The karo-kari scourge

One of the persistent problems Pakistan has faced throughout its history has been that of honour killing or ‘karo-kari’. The problem is especially pervasive in rural parts of Sindh where 78 people -- 50 women and 28 men – have fallen victim to the practice in just the first half of this year. Karo-kari is the homicide of a member of a family or social group by other members due to the belief the victim has brought dishonour to the family or community by engaging in “immoral behaviour”.

Firstly, it is essential that the government promote women’s rights through a concerted awareness campaign, mainly via the media. In June 2016, the Council of Islamic Ideology (CII), a body of clerics which advises the government on the compliance of laws with the Shariah, had clearly decreed that honour killings were “un-Islamic”. Additionally, the Pakistan Ulema Council has also issued a ‘fatwa’ stating that “killing one’s daughter and humiliating her is a sign of ignorance”. It is imperative, therefore, that these two bodies, and other religious scholars, form an integral part of such a media campaign.

Secondly, it is crucial that both the police’s approach towards ‘honour killing’ cases as well as the overall criminal justice system be reformed. ‘Karo-kari’ is an act of murder, pure and simple, and the emphasis must be on bringing the culprits to justice rather than trying to justify the brutal practice on moral grounds. Thirdly, it is vital that we fully implement the laws that we already have on the books such as the Protection of Women (Criminal Laws Amendment) Act of 2006, the Criminal Law (Third Amendment) Act of 2011, the Punjab Protection of Women against Violence Act of 2016, and the Criminal Law (Amendment) (Offences in the name or pretext of Honour) Act of 2016. Unless we implement these measures, there is little hope of eliminating the honour of killing scourge in the foreseeable future.

 

Published in The Express Tribune, October 7^th, 2019.

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