Amnesty International calls for systemic change to protect Pakistani women

Rights organisation expresses dismay over rise in reported cases of violence against women

A day after a Lahore woman's husband thrashed and shave her head for not dancing for him and his friends, Amnesty International South Asia demanded Pakistan to make systemic changes to protect women from violence.

The rights organisation, in a statement, called for strong and swift action be taken against the torturers of Asma Aziz and noted with dismay "the alarming rise in reported cases of violence against women".

"System change to protect women is necessary," Amnesty International's statement read, adding that, action can't only be taken on a case-by-case basis.

While we are glad that strong and swift action has been taken against the torturers of Asma Aziz, we note with dismay the alarming rise in reported cases of violence against women. Systemic change to protect women is necessary. Action can’t only be taken on a case-by-case basis. pic.twitter.com/IQSOEpMUd9

— Amnesty International South Asia, Regional Office (@amnestysasia) March 28, 2019

Earlier in the day, Aziz's husband, along with his aide were sent on a four-day physical remand to police custody.

Both the men were presented before a court in Lahore's Model Town Kachehri where judicial magistrate Shahid Zia heard the case.

“My husband tortured me when I refused to dance in front of his friend,” the woman informed the court, requesting it to punish her husband.

Police had sought a 10-day physical remand to investigate the matter from the court. However, after hearing the arguments they were given a four-day physical remand.

On March 27, in a video message, Aziz narrated her harrowing ordeal at the hands of her husband.

“He has always beaten me but this time he even shaved my hair off and hit me on the head with a manhole cover,” she said in the video.

Pakistan ranks 150 out of 153 countries on The Georgetown Institute's Women, Peace and Security index ─ among the five worst countries for women in the world.