Strengthening of prosecution, documentation stressed

Senator Babar says intolerance in Pakistan increasing day by day

ISLAMABAD: On the eve of International Day of Ending Violence against Women, there was a call for the stronger prosecution against perpetrators and for social mobilisation on the issue.

While the British High Commission announced 16 days of activism to end gender-based violence, a Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) senator emphasised the need for strengthening prosecution.



PPP’s Senator Farhatullah Babar proposed appointing a special public prosecutor for crimes against women and a ‘national register of embarrassment’ for heinous crimes committed against women containing details of crimes, the status of prosecution and the current status of the case to serve as a database for cogent action to end impunity.

“Local governments with women participation can play an effective role in combating violence against women,” he said at an event organised by the National Commission on Status of Women (NCSW) and called for the implementation of NCSW recommendations pertaining to reserved seats for women at all levels.

He identified two particular areas of violence. One, he said, was security driven violence as in the case of missing persons. It was the women and children who suffer most when their men disappear mysteriously, he said.

The second category was belief driven violence in which the rich and the poor alike suffer. He said women were subjected to honour killing, gang rape, and acid attack in all geographical areas with varying practices.

16 days of activism

The British High Commission launched the 16 days of activism to end gender-based violence, under the UK’s Department for International Development (DFID)-funded AAWAZ programme.



Women from 45 districts of Punjab and Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa gathered in Islamabad on Friday to share their inspirational stories of change.

DFID Pakistan Chief Joanna Reid said: “Violence against women and girls must stop. How can it ever be justified? Not only is stopping it an essential human right – it will reduce poverty. Girls who experience violence are less likely to complete their education, they are at greater risk of dying in childbirth and their ability to earn a living is put at risk.”

Published in The Express Tribune, November 25^th, 2017.