1,317 women victimised in Pakistan in 2007

At least 1,317 women were victimised in the previous year in various incidents of violence across the country, while 101 women were victimised in the month of December alone, including former prime minister Benazir Bhutto. The highest number of deaths occurred on the pretext of Karo-kari (honour killing) in which 210 women and 117 men were murdered by their close relatives, according to an Aurat Foundation report released Saturday.

The data was collected and compiled by Lala Hassan and Hina Tabassum. More than four people were murdered daily in Sindh during the twelve months of 2007 and despite the ban on jirgas by the Sindh High Court (SHC) Sukkur Bench, they functioned with full force in tribal areas of the country after the removal of Chief Justice Iftikhar Chaudhry, who had been taking suo motu notice of cases of violence against women. The report also said that at least 95 Jirgas were held by local influential people, including ministers, advisors and nazims. Two women were declared ‘Garhiyo’ (not involved in illicit relations) by these jirgas.

“The newly made Women Protection Act has failed to provide safety to women fell victim to honour killings and other criminal acts,” said the report. In Indus valley (Sindh) women and minor girls were gang-raped and murdered in several incidents of violence.

At least four women, including minor girls, were raped and murdered, 45 were gang-raped, 55 were raped and attempts of rapes were made on 47 women. At least 168 women were kidnapped, and more than 130 women committed suicide owing to unemployment, forced marriages, domestic conflicts, matrimonial disputes, poverty, underage marriages and early marriages. Also, 31 women were sold and 68 women went missing and at least eight incidents of acid burns were reported during 2007.

State violence also continued against women and at least 181 women were arrested under different minor allegations or as compensation of male accused and 71 women were physically tortured by the police in the province. The report also revealed that more than 200 couples got married through courts, some of whom were later arrested by the police.

What is an honour killing?

An honour killing is a murder in the name of honour. If a brother murders his sister to restore family honour, it is an honour killing. According to activists, the most common reasons for honour killings are as the victim:

refuses to cooperate in an arranged marriage.
wants to end the relationship.
was the victim of rape or sexual assault.
was accused of having a sexual relationship outside of marriage.

Human rights activists believe that 100,000 honour killings are carried out every year, most of which are not reported to the authorities and some are even deliberately covered up by the authorities themselves, for example because the perpetrators are good friends with local policemen, officials or politicians. Violence against girls and women remains a serious problem in Pakistan, India, Afghanistan, Iraq, Syria, Iran, Serbia and Turkey.