I do not condone the occupation of sovereign land on the pretext of hunting terrorists, but, my emotive response to a legal system that reflects the culture of that country and prescribes punishment that does not meet current practice in most other countries (normally referred to as the West) makes me question the gains that are to be had from “the war on terror”. Supposing that a Western victory is had; at what cost to all?

The occupied state will continue under agreement to maintain its legal system, developed from its own culture, nominally, a religious culture that does not align with a world standard.

NEWS ARTICLE
Kidnappers to have noses, ears cut off
By South Asia correspondent Sally Sara

Posted Wed Dec 23, 2009 7:05am AEDT

A Pakistani court has ordered two men have their nose and ears cut off as punishment for inflicting similar injuries on a woman they abducted.

A judge in the eastern city of Lahore has ordered the punishment for two brothers who kidnapped their cousin, after she refused to marry one of them.

The men cut off the 20-year-old woman’s nose and ears to permanently disfigure her.

The judge ruled the men should suffer the same injuries as their victim.

The sentence was delivered under Islamic law, but similar punishments have not been carried out in other cases.

Human rights activists say more needs to be done to protect Pakistani women, without resorting to revenge.

The convicted men have also been fined and sentenced to life imprisonment.