Murder Most Foul

We live in terrible times, in a society that is fast being brutalized beyond the pale of humanity. There is no
safe haven here, no
safety, especially if you are a woman. When a mother leads a hired assassin to her daughter, whom can we
believe in?

Every other injustice in these unjust times, in this unjust country, pales before the terrible tragedy that took
place at 'Dastak', (an
NGO in Lahore that provides shelter and legal aid for destitute women, run by the two lawyer sisters, Hina
Jilani and Asma
Jehangir who heads the Human Rights Commission in Pakistan). The terrifying part is that the jungle law
of the 'Tribal
Territories' is creeping into the fabric of 'educated' society. All in the name of 'honour' and traditional
'values'!

Yes, Pathans do have a strict code of conduct. Many women are murdered, either because they do not toe
the line and
'dishonour' their fathers and brothers, or are perceived to do so. Without condoning their behaviour, it
must be seen that these
Pathans live by a clearly understood, strict code of conduct. They do not have double standards.

Saima's parents were introduced by a common friend, in the swinging '60s. They fell in love and were
married. That was then,
this is now. Now the conduct that is being judged by them, is that of their daughter, and different rules
apply. Mohtarama,
Saima's mother, is a doctor. Ghulam Sarwar Mohammand, Saima's father, had risen to be a medical sales
representative by the
time he met Mohtarama. After marriage he settled in as the 'son of the house' and eventually took over her
father's small
chemist shop in Peshawar City.

Overnight Ghulam Sarwar Mohammand made a lot of money. There is gossip (but little proof) of how this
came about. Building
a palatial house in the prestigious neighbourhood of Shami Road, he proceeded to entertaining the rich and
powerful. Alchohol
flowed freely, and dice and dancing girls are reported to be a regular feature of his parties. His contacts
seem to have paid off.
Today he is the Chairman of the Sarhad Chamber of Commerce and a respected Industrialist. Now
Mohtarama and her
husband have become the epitome of 'Pathan values', and rub shoulders with the other 'nouveau riche'
Peshawari 'elite'.

In 1989, 17 year old Saima was married to Dr. Imran, her mother's nephew. It was not a happy marriage.
Finally, in 1994,
while Saima was expecting her second baby, her father brought her home. Dr. Imran was reviled and
abused and not allowed
to meet his children when he visited. A friend of the family reports that he was devastated when his wife
left, and is now a
broken man. After her baby was born Saima joined the university and studied law. All the while she
wanted a divorce, but her
parents dissuaded her. They feared for their 'honour'.

Barrister Badshah, a friend and lawyer of Saima's parents is quoted to have claimed that a divorce (khulla),
had finally been
agreed on before Saima's parents left to perform Hajj. Another friend of the family informed me that the
'khulla' came through a
few days before Saima's death. This is not understandable in the light of what followed, although there is
some gossip that
Saima wished to marry someone of whom her parents did not approve.

After her parents departure, Saima went to 'Dastak', to knock on Asma Jehangir's doors for help, escorted
by the man she
wished to marry. Saima's brother phoned his parents, telling them of her escape and they returned poste
haste. On the 2nd. of
April they returned from Hajj, on the 5th. their daughter was dead.

Since Saima refused to meet with her father and brother, fearing for her life, Mr. Aitzaz Ahsan was
approached to intercede.
Finally Saima agreed to meet with her mother only. After laying their plans, Saima's parents and Younas
Mohammand (her
paternal uncle) left for Lahore.

Before leaving for Lahore, the assassin is said to have asked his family to pray for his safe return, since he
was embarking on a
dangerous 'job'. A friend quotes Saima's sister as having said that her parents were going to kill Saima, if
she refused to return
home. She did not bother to warn her sister. Her brother is also quoted to have been very firm in his views,
'death for
disobedience'. In any case, from what we read in the papers no one bothered to carry out a dialogue with
Saima, she was given
no option. Few women in Pakistan today are given an option; few are allowed a personal choice.

The rest of the sordid story is well known, how Hina Jillani sat in on the meeting, barely escaping with her
life; how Mohtarama
entered on the arm of her part-time chauffeur; how Saima prepared to run when she saw him; how he shot
her in the head; how
her mother and uncle (who waited downstairs) took a hostage while escaping; how the uncle congratulated
the father on the
success of the 'mission'. So much for 'Pathan' values. Pathans are known to honour their word over their
lives.

I was told there might be a move to constitute a 'jirga' to reach a rapprochment. A 'jirga' is a Pathan
institution in which village
elders (who comprise the body of the 'jirga'), pass judgement and settle quarrels. In a murder case 'blood
money' is decided on
by the 'jirga', if the victim 's family forgives the murder. 'Blood money' for a woman is, ofcourse, half
that of a man! What I
cannot understand is, since the victim's family are the accused, who will decide on whether the murder is
to be forgiven? Who
will pay 'blood money', and to whom?

Saima's murder has led to deep controversy in Peshawar. Most are heartsick, but some have other views.
Some claim she was
'immoral', and that justifies her sad end. One couple, 'friends' of Saima, both doctors, who married of their
own choice, believe
that the parents did the right thing in view of the Pathan code of ethics! I shudder for their daughters!

The bearded brigade of Peshawar is politicising the issue and held a procession demanding that Asma
Jehangir be charged for
'murdering' Saima and destroying traditional 'values'.

Members of the Sarhad Chamber of Commerce are making loud noises in support of their Chairman,
Ghulam Sarwar
Mohammand. I wonder, do they approve of what he has done? Would they do the same to their daughters?

Many refuse to believe that Mohtarama was aware of the plan to murder her daughter. She is said to have
contacted a friend
recently and claimed she had not known of the plan. Yes, it is difficult to believe that a mother would be
party to her daughter's
murder.

Yet, it would be possible to give her the benefit of the doubt if she had entered 'Dastak' on the arm of a
woman for the support
she claimed she needed, wives of honourable men do not lean on a strange man. It would be possible to give
her the benefit of
the doubt if she had shown the slightest sorrow when Saima fell to the ground with her head half shot off.
It would be possible
to give her the benefit of the doubt if she had attacked the assassin for murdering her child. It would be
possible to give her the
benefit of the doubt if she had not run to save her hide.

But she did not do all this.

She ran as though the devil was on her heels, and he might have been, she had just sold her soul to the devil.