Photo: Landmark Pakistan women's protection bill challenged in sharia court
Bikini Model Tamara Candy Hired To Research Islam's Sharia Law
Fears Grow For Asia Bibi after Mumtaz Qadri's Hanging
Women Urged To Speak Up To Counter Male-Dominated EU Debate
Police Save Two Minor Girls From Vani In Rahim Yar Khan, Pakistan
Female District Mayor from Pro-Kurdish Party Detained
Compiled by New Age Islam News Bureau
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Landmark Pakistan women's protection bill challenged in sharia court
March 4, 2016
ISLAMABAD (Reuters) - A prominent Pakistani lawyer has filed a petition in the top sharia court seeking that it strike down a new law that gives unprecedented protection to female victims of violence.
The Women's Protection Act, passed by Pakistan's largest province of Punjab last week, gives legal protection to women from domestic, psychological and sexual violence.
It also calls for the creation of a toll-free abuse reporting hot line, women's shelters and district-level panels to investigate reports of abuse and mandates the use of GPS bracelets to keep track of offenders.
Domestic abuse, economic discrimination and acid attacks made Pakistan the world's third most dangerous country in the world for women, a 2011 Thomson Reuters Foundation expert poll showed.
But since the law's passage in the Punjab assembly, many conservative clerics and religious leaders have denounced it as being in conflict with the Muslim holy book, the Koran, and the constitution.
The latest opponent is Supreme Court lawyer and professor of Islamic law, Mohammad Aslam Khaki, who petitioned the Federal Shariat Court to strike down the law for being un-Islamic and not providing adequate protection for men.
“No mechanism for filing a complaint against the wife for causing mental and psychological violence to the husband has been provided,” Khaki said in the petition.
“The impugned act will further create a gap and confrontation among families while Islam and the constitution provided for their integration.”
The petition goes on to say that victimizing the husband through this law would lead people to avoid marriage altogether and turn to “unlawful alternates”.
It also says mandating the use of GPS bracelets to track offenders was “against the dignity of the man and hence against Islam and the constitution”.
On Thursday, the Council of Islamic Ideology, a powerful Pakistani religious body that advises the government on the compatibility of laws with Islam, declared the Women’s Protection Act un-Islamic.
Several clerics major religious leaders have called for the law to be repealed.
yahoo.com/news/landmark-pakistan-womens-protection-bill-challenged-sharia-court-130011171.html
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Bikini model Tamara Candy hired to research Islam's Sharia law
3 March 2016
A bikini model turned Liberal staffer and PhD student has revealed she is researching Islam's Sharia law for conservative Queensland MP George Christensen.
Tamara Candy, who was targeted by vile online trolls and labelled 'a taxpayer-funded call girl', believes it is a possibility Sharia law could eventually make it to Australian shores.
'I have been researching all facets of Sharia law and how it has the ability to function as a plural legal system to our own,' the 27-year-old told The Daily Telegraph.
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'We could see legal recognition of it in the courts one day - things like dowries and Sharia divorces.
'The thing that's worrying me is the issue of genital mutilation. Eighty thousand women in Australia are survivors.'
Female genital mutilation, which Ms Candy labelled as 'child abuse', has long been associated with Islamic fundamentalists because of the religion's stance on women's chastity.
But in 2007, the highest religious authority in Egypt - where genital mutilation was common - said the practice had 'no basis in core Islamic law or any of its partial provisions and that it is harmful and should not be practised'.
Ms Candy added the burqa would not 'really be my style' but she did not hold it against women who chose to don the religious headdress.
The MP she works for is Mr Christensen who has held the federal seat of Dawson, in north Queensland, since 2010.
He has attracted controversy for delivering a speech at an anti-Muslim rally and for likening content on an LGBTIQ website to 'the grooming work that a sexual predator might undertake'.
Last month, the 27-year-old made headlines when she called out complete strangers who falsely accused her of having plastic surgery and 'sleeping her way to the top' in bizarre, sexist attacks.
Ms Candy, who is a PhD student and a part-time bikini model, said Sharia law could be integrated into Australian law. The 27-year-old 'righty' doesn't believe she has to fit the Liberal woman stereotype
Ms Candy, who is a PhD student and a part-time bikini model, said Sharia law could be integrated into Australian law. The 27-year-old 'righty' doesn't believe she has to fit the Liberal woman stereotype
The 27-year-old is working for Mr Christensen (pictured) who is the MP for the seat of Dawson
'I wouldn't mind being a political commentator or an academic. Being in the spotlight as a politician has never been my goal, I'm more interested in doing my job well as a staffer,' Ms Candy told Daily Mail Australia.
'Since joining the party and becoming a member I've started to get so much attention online because I have a private life at the same time as doing my job.'
WHO IS GEORGE CHRISTENSEN?
George Christensen, 37, is a Queensland MP who holds the federal seat of Dawson, which covers an area of the north coast.
He is a member of The Nationals Party and was elected to parliament in 2010.
Mr Christensen's interest in politics started early at the age of 15 when he joined the Young Nationals.
He became a figure of controversy after it emerged in 2010 he published slurs against Jews, gays and women in a conservative university newsletter when he was its editor.
The MP drew criticism in 2014 when he labelled a social media campaign featuring the hashtag 'I'll ride with you' that supported Muslim Australians as 'a typical pathetic left wing black arm band brigade campaign, casting Aussies as racists who will endanger Muslims'.
Mr Christensen also addressed a crowd at a 2015 rally organised by anti-Muslim group Reclaim Australia where he said: 'We would be foolishly naive to think that we are not at war with radical Islam.'
Most recently, he likened content on a LGBTIQ website to 'the grooming work that a sexual predator might undertake'.
She said it was bizarre how strangers made untrue accusations about her personal life - even falsely accusing her of having breast augmentations.
'I've received a vast array of nasty comments and many are so incorrect,' Ms Candy said.
'One of the comments was that I've had surgery but I've never had any kind of cosmetic surgery in my life.
'It said "people who have breast augmentations seem so vapid to me" and I thought "good for you, I have no problem with them, but I haven't had any myself".
'I shouldn't have to tell anyone anything about myself. I've had people – strangers - messaging me to tell me about my own private life which is interesting, I didn't know they were there.
'People have said that I've 'slept my way to the top' which is ridiculous, I don't know what the top is anyway in this case! Our salaries are online, it's not difficult to find.'
The journalist and part-time model strongly believes she does not need to conform to the 'pearl wearing' stereotype of women in politics to be a success, and 'will always march to the beat of her own drum'.
'I'm glad it's brought light to some of the nasty commentary from the left I've been receiving lately,' Ms Candy said.
'It's been going on a long time – my whole career. It's amazing this kind of commentary comes about when women have opinions and express their views.
'If I was just an Instagram model or took selfies or something like that, people wouldn't threaten me or call me such awful things.
The Liberal supporter has photos with Liberal politicians and supporters alongside scantily-clad bikini shots on Instagram
She says she isn't the typical 'pearl wearing' Liberal
'Because I have an opinion about society they believe they can insult me. It's almost cannibalistic the way women from the Left attack one of their own [another woman].'
She said she was uncomfortable with the unwanted attention but tried not to let the online insults hurt her.
But her parents were troubled by the cyber bullying she was experiencing.
'We're all human even if we may have thick skin. It does upset you when you see how it upsets your parents. They say they don't like seeing that sort of thing,' Ms Candy said.
Ms Candy said she was working for Mr Christensen, and was 'researching, writing policy motions and speeches'.
'I've taught politics at university and may go on to do that. It would be a shame to leave the parliamentary triangle, I love the excitement of parliament and being involved due to an interest in people and policy,' she said.
The young woman who calls her self a 'righty' has shared 'selfies' on Instagram featuring ex-Prime Minister Tony Abbott (pictured)
The young woman who calls her self a 'righty' has shared 'selfies' on Instagram featuring ex-Prime Minister Tony Abbott (pictured)
The Sydney based model says she has been called a 'hooker' at a political function by a Labor staffer
Ms Candy is working with the party on a casual basis while completing her doctorate in Politics and says she spends a much of her time volunteering with the party.
Ms Candy said the vitriol came predominantly from total strangers and fake accounts which only follow a couple of accounts - 'specific hate groups targeting LNP members'.
The 27-year-old studied journalism and had a political reporting background before completing her honours and winning a scholarship to complete a PhD examining political journalism.
Ms Candy said she came from humble beginnings and worked hard for everything she had.
'People have said to me that I've been handed everything in life. Anything I've worked for I've achieved. I've never accepted social benefits and my parents had very humble beginnings,' she said.
'My father grew up in housing commission and is a disabled pensioner. I'm the first in my family to go to university.'
She said she began working as a Liberal staffer due to her passion for helping the community.
'I am interested in helping people and being involved in the community,' Ms Candy said.
'I believe people who are attracted to journalism want to communicate with people.
'My involvement in politics is about keeping the bastards honest. I'm a true libertarian, not a party hack.'
'What I do in my private life is most certainly private. I shouldn't have to explain that. People online and in the last 24 hours in the media have focused on the way I dress in my private life,' she said.
'I have a wardrobe for work with pencil skirts and blazers and many photos of myself in that attire, but none of that is chosen to represent me, which muddies the message a little.'
'I'm a true libertarian. We can't all be private school-educated Liberals.'
The young woman, who calls her self a 'righty', has shared 'selfies' on Instagram featuring ex-Prime Minister Tony Abbott, Liberal MP Campbell Newman and 'shock-jock' Alan Jones - alongside revealing bikini shots.
Ms Candy said her critics made accusations former Queensland MP Neil Symes paid her to spend time with him – but she insists they are 'just friends'.
At 23-years-old Mr Symes became the youngest Member of Parliament in 2013 and was working at Woolworths and living with his parents before he was awarded the position.
His term ended in the 2015 Queensland state election after he was defeated by Joan Pease.
Ms Candy has many revealing photographs on social media, including pictures of herself in revealing outfits at political functions.
She said she was speaking with disgraced MP Craig Thompson at an event one night when she was allegedly accused of 'wearing hooker boots' and once again, being a 'call girl' by a female Labor staffer.
'It's really sexist stuff. These are people who are supposed to be pro-women from the left,' she said.
Ms Candy is currently studying for her PHD at the University of Canberra.
She had recently been working on Rand Paul's campaign trail in the United States, posting photos of her travels on Facebook.
'I would like to thank Senator Paul for fighting the good fight. It was an honour to campaign for him and to make some new friends from his incredible team,' she posted as her work with the Republican's party finished.
During the campaign the young woman was photographed posing with a sign which read 'Obama the worst ever'.
capitalbay.news/australia/991035-bikini-model-tamara-candy-hired-to-research-islam-s-sharia-law.html
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Fears grow for Asia Bibi after Mumtaz Qadri's hanging
March 5, 2016
Activists voiced new fears for a Christian woman, Asia Bibi, on death row for blasphemy, as religious groups launched fresh calls for her hanging after this week’s execution of Mumtaz Qadri.
Asia Bibi, a Christian mother-of-five, whose plight has prompted prayers from the Vatican, has been on death row since she was convicted in 2010 of committing blasphemy during an argument with a Muslim woman over a bowl of water.
Supreme Court stays Aasia Bibi’s execution
Bibi’s lawyer Saif ul Mulook said Thursday religious groups have launched a “fresh offensive” against his client in the wake of the execution of Mumtaz Qadri.
A former police bodyguard, Qadri killed liberal Punjab governor Salmaan Taseer in 2011, angered by his call to reform Pakistan’s controversial blasphemy laws, as well as his promise to help Bibi.
Qadri’s actions saw him feted as a hero by extremists, and his funeral on Tuesday brought up to 100,000 people into the streets of Rawalpindi, many chanting for Bibi to be hanged.
On Thursday, a statement issued from Islamabad’s Lal Masjid called on the government to execute “the blasphemer Asia Bibi as soon as possible and not bow to international pressure”.
Christian activist Shamoon Gill, a long-time advocate for Bibi, said yesterday that extremist groups are “putting her life in danger”, citing police who warned him to be vigilant this week.
Even if authorities do not succumb to the pressure, religious groups could incite any of Qadri’s thousands of supporters to vigilante action, he warned.
Salmaan Taseer’s killer Mumtaz Qadri executed
Prison officials put Bibi in isolation in October over fears of attacks by vigilantes after the Supreme Court upheld Qadri’s death sentence.
Blasphemy is a hugely sensitive issue in Pakistan which carries the death penalty. The country has not yet executed anyone on the charge—but anyone convicted, or even just accused, of insulting Islam risks a violent and bloody death at the hands of vigilantes.
Last year a British-Pakistani citizen who had been sentenced to death for blasphemy was shot and wounded by a guard at Rawalpindi’s Adiala jail.
A Christian labourer and his wife were burned in a kiln last November after being accused of throwing pages of the Quran in the garbage.
Christian couple killed for ‘desecrating Holy Quran’ near Lahore: police
Critics including European governments claim the blasphemy laws are misused, with hundreds languishing in jails under false charges that could see them face fines, life imprisonment or death by hanging.
Small protests in cities including Islamabad after Friday prayers also saw Qadri supporters calling for Bibi to be hanged. In Hyderabad, demonstrators broke into the press club and beat up a journalist there, police said yesterday.
tribune.com.pk/story/1059784/fears-grow-for-asia-bibi-after-mumtaz-qadris-hanging/
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Women Urged To Speak Up To Counter Male-Dominated EU Debate
Saturday 5 March 2016
Britain’s women are being urged to “stand up and make some noise” in the run-up to the EU referendum, as polling data suggests they are more likely to have yet to decide how they will vote.
The leave and remain campaigns are creating pressure groups led by women in an attempt to counter a debate largely dominated by middle-aged men.
Women could decide the EU referendum, and they don’t want the Dave and Boris show
June Sarpong from ITV’s Loose Women will be one of the faces of Women IN, a pressure group making the argument for the UK to remain part of the EU after 23 June. Other high-profile supporters include Ruth Rogers, chef and owner of the River Café, and Megan Dunn, the president of the National Union of Students.
Brexit campaigners are creating a rival organisation, Women for Britain.
Sarpong said the overwhelming impression that many women would have gained of the Brexiteers was of “angry men”.
“I encourage everyone to speak up and make some noise about this,” she said. “What’s clear about the other side is that there are a lot of angry men shouting about things, but not being willing to say what out would actually look like.”
Matthew Goodwin, a professor of politics at the University of Kent, said: “There’s a little bit of evidence that suggests the softer voters in the referendum, people who say they may change their minds, are more likely to be women.” Of these undecided voters, he said, “there is some evidence that they may be more motivated by risk and economic insecurity”.
Women are almost twice as likely to answer “don’t know” in most EU referendum polls; and while 43% of men are certain which way they will vote, that drops to just 29% of women.
Recent analysis by the thinktank British Future suggested that, “intriguingly, women may be more Eurosceptic than men” and yet they are also “more difficult to persuade to vote for leave”. In addition it pointed out that women have tended to be less persuaded by the Ukip leader, Nigel Farage. “When asked how much they trust a series of different politicians when they talk about Britain’s membership of the EU, 41% of men say they trust Nigel Farage, but only 31% of women agree.”
With up to fifth of the electorate still undecided, according to the latest polls, “don’t knows” could be crucial in determining the result. Polling evidence suggests that women are more likely to be swayed by arguments about the economic risks of their decision, for jobs, livelihoods and families.
However, most of the prominent voices in the campaign, including Boris Johnson, David Cameron, Alan Johnson and Nigel Farage, are male. “This referendum debate has thus far been dominated by men in suits,” said Frances O’Grady, the general secretary of the TUC. “We’ve not heard from ordinary workers – and we’ve barely heard from any women at all.”
Seema Malhotra, the shadow chief secretary to the Treasury, said the adversarial tone of the debate, with Johnson dismissing Cameron’s arguments as “baloney” and the work and pensions secretary, Iain Duncan Smith, claiming that the prime minister had a “low opinion of the British people”, would have alienated many women.
Frances O’Grady, the general secretary of the TUC, said: ‘We’ve barely heard from any women at all.’ Photograph: Stefan Wermuth/Reuters
She is forming a group of Labour women to make the case in different terms, which feel more relevant to the lives of female voters. “I am talking to colleagues at Westminster and the wider Labour movement about how we fill the gap,” she said. “We need an inclusive campaign offering a positive vision of how the EU is vital for the prosperity and security of British families.”
However, the leave campaign has ridiculed this approach, arguing that any future government would be likely to choose to keep much of the legislation that has furthered the cause of gender equality.
“We need to combat this idea that it’s the EU that is responsible for the last 40 years of sexual equality,” a spokesman said.
Not everyone is convinced that women are more likely to be waverers as June approaches. James Morris of pollsters Greenberg Quinlan Rosner Research said: “Men are less likely to say ‘don’t know’ in surveys, no matter what the topic is. That doesn’t mean men are less likely to be swing voters, it just shows that they like to look confident in their opinions to pollsters.”
theguardian.com/politics/2016/mar/05/women-eu-referendum-male-dominated-leave-remain?utm_source=esp&utm_medium=Email&utm_campaign=GU+Today+main+NEW+H+new+sign+ups&utm_term=160255&subid=18185057&CMP=EMCNEWEML6619I2_footer
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Police save two minor girls from Vani in Rahim Yar Khan
March 5th, 2016
RAHIM YAR KHAN: Police have rescued a nine-year-old girl from being given as Vani, arresting four members of Panchayat and booking 17 people involved in the case at Chak 182/7-R of tehsil Liaqatpur.
District Police Officer Zeeshan Asghar told Dawn, through an SMS, that police had taken action on Thursday night on the information that there was a gathering of elders of Mengawal tribe at Chak 84, Abbasia, in the area of Tabbasum Shaheed Police Station.
The elders of the clan had decided to give Soni Mai, 9, daughter of Hari Lal, in marriage to settle a murder case.
One Gamu Ram had killed his wife, Bakhto Mai, and to settle the matter, Panchayat had asked him to marry his nine-year-old sister, Soni, with a cousin of Bakhtu Mai. The marriage was to be held on Friday. However, police took action on Thursday night and arrested four people, namely Gamu Ram, Kalu Ram, Kastura Ram and Punnu Ram. Police are trying to arrest the remaining 13 suspects who have reportedly disappeared in the desert area.
Six arrested, 17 booked
In another case, two persons, including the father of the girl, were arrested for trying to marry an 11-year-old girl as Vani, following a Panchayat decision in the urban area of Nooraywali.
The Panchayat had given Samreen as Vani to be married with 18-year-old Muhammad Abbas to settle the issue over the marriage of Samreen’s father, Muhammad Nawaz.
Nawaz had contracted second marriage with one Kalsoom. However, there was tension and fights in the house and Kalsoom’s parents accused him of ruining their daughter’s life. A Panchayat meeting was called which announced that Nawaz would marry his daughter, Samreen, a class VII student, with Muhammad Abbas of Kalsoom’s family as compensation.
Samreen and her mother resisted against the decision of Panchayat but the Panchayat and Nawaz prepared Nikahnama with fake signatures of Samreen, mentioning her age as 18.
Samreen’s mother approached the station house officer of C-Division Police Station but he took no action on her complaint. Later on, she moved the court and on the court directions, police took action against the illegal marriage.
DPO Zeeshan Asghar told Dawn a case had been registered and father and Nikah registrar had been arrested.
dawn.com/news/1243730/police-save-two-minor-girls-from-vani-in-rahim-yar-khan
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Female District Mayor from Pro-Kurdish Party Detained
March 04, 2016
Emine Esmer, the co-mayor of Sirnak's Silopi district, who was elected on the ticket of the pro-Kurdish Peoples' Democratic Party (HDP), was taken into custody by the police Friday morning, the Dogan news agency reported.
Esmer was detained, along with her driver Cemal Yigit, while she was at the mayoral building. Esmer and Yigit were taken to a police station. While the cause of the detention remains unknown, the pair had been briefly apprehended in late February on a number of charges such as being a member of an outlawed organization, malpractice and enabling an outlawed organization to utilize public property. They had both been released pending trial by a court.
todayszaman.com/national_district-mayor-from-pro-kurdish-party-detained_414049.html
10:11 PM
Moderate Islamist here
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