Islamabad, Feb 16 (IANS) Honour killings continue to emerge as a serious human rights issue in Pakistan, as the number of incidents reported across the country remain high while the rate of convictions is low, a report has stated.
A report in The Express Tribune Magazine stated, “Every now and then, some isolated case of honour killings makes its way to the media. However, beyond individual tragedies lies a bleak national picture, where family forgiveness, judicial delays, and weaknesses in law enforcement allow innocents to continue being killed in the name of honour.”
A recent report by the Sustainable Social Development Organisation (SSDO), supported by official records and international studies, showcased that weak probe, judicial delays, and social pressure continue to obstruct the road to justice despite the presence of laws.
The highest number of honour killing cases were reported in the province of Punjab as it reported 225 incidents and only two convictions. Khyber Pakhtunkhwa reported 134 honour killings, which secured only two convictions. Sindh also documented incidents of honour killing, however, there was no conviction. Balochistan reported 32 honour killings and secured only one conviction. The data showcases a gap between the number of lives of lost the delivery of judiciary.
While speaking to The Express Tribune, social activist Imran Takkar, who works on women’s rights, stated that women accounted for 90 per cent of honour killing victims. “Women are already considered a weak and oppressed segment of society, and families often withdraw in such cases. If the police builds stronger cases, investigations are conducted in an improved manner, and prosecution plays its role, harsher punishments are possible,” the report quoted Takkar as saying.
Senior advocate Shabbir Hussain Gigyani stressed poor police probe and weak case building remained key obstruction for delivery of justice in honour killing cases despite presence of laws and amendments. “Police often make close relatives of the victim complainants and witnesses, who later reach compromises with the accused. Witnesses then retract statements before trial, leading to acquittals in about 80 per cent of cases,” the report quoted Gigyani as saying.
SSDO Executive Director Syed Kausar Abbas stated that the extremely low conviction rate demonstrates that the existing system in Pakistan has not been able to provide effective protection and timely justice to victims. Abbas stressed that immediate reforms are necessary for strengthening police investigations, improving legal procedures, and ensuring speedy trials.
The report in The Express Tribune magazine added further: “Rooted in deeply entrenched customs, the practice of honour killings weaponises fear to violently silence those challenging social boundaries for good. Therefore, in the absence of strict law enforcement, victim’s deaths continue to be rationalised as moral correction, allowing accountability to remain elusive.”
–IANS
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