The Consequences of Sharia Islamic Law in Pakistan's Swat

Pakistani President Asif Zardari's government went forth this week with legislation that implements Sharia Islamic law as the SWAT valley's sole justice system. Despite the concession, the region's militants are refusing to abandon weapons just yet. Skeptics argue that allowing militants to rule by their own interpretation of Sharia law will only further Talibanize the northern mountainous region once known as a place for tourism. They point to video of a woman being publicly flogged while screaming for mercy as evidence. While some locals welcome the implementation and hope that it will bring an end to violence with the Pakistani government, others worry that this will only lead to greater rifts with the West, particularly U.S. relations.
To find out more about Sharia law, FSRN's Rose Ketabchi interviewed Senator Saeeda Iqbal, a professor and women’s rights advocate.