Horror at home

The incidents we hear about so often in our country could come straight from the pages of a horror novel or film. But tragically, in the case of true life stories, it is impossible to switch off the DVD or lay aside the book. The thought of what happened to Saima, a young woman from a village near Bahawalpur, is enough to shake even the most hardened among us. The 22-year-old was apparently electrocuted to death by her parents, as punishment for eloping with her cousin. A local panchayat had given out the order after she was brought back from Karachi by locals. Her suffering in the hours before her death is unimaginable. The police say torture and burn marks were found on her body, defying claims by her family that she had swallowed pesticides. The thought that we today, live in a society where parents can inflict such agony on a child should make us think very hard about what depths of barbarity we have sunk to.

The killing is just one of the hundreds of ‘honour’ crimes committed each year. The true number is not known. Many such crimes are covered up. This was attempted, too, in the case of Saima. She could, but for chance, have been quietly buried, her grave hiding the secret of her terrible death. The fact that the prime minister has taken note of the case is welcome. We hope this will contribute to the murderous parents and members of the panchayat, who ordered them to slay a woman guilty of no crime, will be duly penalised under the law. This is essential to set an example for others.

But if more such killings are to be avoided, more will need to be done. Laws which permit persons guilty of ‘honour’ killings need to be reviewed. These have been identified by the National Commission on the Status of Women and many NGOs. This is a prerequisite to raising the standing of women in society, and by doing so preventing them from being slaughtered or tortured as happened to young Saima. Furthermore, attitudes towards women in society and their portrayal in the media also need to change since, in large part, such mistreatment is caused by misplaced notions of honour and propriety with particular regard to women.

Published in The Express Tribune, January 24^th, 2011.