By: Ms Khadijah Shah (Rays of Development Organization) 

Islamabad, Pakistan: Opposition on Monday filled an adjournment motion with the Senate Secretariat, seeking an in house debate on the reports of killing of 100 women in Sindh under the tag of Kari (women having illicit relations).

Jamaat-e-Islami Senator prof Khurshid Ahmad, prof Muhammad Ibrahim, Dr Muhammad Saad, Dr Kosar Fardos, Afia Zia signed the motion.

They contended in the motion that it was alarming that the poor parents in various parts of Sindh were not only being deprived of their daughters under Kari but also being forced to leave their homes because of the powerful and influential land lords of the province.

Quoting media reports, they noted that during the last two years, as many as 100 young girls and women had been murdered and their graves had been unearthed recently.

The legislators pointed out that the unearthing of graves of poor souls had exposed the reign of terror unleashed in the province by the high and mighty land lords. They said the gory practice was against Islamic Sharia and the Law.

They described the custom of Kari an oppressive one and called upon the Senate chairman to initiate a debate on the mater, suspending the routine business of the house. If the motion was found in order, the chair could allow a 2 hour debate on the issue as the Upper House of parliament was expected to meet in third week of October.

Source:

Ferhan Mazher,

Chairman,

Rays of Development Organization, Sargodha, Pakistan.

By: Ms Khadijah Shah (Rays of Development Organization)

Malakwal, Pakistan: A woman has demanded the police high ups provide her justice and protection. Addressing a press conference, Asmat Parveen said she with her mother was coming to the village when Pind Makoo Union Council Nazim Najmul Hassan with his accomplices Muhammad Ashraf and Zahoor Ahmad offered them a lift. When we reached near a deserted place, they threw my mother out and took me to a Dera (form house) where they raped me. On my resistance, they severely beat me, she alleged. 

She said they also snatched 80000 RS from her. When contacted, duty official at the Miana Gondal Police said that they had registered a case and arrested Ashraf and Zahoor Ahmad.

Source:

Ferhan Mazher,

Chairman,

Rays of Development Organization, Sargodha, Pakistan

By: Ms Khadijah Shah (Rays of Development Organization)

SUKKUR, PAKISTAN: A woman was strangled to death by her husband on the pretext of karo-kari (honour killings) in Riazat Golato village of the Risaldar area near Kandhkot late on Saturday night.

Mohammad Saleh Golato, suspecting his wife Subhan Khatoon 22, of being
a Kari (woman having illicit relations), strangled her to death. The Risaldar police recovered the body and removed it to the Kandhkot hospital for post mortem.

The Risaldar police, on the complaint of Kaloo Golato, brother of the
woman, registered a case against Saleh and Akhtiar Golato but made no
arrest.

Source:

Ferhan Mazher’

Chairman, Rays of Development Organization, Sargodha, Pakistan.

Forwarded by: Ms Khadijah Shah (Rays of development Organization)

By: Mr Akhtar Amin (Daily Times)

PESAHWAR, PAKISTAN: Cases of honour killing are on the rise in Pakistan as 90 such cases were reported all over the country in the first quarter (January to March) of 2008, says a report compiled by a non-governmental organisation (NGO) Aurat Foundation (AF).

Out of the 90 cases, 36 were reported in Balochistan, 35 in Sindh, 11 in Punjab and eight in NWFP.

Talking to Daily Times, Aurat Foundation Peshawar Resident Director Rukhshanda Naz cited lengthy judicial procedure and delay in disposal of such cases as the main reasons for increase in honour killing in the country.

She said that the government’s effort to make the state a party in honour killing cases was an encouraging step but alongside, the government should also give instant punishment to honour killers to stop this heinous crime in the country.

About the three teenaged girls allegedly buried alive in Balochistan by the tribesmen in the name of honour, she said that the inhuman incident not only earned a bad name to Balochistan but also to the whole country.
“If the government award strict punishment to honour killers, such incidents would not be reported in the country,” she said, adding that for curbing such incidents in future, the government should enact strict laws.

According to the AF report, 366 women were murdered in first three months of the current year in Pakistan. Out of them, 130 were murdered in Punjab, 110 in Sindh, 95 in NWFP and 25 in Balochistan.

Sixty cases of rape were reported in this period, out of which 34 were reported in Punjab, 14 in Sindh, nine in NWFP, three in Balochistan and one in Islamabad.

A total of 246 cases of abduction were reported with 177 of them reported in Punjab, 38 in Sindh, 16 in NWFP and four in Balochistan.

A total of 66 women committed suicide during this period. Twenty-seven of them were in Punjab, 24 in Sindh, eight in NWFP, four in Balochistan and three in Islamabad.

Eighteen cases of gang rape were reported in the first quarter of the current year. Out of the number, 34 cases were reported in Punjab, 10 in Sindh, nine in NWFP, three in Balochistan and one in Islamabad.

As many as 24 cases of sexual assault happened, out of which 13 were reported in Punjab, six in Sindh, 10 in NWFP, three in Balochistan and two in Islamabad.

A total of 119 cases of domestic violence were reported in the three months with 46 cases reported in NWFP, 34 in Punjab, 30 in Sindh, seven in Balochistan and two in Islamabad.

Thirty-four cases of custodial violence were also reported in this period, out of which 10 cases were reported in Punjab and 14 in Sindh.

Out of 16 women who were burnt, four were in Punjab, six in Sindh, one in NWFP, four in Balochistan and one in Islamabad.

Three cases of acid-throwing were reported in the country, two in Punjab and one in Sindh, while six cases of human trafficking (four in Punjab and two in NWFP) were also reported.

Recommended by:

Ferhan Mazher,

Rays of Development Organization, Sargodha, Pakistan.

By: Ms Khadijah Shah (Rays of Development Organization)

Quetta, Pakistan: The Asian Human Rights Commission has revealed that in Nasira-abad, Balochistan 3 more women were buried alive. The Commission’s chief of Pakistan desk, Baser Malik told in an interview with a local television channel that after 4 days of the live burial of five women, 3 women protested against this inhuman and barbaric crime, the same was decided for these 3 as was for those 5 for whom they were protesting. The 3 women’s identity is still being kept secret.

Source:

Ferhan Mazher,

Chairman,

Rays of Development Organization, Sargodha, Pakistan.

By: Ms Khadijah Shah (Rays of Development Organization)

Jacobabad, Pakistan: Despite tall claims made by successive governments, the state of women in the country, particularly in Sindh remains unchanged
where nearly 250 women are executed in the name of honour every year.

Honour killing is the name given to murders where the offender claims
the victim, usually a woman, has brought his family into disgrace.

In many cases, the victims held properties that the male members of
their families did not wish to lose if the women chose to marry
outside the family.

Unfortunately, most of such cases went unreported in the past. But a
new trend of reporting such matters to the relevant authorities is
emerging fast.

On Friday, a man lodged an FIR against his father accusing him of
killing his innocent teenaged daughter on the pretext of karo-kari in
Lal Khan Panhor village in Thul.

Thirteen-year-old Hanifan was at her home when her father, suspecting
her of having an affair with her cousin, Mohammad Salah Banglani,
strangled her to death. Later, the man, Mohammad Khan, surrendered
himself to the Thul police and confessed to having killed his
daughter.

Consequently, the victim’s brother, Araz Mohammad, lodged an FIR
against his father stating that his sister was innocent and had been
murdered in cold blood.

The police handed over the body to relatives after a post-mortem
examination conducted at the Thul hospital.

Observers may recall that only a few weeks back a man had also lodged
an FIR against his son in a similar case.

Moula Buksh Lohar of Jafarabad had stated in the FIR registered at the
Miranpur police station of Garhi Khairo area, that his son, Ghulam
Shabbir, had a monetary dispute with Sobho Katohar.

After an exchange of hot words with Sobho Katohar, his son came home
and shot his wife dead. Later, he also gunned down Sobho Katohar and
accused both the victims of having an affair, which Moula Buksh Lohar
insisted was fabricated by his son.

With the reporting of the second such case, it is hoped that a day
will dawn on us soon when this heinous tradition will become a thing
of past.

Source:

Ferhan Mazher,

Chairman (Rays of Development Organization, Sargodha, Pakistan)

By: Ms Khadijah Shah (Rays of Development Organization)

Karachi, Pakistan: The Judicial Magistrate, West, Syed Nadeem Shahzad Haider, issued the acquittal order on Tuesday of two of the accused involved in the kidnapping of their nieces because the case was not maintainable.

The Investigation Officer (IO) for the case submitted a report under
Section 179 arguing that the case against the accused was not
maintainable so they will be released. The court, accepting the
application, ordered their acquittal.

Two minor girls, eight-year-old Zainab and 10-year-old Sara, were
allegedly kidnapped by their uncle, Shah Tareen, with the help of
Ishaq and Sanober from Karachi and were sent to Kala Dhaka and handed
over to other people after a Jirga’s decision.

Shah Tareen married against the will of the Jirga. He was asked to
hand over the two minor girls in return. He kidnapped two of his
nieces and handed them over to aggrieved party under the settlement.

The two girls had submitted three applications before the court of
Additional District Sessions Judge, Soofia Latif, calling to provide
protection to the family who still were receiving threats. Secondly,
they said, action should be taken against Jirga who they said had
given illegal decision. Thirdly the police party who was sent to
Mansehra to recover the missing girls had disappeared and the parents
of the girls themselves investigated into the affair.

The Judge later ordered that the two sisters be handed over to their
mother. Zainab and Sara stated that they were kidnapped by their uncle
Shah Tareen with the help of Ishaq and Sanober from Karachi.

Later, Ishaq took them to Kala Dhaka and detained them at his home,
they said, adding they were forced to serve as maids.

The girls recorded their statements before the court. A letter of the
DCO and political agent of the tribal area regarding recovery of the
girls was also produced before the court.

The applicant and mother of the girls told the court that the police
party sent by the Sindh home department on a court order to Mansehra
for the recovery of her daughters had just delivered court orders to
the DCO and immediately came back to Karachi, adding she had
personally approached the DCO who deputed a Tehsildar to negotiate
with the tribal people for the recovery of the girls.

She requested the court to take action against the police team for not
complying with the court orders.

The judge directed the police party constituted for the recovery of
the girls, to appear before the court on Aug 29 and asked the SHO of
Gulbahar to provide security to the applicant.

On a pervious hearing, the police party stated in its report that the
staff of Oghi police station had refused to cooperate with them by
maintaining that the area of Kala Dhaka, where girls were detained,
was in the jurisdiction of Provincially Administered Tribal Areas and
said a political Tehsildar of Kala Dhaka Jamshad Khan was negotiating
with the local Jirga and the girls are likely to be recovered soon.

The applicant stated that Shah Tareen had married Jannat against her
parents’ will in their native town in district Mansehra. To settle the
dispute between the two families, a Jirga asked Tareen to hand over
his nieces to the aggrieved party as compensation.

Subsequently, he allegedly kidnapped the two girls and handed them
over to a Jirga member, Sanober, in Karachi and later to a member of
the aggrieved party, Ishaq, in Mansehra. The police had arrested Shah
Tareen and Sanober following registration a case against them at SITE
police station. Ishaq was also nominated in the FIR.

Source:

Ferhan Mazher,

Chairman (Rays of Development Organization, Sargodha, Pakistan)

Written by: Ms Khadijah Shah (Rays of Development Organization)

Karachi, Pakistan Sept 23: Justice Salman Ansari of Sindh High Court (SHC) on Tuesday issued notices to the district police officer of Larkana and 10 family members of a Hindu girl who married a man of her tribe against the wishes of her elders and was later declared a Kari by an illegal Jirga.

Ms Raj Kumari and Rajesh Kumar moved the SHC through their counsel
Javed Iqbal Burki of Aurat Foundation maintaining that their lives
were in danger. Some influential people of their area, including
political personalities, were interfering in their family dispute, the
couple maintained. The petitioners belonged to the Oad tribe.

Their marriage was disapproved by their elders because they had
entered into a matrimonial contract before a court of law. Later a
Jirga was held which declared it a karo-kari case.

The counsel urged the court to provide protection to the newly-weds,
residents of Naudero and Dera Murad Jamali.

The court after hearing initial arguments issued notices to the DPO of
Larkana and 10 relatives of the girl, including Master Nanak, Gulshan
Ram, Mithal, Anwar, Zulfiqar and others to appear in court on a date
to be fixed later by the office of the court.

Source:

Ferhan Mazher,

Chairman (Rays of Development Organization, Sargodha, Pakistan)

By: Ms Khadijah Shah (Rays of Development Organization)

Lahore, Pakistan: A teenage girl was allegedly kidnapped and raped by three persons in the Riawind Police precincts on Tuesday.

According to the First Information Report registered with the police,
kiln worker Tufail, who was living with his family in quarters
constructed by the owner at Kingra Village, filed a complaint with the
police alleging that his 14-year-old daughter N had been kidnapped and
raped.

The father claimed that the accused was working at the same kiln, and
had developed illicit relations with his daughter. He said that the
boy had sent a proposal to marry his daughter, which he refused,
adding that upon refusal the boy, with the help of his accomplices,
had kidnapped N. Raiwind Police have registered a case under section
496-A and 380 for kidnapping, rape and stealing valuables, and have
started an investigation.

Raiwind Police station house officer said that it was likely that the
girl had eloped on her own, adding that they were expecting the
production of proof of marriage during the course of their
investigations.

The victim’s father Tufail maintained that his daughter had been
kidnapped and raped by the accused. He said that they were poor people
and respect was the only valuable thing they had and appealed to
senior police officers for justice.

Source:

Ferhan Mazher,

Chairman (Rays of Development Organization, Sargodha, Pakistan)

The Nazareth District Court sentenced Khaled Muslemi, 24, to 14 years in prison for the attempted murder of his sister.

According to the indictment, Muslemi, a resident of the Arab Village Of Naura in the Jezreel Valley, decided to execute an “honor killing” in March, after hearing rumors that his sister was behaving promiscuously.

He convinced her to accompany him to a field near their village, where he pulled out a gun and shot her in the head, the shoulder and the leg from a distance of three feet. He then called the Gilboa Region Magen David Adom station and confessed to the murder.

The woman, gravely injured but still alive, pretended to be dead, thus averting further shots. Her resourcefulness saved her life.

The prosecution asked the court to sentence Muslemi to 15 years in prison, but the defense asked to court for a lighter, 11-year sentence, citing extreme emotional duress.

“The despicable, repetitive phenomenon of murder and the attempted murder of innocent women under the pretence of ‘honor killings’ must be condemned in the harshest manner possible,” noted the court.

“Acts such as the defendant’s bear no honor. They bear only shame and disgrace. The court is disgusted by the defendant’s decision to be his sister’s executioner and by the fact that her life meant so little to him… and all just to be perceived as someone protecting his family’s reputation.”

The three judge panel sentenced Muslemi to 14 years in jail, with an additional thee years probation.

YNet