Every time international media covers news from Pakistan (regarding terrorism or anything else) I spend a bit of my time reading comments by foreigners, trying to comprehend how they feel about our country. At each negative comment about my beloved country, I used to feel outraged. However, this time I was embarrassed while browsing through the comments. For once, I was ashamed to be a part of a country which even in 2017 consists of such backward areas, with literacy so low that “village’s elderly people” (Panchayat) get to make ignorant and dull-witted decisions like a retaliatory rape.
From CNN to BBC and from Daily Mail to Reuters, headlines like “Pakistani village elders order retaliatory rape of 16-year-old girl” and “Pakistan village council orders 'revenge rape' of girl” are circulating across the globe and this is nothing but excruciating.
Here are a few comments by foreigners under AJ+’s video regarding this news:
“Apologies to my many Pakistani friends but you guys are the craziest Muslims...”
“The most terrible country in our world. Welcome to Pakistan.”
“Why odd things, crazy things, things that are not normal always come from countries like India, Pakistan, wtf is with their people?”
“Pakistan has been the worst nation and a cancer to the name of Islam. People often claim their acts as Islamic but their culture has nothing to contribute to the religion apart from tarnishing the name of this religion.”
“Pakistan and it's outdated and misogynistic systems defy belief............and they talk about family honour, smh.”
“Remind me to never ever enter any of the Islamic countries.”
“What a completely screwed up culture. They haven't changed in 3,000 years.”
“This country is disgusting. They believe rape is a human right. It’s insane.”
“These are the cultures Trudeau welcomes into Canada with open arms and then they are handed more money than our Canadians on welfare or disability.”
Also found a slightly humoured one: “These Pakistani people, they all marry their first or second cousins! Maybe that's why they are all mentally disturbed!!????”
While talking to CNN, Yasmeen Hassan, Global Executive Director of EqualityNow.Org, said, “Stuff coming out of Pakistan continues to shock me. What people can do to women in the name of honour and treating women as property and not as human beings goes on and on.”
I’m sorry to say this but I am unable to disagree with Yasmeen on this gut-wrenching matter.
Teen Vogue, Metro, New York Times. Al Jazeera. This is everywhere and this is shameful. I have friends outside Pakistan and this time, I don’t know if I can defend this barbaric act that happened within my country.
There were several comments by my Muslim fellows who tried defending our nation and Islam, explaining how our religious teachings had nothing to do with the Panchayat’s decision but I guess Pakistan has been under a spotlight for such uncouth acts for so long now that defending plain with words doesn’t really work much anymore.