lone and Mubsher Lone have also been arrested on a fake FIR which alleged that they were involved in arranging the wedding, Ruhina maintained.

She made it clear that the couple got married with their own willingness and the family were not aware about their plans neither they know their present whereabouts because they have left their homes.

She questioned that why a family was denied the justice, adding that if we were wrong then the state must not allowed the courts to register such marriages. ‘State has given right to every citizen to get married according to own choice, so there is no justification of victimization of the couple and their family, she further said.
She appealed to government of Pakistan and international human rights organization to save the lives of her mother and sister and protect the safety of more than 15 family members whom lives are at stake due to intimidation of kidnappers.

According to a leading Pakistani Human rights group, HRCP at least 612 Pakistani women were killed in the name of “honour,” during 2008.

(The writer of this report could be contacted at: zafarjournalist@gmail.com)