217 killed ‘in the name of honour’ in 2022: report
Pakistani human rights activists hold placards during a protest in Islamabad against 'honour killings' on May 29, 2014. PHOTO: AFP
At least 217 people, including 152 women, have been killed in the so called honour-related crimes across Sindh in 2022, as per the data compiled by Sindh Suhai Organisation (SSO), a nongovernmental organisation (NGO).
"As many as 36 people were targeted in Jacobabad district alone, while 27 people were killed in Kashmore district," disclosed SOS Chairperson Dr Aisha Hassan Dharejo on Tuesday.
According to the breakdown, 23 people were killed in Ghotki, 16 in Shikarpur, 14 in Larkana, 10 in Khairpur, five in Sukkur, and 86 in other districts during the period between January and December 2022.
"Landlords have their own laws in the rural areas," Dr Dharejo said. "They are so powerful that even police avoid registering FIRs against killers [in honur-related crimes]," she added.
Women's rights activist Anees Haroon urged the government to register murder cases since the bereaved families in most cases submit to jirgas and do not pursue court cases.
Justice (retd) Majida Rizvi also questioned the state for not becoming party in such murder cases. "There should not be any compromise in such killings," she added.
Dr Badar, a senior member of the Human Rights Commission of Pakistan, said that cases of honour killing go up during the harvesting season. "It is like a 'business' in the rural areas," he said.
Published in The Express Tribune, March 22nd, 2023.