PESHAWAR: A group of clerics in the conservative Kohistan district of Pakistan’s northwestern Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province on Saturday threatened female employees of non-governmental organizations (NGO) not to work in the field or prepare themselves for forced marriages or expulsion from the area.
Over the years, reports have emerged that women living in Kohistan district have faced severe restrictions on their rights and freedoms. Some of them have even been subjected to violence and honor-based crimes in the region.
“If a female worker of an NGO is found roaming on the streets without a male relative, such as her brother or father, and if she is single, we will ask any local to marry her,” Mufti Ahmad Ali, one of the clerics in the area, told Arab News over the phone. “But if a female NGO worker is married then she will be expelled from the area.”
He said religious leaders had approached the police and verbally complained about NGO employees who had been spotted on streets for two consecutive days.
“Our decision is equally binding on locals, foreigners and NGO workers from other districts,” he added.
Ali said the local clerics had set various conditions for development sector organizations, saying their staff members would not be allowed to “preach their religious or preach against our religion.”
“They should respect the local culture and traditions,” he continued, “and not allow women workers to roam freely in the region.”
However, he noted there was no harm in these NGOs carrying out development work in health and education sector, though their female employees must not be seen working on the ground.
Asked about the situation, Buland Iqbal, Station House Officer (SHO) of the police precinct in the area, acknowledged that religious clerics had visited him with their complaint against NGO workers, though he expressed optimism the issue would be tackled amicably.
“It was a non-issue that has been unnecessarily highlighted on social media,” he said. “NGO workers, including female employees, are continuing to work from their offices.”
Meanwhile, Nausheen Fatima, a social activist in the province, said it was “beyond comprehension” that religious leaders were trying to prevent women from performing duties in remote areas where local communities were facing acute health and education challenges.
“This decision is extremely tragic,” she said. “I hope the government will not allow such elements to take law into their hands. It is against the basic human rights.”
Fatima said NGOs should be allowed to promote health and education among vulnerable communities.
“Religious leaders should preach peace and tranquility in society instead of doing this,” she added.
Clerics in Pakistan’s Kohistan district threaten women NGO workers with forced marriages, expulsion
https://arab.news/5he3v
Clerics in Pakistan’s Kohistan district threaten women NGO workers with forced marriages, expulsion
- Police describe the threat as a ‘non-issue,’ saying it has been highlighted on social media for no reason
- A female social activist hopes the government will not let local religious leaders take law into their hands
Pakistani, Bangladeshi officials discuss trade, investment and aviation as ties thaw
- Pakistan and Bangladesh were once one nation, but they split in 1971 as a result of a bloody civil war
- Ties between Pakistan, Bangladesh have warmed up since last year and both nations have resumed sea trade
ISLAMABAD: Pakistan's High Commissioner to Bangladesh Imran Haider on Sunday met Chief Adviser Muhammad Yunus in Dhaka, the latter's office said on, with the two figures discussing trade, investment and aviation.
Pakistan and Bangladesh were once one nation, but they split in 1971 as a result of a bloody civil war, which saw the part previously referred to as East Pakistan seceding to form the independent nation of Bangladesh.
Ties between Pakistan and Bangladesh have warmed up since former prime minister Sheikh Hasina’s ouster as a result of a student-led uprising in August 2024. Relations remain frosty between Dhaka and New Delhi over India’s decision to grant asylum to Hasina.
Pakistan has attempted to forge closer ties with Bangladesh in recent months and both South Asian nations last year began sea trade, followed by efforts to expand government-to-government commerce.
"During the meeting, both sides discussed ways to expand cooperation in trade, investment, and aviation as well as scaling up cultural, educational and medical exchanges to further strengthen bilateral relations between the two South Asian nations," Yunus's office said in a statement on X.
In 2023-24 Pakistan exported goods worth $661 million to Bangladesh, while its imports were only $57 million, according to the Trade Development Authority of Pakistan. In Aug. this year, the Pakistani and Bangladeshi commerce ministries signed a memorandum of understanding to establish a Joint Working Group on Trade, aiming to raise their bilateral trade volume to $1 billion in the financial year that began in July.
The Pakistani high commissioner noted that bilateral trade has recorded a 20 percent growth compared to last year, with business communities from both countries actively exploring new investment opportunities, according to the statement.
He highlighted a significant increase in cultural exchanges, adding that Bangladeshi students have shown strong interest in higher education opportunities in Pakistan, particularly in medical sciences, nanotechnology, and artificial intelligence. Haider also said that Dhaka-Karachi direct flights are expected to start in January.
"Chief Adviser Professor Muhammad Yunus welcomed the growing interactions between the two countries and emphasized the importance of increased visits as well as cultural, educational and people-to-people exchanges among SAARC (South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation) member states," the statement read.
"Professor Yunus also underscored the need to further boost Bangladesh–Pakistan trade and expressed hope that during Mr. Haider’s tenure, both countries would explore new avenues for investment and joint venture businesses."
