Senate debates rise in women burning cases

Raja Zafarul Haq said that the rapid rise in such incidents seemed to reflect a psychological shift


Maryam Usman June 10, 2016
PHOTO: AFP

ISLAMABAD: Senate Chairman Raza Rabbani took suo motu action on Thursday, referring the matter of the alarming rise in the number of immolation cases involving girls to the Senate’s Functional Human Rights Committee, asking it to formulate a proper law to avoid the future occurrence of such incidents.

Condemning such incidents, the chairman said that not only was this trend terrifying, but it was also against the teachings of Islam.

He suspended the House proceedings for five minutes to sensitise the public in this regard.

He solicited views of all lawmakers on how to curb such incidents.

“Just as an acid-attack has been deemed a crime, similarly setting women (and girls) ablaze must also be made a serious offence in the Pakistan Penal Code, averting the recurrence of such incidents,” the chairman said.

According to Senator Sherry Rehman, in the last two years, 300 girls had been burnt alive and 2,000 murders had been committed via acid attacks.

Senator Salahuddin Tirmizi said that it seemed that society had regressed to medieval times. “Incidents of setting women ablaze are acts of terrorism. Such incidents must be tried in anti-terrorism courts.”



Leader of the House Raja Zafarul Haq said that the rapid rise in such incidents seemed to reflect a psychological shift.

Leader of the Opposition Aitzaz Ahsan said that within the past few days, Ambreen, Maria and Zeenat had been set on fire. “We are regressing to social backwardness. We do not care for individuals but only give importance to tribes or family units.”

Former Senator Sughra Imam had introduced the bill to prevent such incidents.

Senator Farhatullah Babar observed that brutal killings and cases of immolation of women in the name of honour would continue as long as parliament failed to legislate, making such murders ‘non-compoundable’. He called for urgently adopting Sughra Imam’s bill.

He said that the CII had lost its relevance and constitutional basis and called for examining the validity of its continued existence.

Re-verification of CNICs

Senators also debated on the issue of the proposed re-verification of CNICs as announced by the government following Mullah Akhtar Mansoor’s killing a few days back.

Senator Babar said that the real issue was whether Mullah Mansoor was issued a Pakistani identity card by the state and whether there were many more Mullah Mansoors hiding somewhere with Pakistani identity.

He said that members of Afghan Taliban holding Pakistani identity cards should be identified and their patrons in government departments be exposed and punished instead of undertaking the massive task of re-verification of all CNICs.

Minister of State for Interior Baliqhur Rehman said that a total of 105 million people were carrying Pakistani CNICs. He dispelled the notion that a certain nationality or ethnicity was being targeted or singled out.

He said Mansoor’s CNIC was dubious and NADRA had blocked the CNIC. “Mansoor’s CNIC was made in 2011 and would have expired by 2016 and our system would have detected it,” he said.

Published in The Express Tribune, June 10th, 2016.

COMMENTS (2)

Sami Khan | 7 years ago | Reply in Europe and America a 16 year old girl can not marry without written consent of her parents. How can she marry in Pakistan?
NKAli | 7 years ago | Reply Why should our sisters suffer? In spite of having laws, the police and government's concerned officials are not taking any action that will deter these heinous acts. Even the decision by the judiciary is slow. The mullahs are always SILENT...WHY??? Because the 'Biradari system' reigns superior. Salams
Replying to X

Comments are moderated and generally will be posted if they are on-topic and not abusive.

For more information, please see our Comments FAQ