943 Women ‘Killed for Honour’ in 2011:Pakistan’s HRCP
Violence against women is increasing in Pakistan as at least 943 women were killed in the name of honour in 2011, according to the Human Rights Commission of Pakistan’s (HRCP) annual report.
Of the 943, 93 victims were minors, seven Christian and two Hindu women, said the report, titled ‘State of Human Rights in 2011’.
It said that around 4,500 cases of domestic violence against women were reported. The country’s first woman ombudsperson was appointed to receive and examine complaints of sexual harassment and other grievances, it said, adding that the provisions of Sexual Harassment Act had not been implemented by many ministries. “Only three hospitals nationwide had adopted the law.”
The report indicates that 1,715 people were killed in sudden flare-ups of violence in Karachi. Crime remained rampant while poor investigative methods prevented bringing criminals to justice. In cases of extra-judicial killings, 517 people were killed in drone attacks, 337 in police encounters and 173 people were abducted and murdered in Balochistan.
At least 2,307 people were killed and 4,341 injured in terrorist raids, including suicide and sectarian attacks.
The report said that an overwhelming majority of nearly 78,000 people being held in Pakistani prisons were under trial. Some 92 inmates died in prisons across the country in 2011. The plight of Pakistani and Indian fishermen detained and jailed for fishing in the other country’s waters continued, it said, adding that 313 people were sentenced to death by various courts in 2011, including six women.