Aurat Foundation on Bannu's Beheading of Women

Anis Haroon, resident director of aurat foundation laments at the absence of public outrage on beheading of women in Bannu.

She writes in Daily Dawn about aurat foundation, one of leading human right organization, sending a fact finding team to Bannu.

Ms Haroon writes that the DIG perceives the Bannu security situation as an extension of the Waziristan conflict. The law-enforcement agencies claim to be at war with the militants.

She further writes that what is the police’s response to this incident? They are not seriously investigating the case which has led people to suspect that they are involved. A local journalist showed the AF team three threatening letter-cum-press releases from unknown ‘mujahideen’. Interestingly they were all posted from Peshawar.

Identifying two brands of militancy in Bannu, the DIG says the real Taliban apparently respect women. But worse are the common criminals who are acting in the guise of the Taliban. He mentioned two cases where police encounters with apparently religious extremists had caused the latter to surrender and they turned out to be ordinary criminals.

full article

Oct 2007: Aurat Foundation sends a fact finding mission to Bannu. complete report

Sept, 2007: Beheading of women in Bannu.

Aurat Foundation Reports on Beheading in Bannu - NWFP

ANAA requested Aurat Foundation (website) to make our readers more aware of human right situation in Bannu after beheading of two women. Click here for ANAA report on the incidence.

ANAA thanks Anis Haroon, resident director - Aurat foundation, for detailed look into the human right atrocity in Bannu.

Aurat Foundation reports that the law and order situation in the North-West Frontier Province has worsened beyond imagination. The civil liberties are under threat both by the state and medieval elements. The private FM radios are fully in action to spread the retrogressive ideas and in cases even leading to bloody clashes. The music and CD shops are being targeted with bombings to terrorize the masses and force on them their own brand of religion.

Unidentified killers beheaded two women in Bannu after accusing them of prostitution and dumped their bodies in a canal in Moomandkhel on Friday September 07, 2007.

On September 21, 2007 The Aurat Foundation fact-finding team led by Resident Director Rukhshanda Naz, and comprising human rights activist Jamila Gillani , AF staff members Noor Zeba and Asim Maik visited Bannu.

The team called on Bannu DIG Amir Hamza Mehsud. The DIG further added that there were two types of phenomena in Bannu militancy. One was the true Taliban who apparently respected women while others were the criminals acting in the guise of Taliban.

The team, after meeting the DIG, contacted one local woman rights activist Mian Mehfooz-ur-Rehman, presently employed in a government-run project in Bannu. He said the situation had a little improved in Bannu but still it was not possible for women to come to their work places. He said once they reached the office, they locked the door from outside as to show that no work was going on here.

Team then met an advocate who hoped that the civil society and politicians, would not waste time questioning the "morality" of the murdered, but articulate their criticism in strongest possible term against this gross violation of human rights.

Report concluded that the de-capitulation of two women in Bannu was done on suspicion of their involvement in "immoral" activities and the authorities made this statement. They themselves were also not convinced. But they want to take advantage of this propaganda to cite the justification for the murders.

Threatening letters were issued to Bannu NGOs MNAs/MPAs and media, but interestingly all were posted from Peshawar. Lack of immediate & strong action from the government against the criminals is leading to an increase in the incidents & no woman is safe in the conflict area and NWFP. full report

Kohat: Local Taliban warns tailors to follow religious code

Bannu (women beheading on "immorality charges"), Taxila (threat to girls' school of being bombed if all girls not veiled) and now this other disturbing news from Kohat. Local Taliban have warned tailors to strictly observe religious code while sewing clothes for men and women and keep their shops shut during taraveeh time.

Kohat (Map) is south of Peshawar and Talibanization is slowly taking over all of NWFP, province of Pakistan.

Jamaat-i-Islami, well organized religious political party should distance itself by publicly condemning this as Dawn's report said that in a letter sent to tailors, the Taliban claiming to be from the Jamaat-i-Islami asked them not to play music during night and threatened to blow up the shops of those not following the orders. (Dawn Report)

The above horrific picture acts as a reminder of Taliban days in Afghanistan. Women are the first target. 17th Nov 1999, Taliban, in Afghanistan, seen in this movie publicly execute women.(click here to see movie).

Stand up and be counted against this oppression. Say "no" to Talibanization in Pakistan. JOIN ANAA mailing list (click here) and be informed.

NWFP-Taxila: Extremists threaten to bomb girls' school

A very disturbing news coming from NWFP. Extremist have asked a girls school that if the students and teachers did not don the veil, the school would be bombed.

Dawn Editorial writes that It is odd for the school’s acting principal to tell the girls that “nothing would happen if they wore the veil”.

Doesn’t this serve the purpose of the people behind the threats? The school administration should continue with its policy regarding the veil and let it be a matter of choice and not forced upon the students — even if out of fear for their security.

One way to avoid this is by asking the police to provide tighter security to schools (and NGOs) prone to such threats. (Full editorial)

Bannu - NWFP:Women Beheaded by extremists in Pakistan

Rising influence of extremists is talibanizing FATA and NWFP. Women, like in Afghanistan, are the first casualty of this extremism. Burning of music stores, barbers warned for shaving beards and this gruesome murder of two women is an eye opener.


These women were returning from hospital. Their vehicle was blocked, one of their friend escaped and the other two were taken by the murderers and beheaded. Their bodies were thrown in a canal with a note saying, "All males and females running brothels, including the one who escaped on Thursday, are warned to wind up their ugly business or they would meet the same fate"



Courts should take notice of this act and civil society including politicians should criticise this in strongest possible way. Dawn Daily wrote a strong editorial (Click here) on the incident.

See ANAA Press Release (click here)

NWFP-Bannu: Beheading of Women

ANAA Press Release
8th Sept 2007

NWFP-Bannu: Beheading of Women accused of “immoral activities”

ANAA is outraged and saddened by the incident of beheading of two women, in NWFP, accused of “immoral activities”. The extremists are now concentrating on policing the morals of the society. Obvious talibanization of FATA and NWFP is very detrimental to the civil society.

Our society has become desensitized and accepted this violence as a way of life. ANAA hopes that the courts will use their new, well-deserved independence and take suo moto action.

ANAA hopes that the civil society and politicians, will not waste time questioning the “morality” of the murdered, but articulate their criticism in strongest possible term against this gross violation of human rights.

May the souls of these unfortunate ladies rest in peace.

For details of the case, click here.