"Shaming" her in-laws costs 19-year old her nose, ears

This story began when Aisha was just 8 years old.

Her father had promised her hand in marriage, along with that of her baby sister's, to another family in a practice called "baad."

"Baad" in Pashtunwali, the law of the Pashtuns, is a way to settle a dispute between rival families.

At 16, she was handed over to her husband's father and 10 brothers, who she claims were all members of the Taliban in Oruzgan province. Aisha didn't even meet her husband because he was off fighting in Pakistan.

"I spent two years with them and became a prisoner," she says.....Tortured and abused, she couldn't take it any longer and decided to run away.....

The court ruled that her nose and ears must be cut off. An act carried out by her husband in the mountains of Oruzgan where they left her to die.

Elipses mine to get to the heart of the matter--the decision to cut off the nose and ears of this young lady was the decision of a Taliban court of law. And that she should be left to die, as well. When all she wanted was to be free. The picture of her is at the link and I suppose a trigger-warning is warranted--but she is still beautiful, despite what was horrifically done to her. No woman should ever be expected to be a slave because of marriage, nor ever suffer such brutal violence. Only where a woman is considered a mere property, would her running away be considered like a theft, and she be treated like a thief for trying to save herself.

I despise the Taliban for this--and I wish Bibi Aisha the peace and happiness she deserves. Perhaps some doctor could be found to restore what these butchers have taken?

The Taliban, I remind my readers, as if I had any, is a religiously-based organization. This is their notion of justice. Can anyone perceive any reason why this was apt or necessary punishment?