ISLAMABAD: Pakistani authorities ordered an investigation yesterday into a video showing a man flogging a screaming girl in the country’s northwest where the government recently agreed to introduce Islamic law to end a rebellion by Taleban militants.
The 17-year-old girl was beaten in the Swat Valley, some 140 km northwest of Islamabad, about two weeks ago, a human rights worker said. Grainy footage apparently shot with a mobile phone camera shows militants making the burqa-clad girl lie on the ground on her stomach.
One man holds her feet and another her head while a third man with a black beard and turban flogs her with a leather strap. Men can be seen looking on. “For God’s sake, stop it ... hang on, hang on,” the girl cries as the man beats her.
A crowd of men watches silently in the background, and a voice can be heard saying “hold her hands tightly.” It was not exactly clear when the incident took place or who carried it out.
The government agreed to allow Islamic law in the Swat Valley under a peace deal struck with a hard-line cleric, sparking criticism from activists who are worried extremists will violate basic human rights, especially those of women. The video that emerged yesterday sparked further criticism, although it appeared to have been made before the peace deal was struck in February.
Sherry Rahman, a former information minister and senior ruling party member, called for the men who participated in the public flogging to be punished, saying they had “crossed a red line” and violated the country’s constitution.
“Non-state actors have taken law and justice into their hands in a whole area with a force of their guns,” she told the Aaj television network. “They want to enforce a Taleban-style system in the area, and we will not let it happen in Pakistan.”
Regional government officials and those involved in the peace deal said the video, which was widely shown on local television, was part of a conspiracy to sabotage the agreement, which has also been criticized for allegedly creating a haven for militants.
“It is an old incident, and it happened before the peace agreement,” said Syed Mohammad Javed, the top government administrator for Swat and surrounding areas. “There are some elements who want to sabotage this agreement.”
