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Pakistan takes steps to end 'honor killings'

Further steps must be taken to ensure women their right to marry according to their own free will, says priest
Pakistan takes steps to end 'honor killings'

Pakistani civil society activists carry placards during a protest in Islamabad on July 18, against the murder of social media celebrity Qandeel Baloch by her own brother. (Photo by AFP) 

Published: July 22, 2016 09:49 AM GMT
Updated: July 22, 2016 09:50 AM GMT

A committee of Pakistani lawmakers has approved amendments to laws aimed at holding perpetrators of so-called "honor killings" and rapes accountable.

Lawmakers from both the low and upper houses of the Parliament debated a draft of the Anti-Honour Killing Amendment Bill and Anti-Rape Criminal Laws Amendment Bill and approved them for legislation.

"Honor killings" is the intentional murder of a family member for bringing shame to the family such as refusing an arranged marriage. Besides these murders there were numerous incidents where acid was thrown on girls, and girls and women raped, harassed or beaten to allegedly restore the reputation and honor of families. 

"Serious efforts must be made to eradicate this evil," said Father Abid Habib former president of the Major Superiors Leadership Conference of Pakistan. "We hope this will bring relief to the women who are wrongfully supposed to carry honor of the whole family. They have lived in fear long enough. Further steps must be taken to ensure their right to marry according to their own free will."

"Both church and human rights organizations had been clamoring for a stricter law to protect women," said Sister Genevieve Ram Lal, national director of the Catholic Women Organization. "More focus should be given to stop this tribal practice. It brings a bad name to our country."

Qandeel Baloch, a social media sensation, became the latest victim of a so-called honor killing after she was strangled to death by her brother during sleep. Her brother confessed to the crime and said that he had no remorse. Baloch's killing caused an international outcry and renewed demands to end the culture of impunity.

In June this year, a teenage Christian girl was killed by her brother for insisting on marrying the man of her choice. Federal Law Minister, Zahid Hamid told media that families will still have the right to grant clemency if the alternative is capital punishment, but perpetrators will still have to serve a life sentence.

Baloch's murder exposes the restraints on freedom of expression in the conservative society of Pakistan, said Father Morris Jalal, founder and program director of the Lahore-based Catholic TV.

Social media is giving a voice to vulnerable groups like religious minorities and women. This is raising concerns among the elite and religious lobbies. They are afraid of the people who challenge the structures of society. Both honor killings and blasphemy accusations are their weapons, he said.

"The government has no option but to enforce a strong law on these killings; the credit goes to social media. We demand a strict implementation of the laws protecting women," he added.

"The government has taken serious notice of incidents of honor killings and desecration of women and wants to purge the society of these evils," said Ishaq Dar, a federal minister in a statement.

Dar, who chaired the Law Review Committee, said there was broad consensus on the bills among political parties.

"The bills will be taken up for legislation in the joint session of the parliament in the first half of August 2016," he said.

Pakistan's current laws give the family of a murder victim the legal right to pardon the perpetrator on payment of compensation known as "diyat" or blood money. In cases of honor killing, perpetrators, most of the time family members, escape imprisonment after being granted clemency. 

Rights campaigners have long urged the Pakistani governments to introduce legislation that removes the option of clemency. The Human Rights Commission of Pakistan reported that nearly 1,100 women were killed last year by relatives in the name of family honor. 

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