Pakistan

First case registered in Lahore under Women's Protection Act

Green Town Police registers FIR against Bassra Bibi's husband for beating her up

Babar Naveed March 01, 2016

PHOTO: AYSHA SALEEM

LAHORE: Days after the Punjab Protection of Women Against Violence Bill was passed, a woman on Tuesday filed a complaint against her husband in Lahore's Green Town area.

Bassra Bibi, 30, filed a complaint against her husband at Green Town Police Station, making it the first since Punjab Assembly unanimously passed the protection of women bill.

Punjab Assembly unanimously passes protection of women bill

She claimed "her husband has been beating her for the past one year." Further alleging that her husband "tortures and threatens" her, the 30-year-old demanded for her husband to be arrested.

"Police have registered an FIR 203/16 on Bassra Bibi’s complaint and police have arrested her husband Tayab," officer on duty, Younis said while speaking to The Express Tribune, adding that he used to beat and torture her.

Further, Bassra's four-year-old son has also been affected by the father's alleged violent behaviour.

Earlier, Bassra staged a sit-in against the police in front of Green town police station on the grounds that police did not file any case against her husband which she had been pursuing for months.

Punjab's pro-women bill goes against Sharia, says Fazl

She further expressed her disappointment, saying, "I have heard about the women protection bill but I don't think the bill will be implemented in the province."

COMMENTS (7)

kathy | 8 years ago | Reply @honesty: Divorce is not difficult through the court, the problems are before someone reaches that stage. Women contribute just like men and are not paid for cooking/cleaning/caring. You are suggesting that men paid for the house, in many situations women work but also contribute through household that labour is not to be considered free (this is Islamic not Western concept). If men are not beating their wives why they are worried in the first place. This law will punish women if they lodge a wrong complaint (law says that not me). The way some men and mullas are crying over this bill, it seems that they are all violent and now worried that it may lead to consequences. A large number of men are loving, caring husbands and not worried that the bill will lead to social destruction.

Jatt Sher | 8 years ago | Reply She must present proof that her husband has abused her. If a man goes to the police station and claims that his wife has been beating him will they arrest her as well? This law is insulting and a cheap tactic by PMLN to woo liberals and feminists who unfortunately dont care much for the party.

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honesty | 8 years ago | Reply what this bill will do is increase divorce rate! and i completely disagree with the fact that the husband should leave the house in case of a complaint!! why should he leave the house he paid for? instead what they should have done was to make it easier for women to get a divorce, which in pakistan can take upto several years.

Cancerian | 8 years ago | Reply The Feminist Movement coaxing is to a certain degree agitating women and adding to more frictions and broadening the gap between the two genders.Now,it is more of a demanding relation then of a adjusting and compromising between them.Possibly resulting in soured relations and more broken family's ? The love and affection appears to be dwindling and sort of visibly converting into a competition?And, rebellious attitudes...In all fairness they are made for each other and both meant to complement one another

Cancerian | 8 years ago | Reply I feel these categorization, such as women's rights,children's right ,gay's right etc, in fact apparently are promoting and creating a divide and discrimination, more then bonding the society as a whole! Why are we bent upon discriminating men and women or for that matter various other human beings in the society?.

Mk | 8 years ago | Reply Very happy that the bill has been passed and I'm all for it, it goes without saying that the women have to be protected (I would like Child and domestic help protection as well). However I would like caution on the misuse of this bill. more importantly the law enforcement and Judiciary really need to be trained on these matters, on handling and protecting victims, and how the system will safeguard the victims from the law enforcement personnel is a completely different story and it gives me the shivers.

Farru | 8 years ago | Reply Wow. It seems this bill will help minimize domestic violence.

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