Undeterred By Fatwa, Kohistan’s Women Candidates, Tehmina Faheem, Shakeela Rabbani, Sannaya Sabeel and Momina Basit, Make History
New Age Islam News
Bureau
06 February 2024
·
Undeterred By Fatwa, Kohistan’s Women
Candidates, Tehmina Faheem, Shakeela Rabbani, Sannaya Sabeel and Momina Basit,
Make History
·
Awami National Party’s Khadija Vows To Work For
Chitral Women’s Emancipation
·
Controversy Continues Over Visit Of American
Porn Star, Whitney Wright, To Iran
·
Dayeh Sharifeh, An Elderly Mother Who Campaigns
Against Penalty in Iran
·
UAE Fencers Target Asian Championship After
Impressive Show At Arab Women Sports Tournament
·
Saudi Arabia To Host 2024 West Asian Federation
Women’s Football Championship
Compiled by New Age Islam News Bureau
URL: https://newageislam.com/islam-women-feminism/fatwa-kohistan-rabbani-momina/d/131666
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Undeterred
By Fatwa, Kohistan’s Women Candidates, Tehmina Faheem, Shakeela Rabbani,
Sannaya Sabeel and Momina Basit, Make History
Tehmina Fahim, supported by the PTI, is contesting for the PK-31 Upper
Kohistan constituency.
------
February
6, 2024
Nisar
Ahmad Khan
IN the
face of threats and an overbearingly patriarchal society, women candidates in
Kohistan are breaking social barriers and defying the odds to contest polls on
February 8.
Tehmina
Faheem, Shakeela Rabbani, Sannaya Sabeel and Momina Basit are among the first
women to enter the electoral battlefield in the conservative constituencies of
the Kohistan and Torghar region of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa’s Hazara district.
Of the
four, three are backed by the Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf, whereas Ms Sabeel — who
is also affiliated with the PTI — is contesting as an independent candidate as
she did not receive a party ticket.
The
Kohistan district has earned a reputation for being a nightmare for women and
girls, as gender-based violence and child marriages pose serious threats. The
literacy rate among indigenous women here is extremely low, with over 97 per
cent of women recorded as saying they have never been to a school or seminary.
These
women are contesting their maiden election as the dark shadow of the gruesome
murder of a young girl looms over them. Not long ago, a jirga in the Barsharyal
area of Kolai-Palas district had ordered the killing of a girl and her friend
after a social media video and pictures showed them standing with two boys of
their village. The story was reminiscent of the chilling 2012 incident in which
five girls were murdered over “honour” after a video of them dancing went
viral.
Four
women battle the odds to make history by contesting elections from the
conservative district for the first time
“Women
here are overwhelmingly blind to their rights. Because of the society’s
patriarchal structure, I and other female contestants vying for the upcoming
elections can’t directly mix [with the public] to solicit votes even within our
gender,” said Ms Faheem, who is contesting elections from PK-31 in Upper
Kohistan.
Ms
Faheem is a social worker, and prides herself in challenging social norms. “I
laid the foundation of the PTI’s women’s wing in Kohistan. No other parties
physically existed when I was the divisional president in Hazara as a
consequence of receiving death threats in the past,” she added.
Last
week, a group of Kohistan clerics, mostly members of the Jamiat
Ulema-i-Islam-Fazl, issued a fatwa (Islamic decree) against canvassing by and
for women election candidates and declared the act unIslamic. The fatwa
condemns the act of a woman of going door to door to get votes, and is said to
be endorsed by 30 ‘religious scholars’ and around 400 clerics from the Kohistan
region.
Therefore,
Ms Faheem’s campaign is limited to engagement with the few liberal-minded
workers in the district of the PTI.
Shakeela
Rabbani is running her campaign in Torghar PK-41. Her campaign, too, is limited
to those who are willing to welcome a female election candidate.
“The
jirga is the strongest and most influential institution here. If I have to
address my voters, I would have to hold a discussion in the hujra (community
hall)as there is no other infrastructure,” she said.
She
described Kohistan’s patriarchal traditions as “a stage drama meant for men,
by men”. “Women play the role of extras,” she said.
Zahid
Khan, the regional coordinator the Human Rights Commission of Pakistan (HRCP)
termed the fatwa contrary to women’s rights.
He said
the Torghar and Kohistan region — comprising Upper Kohistan, Lower Kohistan,
and Kolai-Palas (Kohistan) — stands atop Khyber Pakhtunkhwa where women and
child rights were routinely violated.
“A woman
lawmaker or parliamentarian from here could be so effective in taking the
issues of this region to the assemblies. Child marriage and gender-based
violence are widely prevalent here,” Mr Khan said.
‘Fatwa
contradicts constitutional rights’
Nilofar
Bakhtiar, the chair of the National Commission on the Status of Women (NCSW),
took notice of the Kohistan fatwa and brought it to the attention of the Chief
Election Commissioner of Pakistan for “immediate remedial measures to ensure a
hostile free environment for women contenders”.
“As per
this fatwa’s interpretation, women are being barred from exercising their
constitutional and Islamic rights to stand in elections as contestants, solicit
and cast votes,” she said.
Ms
Bakhtiar said, “Our struggle to enhance women’s representation in the
parliament continues, [and we hope that] gender disparity comes to an end in
the country,” she said.
She said
increased representation of women would greatly reduce the issues they face, as
lawmakers can influence legislation at moments when the commission has been
unsuccessful in creating awareness about dangerous clauses, such as in the
Child Marriage Restraint Act of 1929.
“This
slightly less than one century-old legislation is still being practised as a
law at the federal level, in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan,” she decried.
“Would
you believe that those who violate this law, which is the breeding ground of
societal evils, can only be fined Rs1,000, with a simple imprisonment of only
one month,” she said.
Ms
Bakhtiar said Pakistan faced a grim reality, as around 30 per cent of females were
being married off as child brides, with higher numbers in rural areas.
Source:
dawn.com
https://www.dawn.com/news/1811550/undeterred-by-fatwa-kohistans-women-candidates-make-history
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Awami
National Party’s Khadija Vows To Work For Chitral Women’s Emancipation
Khadija
Bibi
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February
6, 2024
Zahiruddin
CHITRAL:
Khadija Bibi is the first woman from Chitral to be nominated by any mainstream
political party to contest the election for the National Assembly general seat
in the constituency of NA-1 Upper Chitral-cum-Lower Chitral.
She has
also been nominated for the reserved quota of women on first priority by the
Awami National Party (ANP) for the provincial assembly.
Ms
Khadija contested polls for the office of the Drosh tehsil chairman in the last
local body polls as her party’s nominee.
Speaking
in the Chitral Press Club’s Mahraka Programme as a guest speaker, she said her
nomination by a mainstream political party proved that the womenfolk of a
backward area like Chitral were politically mature and competent and were not
inferior to men in any way.
She said
women in Chitral were striving for their political emancipation in the
male-dominated society as they had limited freedom and that, too, was fettered
in the medieval-age shackles leading to high incidence of suicides among them.
She is
first woman to enter electoral fray in region as nominee of any mainstream
party
Ms
Khadija said that working as a political activist for two decades, she was
fully aware of Chitrali women’s issues that were multi-dimensional and complex
and needed permanent solutions in some cases.
She
praised the party’s central and provincial leaderships for “always encouraging
and elevating her to the position of vice-president at the provincial level,”
and said her selection for the party’s office and electoral nomination for
tehsil chairman, NA general seat and PA reserved seat showed their approach
towards women’s development.
“I feel
honoured to be the first woman in Chitral to contest the poll of tehsil
chairman in the local body polls and general seat of the National Assembly in
general elections as a nominee of a party that commands widespread support and
following in the province,” she said.
The
candidate said she strived to enable the local women to join politics confidently.
Ms
Khadija said the ANP-led government in the province carried out massive
development work in Chitral from 2008 to 2013 with the bypass construction,
water supply from Golen Gol to Chitral city and the establishment of the
Chitral campus of the Abdul Wali Khan University being the ‘gifts’ for
residents.
“Though
our party had a small number of supporters in the region, its government
carried out large-scale development in Chitral. I’m hopeful that the people
will reciprocate that by electing me as its nominee,” she said.
Source:
dawn.com
https://www.dawn.com/news/1811479/anps-khadija-vows-to-work-for-chitral-womens-emancipation
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Controversy
Continues Over Visit Of American Porn Star, Whitney Wright, To Iran
Maryam
Sinaiee
February
06, 2024
Iran's foreign
ministry spokesman, Naser Kanaani, stated on Monday that he had no knowledge of
the recent visit to Iran by American porn actress Whitney Wright, which has
stirred controversy among many Iranians.
“I don’t
know about the matter you are referring to,” Naser Kanaani said when asked by a
reporter Monday at his weekly press briefing about “an American national’s
visit” to Iran. “American citizens are not prohibited from traveling to Iran,”
he said.
Wright's
visit to Iran last week ignited a firestorm on Iranian social media. Some
social media users have alleged that authorities either invited or facilitated
her visit due to her outspoken anti-Israeli and pro-Palestinian stances. She
further stirred controversy by sharing photos of herself wearing a full hijab,
in compliance with Iran's dress code for women, and asserting that Iran is safe
"if you follow the rules."
The
32-year-old pornographic actress and erotic model, born in Oklahoma with mixed
Welsh and Native American heritage, is known for her strong support of
Palestine and vocal anti-Israeli sentiments.
Critics
argue that Wright's claim of Iran's safety ignores the fact that not only is
pornography banned in Iran, with severe penalties for those involved in its
production, but ordinary Iranian women also face humiliation and arrest for not
adhering to the country's strict dress code.
In 2018,
Iranian web designer Saeed Malekpour, based in Canada, was arrested during a
visit to Iran and subsequently sentenced to death for his involvement in
designing and moderating pornographic websites. Malekpour, who later managed to
flee Iran, maintained that he had no knowledge that his software could be used
for sharing pornography.
The
Tasnim news agency, linked to Iran's Revolutionary Guards (IRGC), quoted
"an informed source" on Monday, stating that Wright had not been
invited to Iran by any government entity. According to the source, she traveled
to Iran privately after obtaining a visa, and visa authorities were unaware of
the nature of her profession.
Tasnim also
claimed that Wright's visits to locations such as the former American embassy
compound in Tehran and the Golestan Palace were entirely her own initiatives
and conducted privately.
One of
Wright's posts featured her posing beside a lowered American flag at the former
US embassy compound in Tehran. In another post, she stood beside a Statue of
Liberty, behind which a mural depicted the statue's face as a skeleton on the
wall.
Additionally,
her posts included a photo of a wall adorned with images of Qasem Soleimani,
the former commander of the IRGC's extra-territorial forces, Abu Mahdi
al-Muhandis, an Iraqi militant leader, and Muslim "revolutionaries"
from various countries, including Saudi Arabia and Afghanistan. This photo
appears to have been taken at the former US embassy building.
Wright
expressed disappointment in her post that images of Palestinian revolutionaries
were not included in the display.
The
embassy compound was seized by revolutionary students in 1979, who held embassy
staff hostage for 444 days. The Basij militia organization, affiliated with the
IRGC, has been stationed at the former US embassy compound in Tehran since
2018.
In
response to criticism, Wright disabled comments on her posts and defended her
actions, stating, "Posting photos of my trip to Iran now means I'm pushing
Iranian propaganda? I'm sharing exhibits from a museum that are rarely seen.
It's not an endorsement of the government." She later removed the photos
and videos taken in Iran from her social media platforms following reports by
numerous Iranian users.
Source:
iranintl.com
https://www.iranintl.com/en/202402054429
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Dayeh
Sharifeh, An Elderly Mother Who Campaigns Against Penalty in Iran
FEBRUARY
5, 2024
ROGHAYEH
REZAEI
Dayeh
Sharifeh had six sons and two daughters. Her youngest son has been executed,
while the oldest has been killed in suspicious circumstances.
Despite
her frail health, the Kurdish septuagenarian stands as an unrelentless opponent
to the use of the death penalty in Iran.
In the
aftermath of the recent execution of four Kurdish political prisoners near
Tehran, Sharifeh was detained twice in two days and forcibly relocated to her
village in Dehgolan, Kurdistan province.
Authorities
say she is barred from leaving the village, except for medical visits.
Her name
is Sharifeh Zarini, but she is widely known as Dayeh Sharifeh.
Her son
Ramin Hossein Panahi was executed in Tehran’s Evin prison in September 2018,
alongside two other political prisoners – Zaniar and Loqman Moradi.
The
bodies of the three men were never handed over to their families.
Throughout
the years, Sharifeh has stood in solidarity with civil activists like Narges
Mohammadi and the families of those killed by the Islamic Republic.
Her
activism has made her a prominent figure in the fight against capital
punishment in Iran.
As part
of a “forgiveness” campaign, Sharifeh has been traveling to cities and villages
to plead for the lives of convicts facing capital punishment, and saved many as
a result.
When
Ramin was under the threat of execution, she told the judge presiding over her
son's case: "Saving Ramin alone won't matter because tomorrow you will put
this rope around another young man's neck. That's why we oppose gallows and
hanging ropes."
In
recent days, amid an alarming spike in executions of political prisoners,
pictures of Sharifeh holding placards against the death penalty surfaced
multiple times.
Sharifeh
released a video message calling for the cancellation of death sentences
against Vafa Azarbar, Mohammad Faramarzi, Pajman Fatehi and Mohsen Mazloum.
“Why
Don't You Just Die and Leave Us Alone?”
Her
activism likely contributed to her brief detention on the same day four Kurdish
political prisoners were executed.
Sharifeh,
her daughters and other people were en route to Kamiyaran when she was
apprehended by agents of the Sanandaj Ministry of Intelligence and taken to
Sanandaj and then to their village.
Amjad
Hossein Panahi, one of her remaining sons who lives abroad, recounted an
incident where one of the intelligence agents from Sanandaj engaged in a verbal
altercation with his mother, telling her, "Old woman, why don't you just
die and leave us alone? Why are you causing so much trouble and problems to
us?"
Sharifeh
replied calmly, "What you see is not me, it is Ramin's soul that is alive
in me. I have been dead for years. I'm here to witness you [dying] and be with
the families you wronged."
Panahi
further said, "Yesterday [February 1], they visited the family of Mohammad
Faramarzi in Dehgolan. After accompanying his mother, they intended to visit
Pejman Fatehi's family in Kamiyaran. However, on their way, Ministry of
Intelligence forces traveling in three cars intercepted them and treated them
disrespectfully."
He added,
"They arrested them, took them to Sanandaj, and officially informed them
that they must return. They were then brought back to our village."
According
to Panahi, intelligence agents from Sanandaj said, "We have received
orders from Tehran to restrict your activities. You are not allowed to leave
the village for any activities or attend mourning ceremonies for executed
people."
Panahi
stated that his mother had been instructed not to leave the village except for
matters such as going to the hospital or the doctor.
“Under
the Shadow of Execution, Imprisonment, Torture”
He also
said that Sharifeh faced the specter of execution years before her 24-year-old
son.
"Years
before Ramin, my other brother Anwar, a prominent Kurdish activist, was
arrested in 2006 and sentenced to death in 2007 over his affiliation with
Komala," he said, referring to the Komala Party of Iranian Kurdistan.
"Fortunately,
thanks to the collective efforts by human rights organizations, the people of
Kurdistan, as well as my mother's relentless advocacy, Anwar was spared from
execution after seven years and several months in prison," he added.
"Since
that time, our family has lived under the shadow of execution, imprisonment,
torture and detention," he recalled, mentioning the death of another
brother, Ashraf, who was actively following Anwar's case during the same
period.
Ashraf’s
lifeless body was found in 2017 on a rural road near Sanandaj. He had been run
over by a car.
Panahi
stated that while Anwar faced execution, Ashraf, a civil activist and member of
the campaign to defend political prisoners on strike in Sanandaj prison,
"was assassinated by the Ministry of Intelligence."
Simultaneously,
Ramin, who was still a teenager at the time, and his brother Afshin were
detained.
"My
mother had no other recourse to defend her children and her heart. Ramin, still
young, had just been released from prison," Panahi said. "The intense
pressure forced him to travel to Iraqi Kurdistan. Upon his return to visit my
mother, he was arrested and later sentenced to death.”
"A
significant international campaign was launched against this verdict, and my
mother officially entered the arena at that time to save her youngest child.
"Unfortunately,
Ramin was executed, and now the sole purpose and solace for my mother is to
oppose executions and do whatever she can for the prisoners’ families."
Ramin
was executed on September 8, 2018, after having endured months of torture and
consistently denying accusations he had entered the country with weapons and
fired 30 rounds of ammunition.
Source:
iranwire.com
https://iranwire.com/en/women/125024-dayeh-sharifeh-an-elderly-mother-who-campaigns-against-penalty-in-iran/
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UAE
fencers target Asian Championship after impressive show at Arab Women Sports
Tournament
February
05, 2024
A.K.S.
Satish
Sharjah:
UAE fencers continued to swell the hosts’ medals tally, adding three golds and
a silver in the team competition of the seventh Arab Women Sports Tournament in
Sharjah Women’s Sports Club on Sunday.
The
Sharjah Women’s Sports Club secured a gold medal in the teams foil and a bronze
in the teams sabre while Fujairah Martial Arts Club bagged gold in the epée and
sabre, bringing the total medals to nine as fencing competition came to an end.
Sharjah
Women’s Sports Club won the foil title after overcoming a stiff challenge from
Oman Fencing team. Syria’s Al Shorta SC secured the third place.
Fujairah
Martial Arts Club showcased their prowess by edging out Al Shorta in the sabre
final while they clinched the épée team gold after an intense battle with Oman
in the final, leaving Bahrain’s Busaiteen Club for bronze. Sharjah Women’s
Sports Team earned the bronze in team foil.
The
Sharjah Women’s Sports fencers dedicated their gold medal to Chairperson of
Sharjah Women’s Sports Her Highness Sheikha Jawaher Bint Mohammed Al Qasimi,
Wife of His Highness Dr Sheikh Sultan Bin Mohammed Al Qasimi, Supreme Council
Member and Ruler of Sharjah, acknowledging her unparalleled support, patronage
and also providing athletes with the encouragement and resources needed to
excel on the international stage.
Relentless
pursuit of win
Sharjah’s
top-ranked UAE fencer Zeinab Al Housani, reflecting on the journey to gold
medal, said: “The path to victory was fraught with challenges, yet our
determination remained unshaken. Having practised this sport for nearly eight
years, I’ve learnt the value of patience and the relentless pursuit of victory,
no matter the obstacles. Our triumph serves as a vital morale-booster as we
look ahead to the upcoming Asian Championship in Bahrain.”
In
volleyball, Egypt’s Sporting Club consolidated their position at the top of
Group A after a superb victory over
Lebanon's Byblos Volleyball Club on Monday. The Egyptian team swept the
match in three straight sets (25-19, 25-20, 25-12).
In the
second match that had fans on the edge of their seats, Iraq’s Akkad Ankawa
Sports Club overcame a challenging start in the tournament to ultimately secure
the first win against UAE’s Fatima bint Mubarak Academy in four sets (23-25,
25-18, 25-10, 25-22).
At the
end of Monday’s matches, Egypt’s Sporting Club are leading Group A with two
victories, followed by Lebanese Byblos Volleyball Club and Iraq’s Akkad Ankawa,
each with a win and a loss. The Fatima bint Mubarak Academy team remain in the
fourth place.
After
securing their third consecutive win on Monday, Syria’s Al Thawra Club and Al
Fuheis team of Jordanian are on track to qualifying for the final in the
basketball competition.
Newcomers
Al Thawra Club defeated Saudi Arabia’s Capital Club 78-58, while Al Fuheis
asserted their supremacy with an easy win over Iraq’s Gaz Al Shamal 82-41.
Meanwhile, Al Ahli Club secured their second victory over UAE’s Sharjah Women’s
Sports Club with a decisive 74-59.
Source:
gulfnews.com
https://gulfnews.com/sport/uae-fencers-target-asian-championship-after-impressive-show-at-arab-women-sports-tournament-1.100869881
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Saudi
Arabia to host 2024 West Asian Federation Women’s Football Championship
February
06, 2024
RIYADH:
The eighth edition of the West Asian Federation Women’s Football Championship
is to be held in Saudi Arabia from Feb. 19-29, it was announced on Monday.
The host
nation will be joined by Jordan, Syria, Iraq, Lebanon, Palestine, and two
guests, Guam and Nepal.
It will
be the first women’s 11-a-side tournament to be held in the Kingdom and marks
the Saudi women national team’s first participation in a regional championship
under the organization of the West Asian Federation.
In a
draw made on Monday in Amman, hosts Saudi Arabia, coached by Lluis Cortes, were
given a tough group along with Lebanon, Guam, and Jordan.
Group B
will see Palestine, Syria, Iraq, and Nepal battle it out for a top-two finish
and semifinal spot.
Lamia
Bahaian, the vice president of the Saudi Arabian Football Federation, said:
“We’re absolutely thrilled to be hosting the WAFF Women’s Championship.
“Looking
ahead to what promises to be a brilliant tournament, we’re especially excited
about the impact this will have in terms of inspiring women and young girls across
the Kingdom, while supporting women’s football development nationally and
regionally.
“The
individual and collective success of our domestic leagues, together with our
success in hosting two editions of the SAFF Women’s Friendly Tournament and the
2022 WAFF Futsal Championship, shows that the foundations are in place for us
to take the next big step in our journey.
“This
means hosting an official 11-a-side competition. We’re excited to welcome
members of the wider football ecosystem together for an incredible event, one
that’s certain to showcase the full power of football as a force for good and a
platform for turning dreams into reality.”
The
tournament has been dominated by Arab teams in the past, with Jordan winning
five of the previous seven editions and the UAE grabbing the other two.
WAFF’s
General Secretary Khalil Al-Salem said: “There is no doubt that this tournament
will witness high-level competition and exceptional organization, building on
the Saudi Arabian Football Federation’s successful track record in hosting
football tournaments at various levels.”
Source:
arabnews.com
https://www.arabnews.com/node/2454666/sport
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URL: https://newageislam.com/islam-women-feminism/fatwa-kohistan-rabbani-momina/d/131666