JI demands death penalty for ‘honour’ killing

Provincial chief opposes divorce in one go as he announces women’s rights movement from tomorrow

PESHAWAR: Announcing the launch of a countrywide movement for women’s rights from August 10, the Jamaat-e-Islami (JI) has demanded that ‘honour killing’ should be punishable by death penalty.

“Honour killing is cruelty and injustice against women,” said Mushtaq Ahmad Khan, the JI’s Punjab Amir, while announcing the three-month-long campaign at the provincial headquarters on Tuesday.

“Death penalty should be awarded to those who commit honour killing,” he said, adding that there is no place for honour killing in Islam.



Condemning the ‘Swara’ custom in which girls are handed over to rival parties to settle disputes, the party’s provincial head said, “Such practices are against Islamic teachings and the state must discourage them while dealing them with an iron hand.”

He called upon the party’s women wing to conduct awareness campaigns to stop the “un-Islamic culture of giving divorce in one go” which “ruins the lives of both women and their children”.

He said a 20-member women cabinet would be formed at the local government level to conduct seminars and awareness campaigns to empower women in villages about property and inheritance rights.

“[The] JI has always respected and given space to women to take part in national affairs and politics,” said Mushtaq, adding that there were more than 350 JI women councilors serving in local government departments at the tehsil, district and village council level.

“We have reserved 10% of the central council seats for women and they have a say in majority of the party’s affairs,” he claimed.

The JI leader said that the party would provide support to women on legislative and judicial levels as well.



At the legislative level, he said, the party was preparing a resolution to support the rights of women and would submit it in the provincial and national assembles after completion. While at the judicial level, the party had decided to provide support to women who could not bear expenses to fight their cases, he added.

About homeless women, Mushtaq said his party was working to establish a rehabilitation centre even though it was the responsibility of the state.

Replying to a query whether JI would give tickets to women to contest assembly elections, he said legislation was underway to reserve 5% of the party tickets for women members.