If you thought our criminalised politicians of Bihar or Uttar Pradesh were a blot on our nation, you need to read about how the brother of a Pakistani minister in Balochistan buried five women alive. The human remains of the five women who have been desecrated by wild animals and the government has done nothing to provide a decent burial to  these victims of honour killings. trhee of them were first shot and as they were being buried alive, two of their female relatives protested, and were pushed into the grave too.

Honour killings… they exist in India too… are common in Islamic coutnries like Pakistan, particularly in the tribal areas, where women put their families to “shame” by marrying for love, eloping… and listen to this… getting raped, are killed by their reatives, mostly male - fathers and brothers. This, ostensibly, to save the family’s honour!

Thanks to the Asian Human Rights Commission, this latest horrendous episode has come to light. Read all about it at this link: http://www.ahrchk.net/ua/mainfile.php/2008/2969

Three of the girls, all school students, had defied their families by deciding to marry men of their choice and in courts. Where gender issues are concerned, the Indian sub continent is certainly living still in the dark ages.