A video attributed to Bannu district in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa is rapidly going viral on social media, showing a minor girl being subjected to violence. In the video, the girl is dressed in boys’ clothing, and it is claimed that she was beaten on this basis. Social media posts suggest that the individuals inflicting violence on the girl are affiliated with the Taliban.
In response, TTP spokesperson Muhammad Khurasani issued a clarifying statement. According to the statement, the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan is a “Sharia-compliant jihadi movement” that does not permit any un-Islamic actions or extrajudicial punishments. The spokesperson said that the leadership of the movement has issued instructions to investigate the incident.
However, this is not the first incident in which the TTP has targeted a woman on such grounds. The spokesperson’s statement appears to be primarily a measure to avoid public backlash. This incident also highlights similarities between the TTP and the Afghan Taliban. A few days ago, the Afghan Taliban had arrested a young girl who was an orphan and was working in a hotel disguised as a boy to support her family.
Social media users and human rights activists have strongly reacted to the video. Several sources indicate that the girl in the video is approximately 14 years old and was subjected to violence solely because she typically wore clothing associated with boys.
Human rights organizations have demanded an impartial investigation into the matter and that those responsible be punished according to the law to prevent such incidents in the future.
