Kashmir Parents Accused of Killing Daughter in Acid Attack

THE GUARDIAN: Couple arrested over 'honour killing' after 15-year-old is reportedly doused with acid for talking to boy outside family home

Pakistani officials have arrested the parents of a 15-year-old girl who died after being doused with acid at her home.

The couple, from Kashmir, reportedly confessed to the killing earlier this week because they believed she had sullied the family's honour.

Such so-called honour killings are common in much of Pakistan, with thousands of women burned, disfigured or maimed in similar attacks every year, according to human rights groups. Such attacks are relatively rare in Kashmir, however.

Zohra Yusuf, chair of the Human Rights Commission of Pakistan (HRCP), said the case was a "classic" example of a family dispute turned horribly violent. "What is really striking is that there really is no regret among members of the family. Justice for the women is very, very rare," she told the Guardian. » | Jason Burke, south Asia correspondent | Friday, November 02, 2012

The Rise of Pakistan’s Televangelists

BBC: Islamic groups in Pakistan were initially hostile to cable TV because of concerns about "obscene" foreign imports, but religion now dominates the airwaves. A new breed of Islamic TV evangelist has emerged, leading to a confrontation with liberals.

On any day of the week, television in Pakistan is a potent cocktail of soap operas, fiery political debate and, increasingly, pop-Islam.

This last strand of programming has a set format. Viewers call up to ask questions about Islamic rulings on everything from hair removal to ethical mortgages. The anchors - part celebrity, part religious leaders - dish out bite-size fatwas (theological rulings) for audiences with a seemingly insatiable appetite for religion on TV.

Controversy has surrounded many of these programmes and the pious presenters that front them.

Farhat Hashmi has been accused of embezzling funds from her television show and fleeing to Canada to avoid prosecution, although she denies any wrongdoing. And Mehar Bukhari, known for her political interviews, sparked outrage by declaring the politician she was speaking to was a heretic.

Another mullah clashed with a Bollywood actress on live television after condemning her behaviour - that clip subsequently became a viral hit.

But the best-known of all the TV evangelists is Dr Amir Liaqat. From a glossy television studio above a parade of run-down shops in Karachi, he had an audience of millions for Alim aur Alam, a live one-hour show that went out five days a week across Pakistan.

The programme allowed Dr Liaqat to play the role of a religious "Agony Uncle", remedying the religious dilemmas of his audience.

In September 2008, Liaqat dedicated an entire episode to exploring the beliefs of the Ahmedis, a Muslim sect which has been declared as "un-Islamic" by much of the orthodoxy. In it, two scholars said that anyone who associated with false prophets was "worthy of murder".

Dr Khalid Yusaf, an Ahmedi Muslim, watched the programme with his family, and says he was shocked that a mainstream channel would broadcast this kind of material.

"They talked about murder as a religious duty. A duty for 'good' Muslims." » | Mobeen Azhar, BBC World Service, Karachi | Saturday, July 14, 2012