Gender Oppression: Women of Dir

Women of the Dir lower face numerous political, social and economical problem.

Where as the world is going to celebrate the international women day to day in order to focus mainly on women rights and development across the globe, there the women folk of the Dir Lower are facing numerous problems relating to their status and their lives.

According to a recent survey conducted by Anjuman Behbood-e-Khawateen (ABKT) Dir to highlight women rights and empowerment, it was learnt that women in Dir, a conservative area, had been barred to exercise their political, social and economical rights as the area is totally men dominated as compared to other parts of the country.

Recently in general elections held on February 18, 2008 no women in the district exercised their right to vote. The survey revealed that killing of women relating to honor killing incidents are on the rise while there were found some “SWARA” cases as well in the district.

According to reports collected from different police stations and national news papers 16 women were fell victims to honor killings crime while 9 men were also shot dead during the last year.

According to Khall police, one Muhtaj S/O Mian Gul shot dead Awal Zeb 23 in Toormang when he was on his way to home last year in June. Later on Muhtaj went to his home and killed his sister-in-law on suspicion that she had illicit relation with Awal Zeb.

Similarly on February 03, a resident of Haya Serai Muhammad Jan killed his sister-in-law and a man Gul Zar S/o Haider on the charges of having suspicious relations.

On February 24, a girl and a boy Ihsanullah were murdered over suspicious illicit relation in Dog Dara, sources said.

In June a couple was barbarously killed in Gujran Wala Punjab.

Sources told that Uzma 18 had married a boy Shabir in her neighbor on her own free will against the permission of her parents. The couple then had fled to Karachi and then shifted to Gujran Wala Punjab where they were traced out and were killed.

Similarly another couple was killed in Ouch Dir Lower on November
11, sources said, adding that the girl Khaista Begum and the boy Islam Zeb had married on their own violating family’s decision.

People told that elders of the girl’s family deceived the couple and invited them to their home but when they reached they were allegedly killed by the girl’s relatives.

On March 27, a man Amir Hassan shot dead his wife Shamim Akhtar in village Bakandai in the Jurisdiction of Ouch polling station. The man believed that his wife had illicit relation with some one other.

Similarly a man Rehmat Zeb, allegedly opened fire on his wife Zeenat while she was offering prayers, in Khadag Zai village on March 26. Later on the accused also killed his brother Bahadar Zeb, on the pretext that his wife and his brother had illicit relations.

On June 1, a women Naheed Bibi and a man Bakht Shah Zeb were allegedly killed by Naheed’s in laws in Osorai village.

On July 9, a man gunned down his wife Zahira, infant baby and two other relative women in Rabbat Dara due to unknown reasons, police and residents told this scribe.

On August 28, police intervened to save a three years old girl in Chakdara from becoming victim of the un-human custom of SWARA by taking an undertaking from her father that he would not hand her over to his rivals. The girl had to be handed over on August 31, but police foiled the bid. Later on they arrested sixteen people including the prominent religious leader Maulana Muhammad Rahim alias Darbar Maulana, along with jirga members for their decision to give away the girl in SWARA.

On August 30, a man Nadar Khan allegedly shot dead his wife Sumera and younger brother Famir in Timergara on suspicious of illicit relations, sources said, adding that the accused first stabbed them and then shot them dead.

On September 06, a man Muhammad Khan entered a woman Iqbal Bibi’s house in Ouch and killed her while a child was injured in the accident, police said.

On October 06, a man Gul Khan 23 was gunned down in Malakand Timergara by relatives of a woman Hameeda who later on shot her dead. They believed that the deceased had illicit relations.

On September 22, a retired army Solider Bakht Rahman allegedly killed his wife Bakht Mina, residents said; adding that later on the accused pretended that she was killed by some attackers from outside the home when she was fast asleep. Witnesses said Bakht Mina was a modest and innocent woman.

On November 21, a man Liaq Zada shot dead his wife Risalat Bibi in Darmal Bala village, informed sources told this reporter.

All these incidents indicate the real status, the women of Dir face. The women of Dir had never been allowed to take part in political activities. They had never been used their right to vote or contest election. Though in local government elections 2001 and 2005 women elected by men voters on union, Tehsil and district council’s level, yet they had been discouraged to attend councils meeting.

Women rights activist working in Dir have expressed their grave concerns on the violation of women rights on a large scale in the Dir Lower and said that literacy ratio was the need of the day to be increased. They demanded of the present governments and international donor agencies to focus on boosting female education in the area and women be protected to become easy victims to men done crimes.

Mrs. Shad Begum
Executive Director
ABKT- Dir