Honour Killings in Pakistan

Honour Killings in Pakistan

(haha, did a google search and found extra information. statistics and such can be copied to your notebooks - mine's still quite empty - and used in essays! hehe)

Government
- While the Pakistan government has for the first time officially acknowledged the existence of this barbaric practice of honour killings, it is far from addressing the real issue of impunity which encourages the practice.
- Just when the bill was being presented in the National Assembly, enraged villagers in the hinterland of rural Punjab tied two persons to the railway track for marrying against the will of the family elders and were crushed under the wheels of a speeding train.
- The Supreme Court of Pakistan in various judgements reiterated that "Neither the law of the land nor religion permits so-called 'honour' killings and it amounts to intentional murder noting that "such iniquitous and vile" acts violate the fundamental rights of life.

Statistics
- Hundreds of women are killed every year for alleged misdemeanours such as adultery, marrying without the family's consent, pre-marital sex or having been raped.
- According to the Adviser to the Prime Minister on Women Development, Ms Neelofar Bakhtiar, 913 women had been killed in 'honour- related crimes' in the country in 2003
> 638 cases Sindh, 463 in Punjab, 120 in the North West Frontier Province and 40 in Balochistan.
> Human Rights Commission of Pakistan recorded honour killings of 329 women in 1998, 303 women in 1999, 315 women in 2000, 227 women in 2002 and 290 women in 2002 based on the press reports. But many incidents are not reported in the newspapers and the vast majority of the victims come from rural areas.
- Most honour killings are usually committed by close relatives - father, brother, son, or husband of the woman.

Punishment
- Maximum imprisonment of 25 years and not less than 10 years
- If and when the case reaches a court of law, the victim's family may 'pardon' the murderer (who may well be one of them), or be pressurised to accept diyat ('blood-money') as compensation. The murderer then goes free.

Source: http://www.countercurrents.org/hr-achr291004.htm

Honour Killings in Pakistan

Honour Killings in Pakistan

(haha, did a google search and found extra information. statistics and such can be copied to your notebooks - mine's still quite empty - and used in essays! hehe)

Government
- While the Pakistan government has for the first time officially acknowledged the existence of this barbaric practice of honour killings, it is far from addressing the real issue of impunity which encourages the practice.
- Just when the bill was being presented in the National Assembly, enraged villagers in the hinterland of rural Punjab tied two persons to the railway track for marrying against the will of the family elders and were crushed under the wheels of a speeding train.
- The Supreme Court of Pakistan in various judgements reiterated that "Neither the law of the land nor religion permits so-called 'honour' killings and it amounts to intentional murder noting that "such iniquitous and vile" acts violate the fundamental rights of life.

Statistics
- Hundreds of women are killed every year for alleged misdemeanours such as adultery, marrying without the family's consent, pre-marital sex or having been raped.
- According to the Adviser to the Prime Minister on Women Development, Ms Neelofar Bakhtiar, 913 women had been killed in 'honour- related crimes' in the country in 2003
> 638 cases Sindh, 463 in Punjab, 120 in the North West Frontier Province and 40 in Balochistan.
> Human Rights Commission of Pakistan recorded honour killings of 329 women in 1998, 303 women in 1999, 315 women in 2000, 227 women in 2002 and 290 women in 2002 based on the press reports. But many incidents are not reported in the newspapers and the vast majority of the victims come from rural areas.
- Most honour killings are usually committed by close relatives - father, brother, son, or husband of the woman.

Punishment
- Maximum imprisonment of 25 years and not less than 10 years
- If and when the case reaches a court of law, the victim's family may 'pardon' the murderer (who may well be one of them), or be pressurised to accept diyat ('blood-money') as compensation. The murderer then goes free.

Source: http://www.countercurrents.org/hr-achr291004.htm