Islam stands for justice

We the members of the Karachi Bioethics Group, professionals from several healthcare institutions in this city, wish to strongly condemn the recent, widely reported episode of the brutal flogging of a teenage girl in Swat, an area which is an integral part of our country.
Against all norms of humanity and decency, she was held down by men while hundreds of other silently watched the spectacle. This is an atrocious and shameful event that has left an ugly scar on the hearts and minds of every conscientious citizen of Pakistan.
Arguments being offered by certain Muslim "scholars," leaders of political parties, and government officials denying that this ever happened, or questioning the time and place of the incident, are immaterial. These are ploys meant to muddy the waters and divert attention from the deplorable event itself. But by creating such controversies there can be no lessening of the shame that has been inflicted on our nation. What is being portrayed by some as Islam, which is not Islam. Islam speaks, above all, of justice and respect for the dignity of all humans irrespective of race, religious belief, and gender; it is a religion that does not give anyone the right to assume the combined role of judge, jury, and executioner towards another human being.
The brutal flogging of the young girl is symptomatic of a gradual return in some parts of our country to the pre-Islamic jahaliyya period, an era in which girls were buried alive and women were nothing more than objects owned by men sans respect and rights. There is no room in Islam for barbarism. Only those who are knowledgeable and learned about Islamic Law and its intricacies are in a position to deal with complex issues such as these.
We would like to acknowledge the media for bringing this heinous episode to the attention of the citizens of Pakistan. At the same time we also request that they practice discretion and sensitivity in broadcasting these horrifying images.
Finally, we are profoundly grateful to the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of Pakistan for taking suo moto notice of this event. We hope that all necessary steps will be taken in investigating this case, the perpetrators will be made to face justice, and appropriate legislation ensured to prevent recurrence of such episodes in any part of our country.