| Submit your comments on this article |
| Afghanistan/South Asia |
| Details About Honor Killings and a Related Proposed Law in Pakistan |
| 2004-11-11 |
| From The Institute for the Secularization of Islamic Society 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, as many as 913 women had been killed in 'honour- related crimes' in the country during the year 2003 with 638 cases of honour crime committed in 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. ..... The Criminal Law Amendment Act, 2004 which proposes amendments of the Pakistan Penal Code (PPC), 1860 enhances punishment for the offence of murders carried out in the name of honour. However, the word 'honour killing' has been replaced with 'honour crime' to make it mild and acceptable to various sections of the society. |
| Posted by:Mike Sylwester |