Rape encourages “Free Sex”?

Due to worldwide pressure, Pakistan is amending its law to exclude rape under Sharia law (which deals with many aspects of day-to-day life, including politics, economics, banking, business law, contract law, sexuality, and social issues).

If your not familiar with the Sharia court system, read about Mukhtar Mai, who was gang raped by orders of the Punjab village council as retribution for her brother’s adultery (or what we in the west call a date.)

Until now, rape cases were dealt with in Sharia courts. Victims had to have four male witnesses to the crime - if not, they faced prosecution for adultery.

However, Pakistan's opposition Islamic alliance, the MMA, is threatening country-wide protests over amendments to the country's rape laws.

The MMA parties boycotted the vote, saying the bill encouraged "free sex".

They also accuse President Musharraf of pleasing foreign powers.

“This bill has been brought under the directions of the United States and implemented by their representative in Pakistan, General Musharraf," Liaquat Baloch, an MMA leader, was quoted by AFP news agency as saying….

Adultery, which has always been illegal, will still be tried by both civil and Sharia courts, depending on which system the complainant chooses.

Religious parties called the new legislation "a harbinger of lewdness and indecency in the country", and against the strictures of the Koran and Sharia law.

Orthodox and Hasidic Jews have a saying I often hear here in Brooklyn, “Thank God I was born a man.” Well I’m modifying it to “Thank God I was born in the civilized world.” It’s abhorrent to equate a forcible violation of one’s body to adultery.