Last week, police registered a murder case in Punjab province’s Faisalabad district, in which a father is accused of killing his daughter by force-feeding her with rat pellets on suspicion of having an affair with a boy.
According to the case registered in the police complaint at Chak Jhamra police station, the father also ‘tortured’ the daughter before the alleged murder and later buried her body.
Coordinator of Gender Violence Unit, Faisalabad ASP Zainab Khalid while talking to Independent Urdu said that no one had reported the incident, but after some things came to light from the residents of the neighborhood, the police Conducted own investigation and took action.
He further said that apart from the victim’s father, mother and two uncles, the boy, with whom the girl allegedly had a relationship, was also detained, while the accused have also accepted the crime.
This is not the first case of honor killing in Faisalabad district, but according to ASP Zainab, seven women have been killed in the name of honor since May this year.
He said that due to Gender Based Violence Unit in Faisalabad, these seven cases have come to light. ‘In most of these cases, the brother or father killed, while one brother-in-law also killed his sister-in-law.’
He further said that two other women who were killed in the name of honor belonged to the Christian community, so it cannot be said that such incidents take place in a particular community.
City Police Officer (CPO) Faisalabad Kamran Adil said in this regard: ‘We have specially imposed Section 311 in all the cases to eliminate the possibility of consent. Secondly, since all these FIRs have been registered in the police complaint, we are also facing difficulty in finding evidence.
Kamran Adil continued and said that ‘Honour killings are related to society. We have only increased the rate of filing of cases.’
He said that all this is due to Chief Minister Punjab Maryam Nawaz Sharif, who established virtual police stations.
“In the past, such cases were not registered, but now we are pursuing and exposing such cases. Now a regular FIR is registered.’
However, he admitted that the police were facing difficulties in finding evidence in honor killing cases.
Giving the example of Chak Jhamra case, Kamran Adil said that in this case, the grave has to be exhumed for the post-mortem of the deceased, but the court has not yet issued the order while the accused are on remand.
“We need at this time that while we are speeding up in bringing such cases, other relevant agencies also need to speed up their work.”
Procedures of the Gender Based Violence Unit
Explaining the functioning of the Gender Based Violence Unit, ASP Zainab said that complaints received through various police channels, including 15 calls, Virchul Police Station, 1787 Helpline, Women Police Stations etc. is dealt with.
He said that the purpose of this unit is to monitor complaints of problems faced by women, children, transgenders and persons with disabilities and try to get them justice.
numbers
According to data from 2011 to 2023 on the Punjab Police website, 150 honor killings were reported in Pakistan’s largest province last year, compared to 404 in 2014.
Faisalabad region reported 27 honor killings, compared to 92 in 2013.
10 honor killings were reported in Lahore region during 2023, while the number was 42 in 2014.
There were 13 such murders in Gujranwala region during 2023 and the number was 46 in 2020.
In Rawalpindi region, 15 murders were reported in 2023, while the number was 24 in 2022.
Sargodha region had 17 murders in 2023 and 57 in 2013.
Similarly, 18 honor killings were reported in Multan region, compared to 54 in 2014.
In this March 8, 2014 photo, human rights activists in Pakistan carry a funeral symbol of honor killing during a protest in Islamabad (Farooq Naeem/AFP)
Sahiwal region saw 16 honor killings in 2023 compared to 50 women in 2011.
In DG Khan region, 17 honor killings were reported in 2023 as against 61 in 2014.
In Bahawalpur region, there were 15 honor killings in 2023 compared to 38 in 2013.
Law on honor killings
Advocate High Court Imran Qureshi said that the criminal justice system in Pakistan was created since 1860, which was adopted after the formation of the country, while some amendments were made in it in 1990.
These amendments made honor killings compensable, under which the killer could be pardoned by paying dowry.
He said that even if the situation of severe and sudden provocation is proved, the one who defames in the name of honor can get relief.
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“But in 2006, the Women’s Protection Act banned this law completely, after which the riot fell into the category of per-il-rez.”
He explained that the problem can be solved by divorcing the wife in Surat, while the affairs can be kept under control by severing the relationship with the daughter or sister. ‘But under no circumstances can human life be taken.’
Reasons
Social activist Sidra Humayun while speaking to Independent Urdu regarding the reasons for honor killings described honor killings as a regular organized crime.
He said that in the name of honor, the perpetrators monitor the woman, in which her whole day routine, phone calls, messages etc. are monitored and this is an interference in the personal freedom of the woman.
‘And it is on the basis of this surveillance that the woman is accused and killed.’
He said that ‘the use of death in such murders encourages the criminal. Therefore, there is a need for ijtihad in such cases.
According to him, this crime has been protected to some extent by naming it as honor killing and the implementation of the laws is a problem. Unless laws are enforced, they cannot be effective.
“The implementation of these laws will not happen until the Parliament takes clear steps on it and it is a pity that the Parliament also does not give women a place according to their dignity.”
