Rat people in Pakistan

[azhar]

I read an article last year about the so called Rat people in Pakistan. There was another article in the papers today. These are beggers in the Punjab (around the shah Dullah (?) shrine near Gujar Khan) whose facial features mimic those of rats - hence the name Rat people. Apparently as the story goes these are children who are given as offerings to this shrine (that is women have asked/prayed for something at this shrine and if it comes true or for it to come true they have given their first child to the people at the shrine). According to the article these babies are somehow deformed at this shrine by the people of the shrine so that when they grow up they can beg profitable for the owners of the shrine.

My question is has anyone heard of this? have you come across these beggers and what are your thought on it?

[ZZ]

Can you give a www adress to the article?

[a_monad]

I have seen many of those in Lahore many times. They seem like retarted and they beg for money or other stuff.

[NYAhmadiX]

Yes, they can be seen in many towns in Punjab. They are called “Shah Dullay Di Choi” (Rats of Shad Dullah). Azhar’s description is the same as what I know to be true. They are not born that way, but their mental development is controlled by confining their heads inside metal bowls (helmets) for extended periods of time when they are still young, that’s why their heads are very small. They are used for begging. I hope this barbaric practice is declared illegal. Peri Muridi in Pakistan is a very “touchy” issue. People do a lot of nonsense in the name of these saints.

[hmcq]

ZZ
search on the BBC world news online webpage. if you still cant find it let em know i might have it in one of my archived emails

[hmcq]

ZZ
search on the BBC world news online webpage. if you still cant find it let em know i might have it in one of my archived emails

[ferhana1]

i read a article last year in a womens magazine, it was very detailed with lots of pictures i found the whole thing disgusting
these kids given away and then while there bones are still soft there heads are deformed so that they actually do look like ratsand they are basically signed up with a begging agency, its so said to see this sort of stuff we are approaching the millenium and stuff like this still goes on.



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Live forever........

[msaqibj]

This is a SAD side of our culture especially in Punjab. It is particular with those who have superficial believes.

[azhar]

I have never actually seen these beggers - but I know of like I said above I am aware of their existence. The sad thing is that these children don't know any better as they are brought up this way - they are usually dumb and so unable to express their feelings. Their so called 'keepers' make sure that they do not mix with other people or they make sure that other people do not influence them in any way.

It is a very sad state of affairs though. The problem is that no one has been able to provide the proof that these kids have been mistreated in anyway and the police/authorities are not too bothered about it either.

[msaqibj]

Azhar Dear: You know the sad point is that the keepers of these kids have given it a religious touch. I have seen these kids so many times and heard the stories about them.
These kids have been made mentally sick and have no power of thinking. Even if you try to mix with them, they won't know what is the social life. I wont care about the corrupt police to bother but I would say that where are those Human right organizations which get million of dollars from their foreign masters? These organizations cry like babies, and yell like animals if some thing happens to a corrupt politician, terrorists, killers but they would not do any thing to correct the evils like this in the society.

[Dard]

Does anyone know who Dullay Shah was?
Is he some sort of a sufi saint?

Dard