Customs vs laws: Civil society calls for abolition of jirgas

Say informal courts are anti-women, hand out ‘barbaric’ punishments.


Our Correspondent March 25, 2014
Say informal courts are anti-women, hand out ‘barbaric’ punishments. PHOTO: FILE

ISLAMABAD:


With the recent spike in reports of violence against women at the behest of patriarchal and tribal assemblies, civil society networks and human rights activists have demanded the immediate elimination of jirgas and panchayats.


In a joint statement issued from the federal capital on Monday, civil society networks, human rights activists and women’s organisations demanded the government of Pakistan to “abolish all jirgas and panchayats in all parts of the country.” The civil society activists also demanded that the government “nullify and prevent” orders issued by panchayats and jirgas, arrest all members, protect the intended victims and take punitive action against police officials that collude with jirgas.

The statement claimed the self-appointed jirgas and panchayats are all-male, feudal, tribal and religious councils which are “illegal and unconstitutional” and their abolition will also fall in line with several orders and judgements from the Supreme Court.

The statement said almost all the barbaric acts of violence against women and girls (VAWG) during the past one week alone were ordered by jirgas and panchayats.

The panchayats and jirgas act as “judge, jury and executioner, all rolled into one.. “The police and other law enforcement agencies are mostly as misogynist as the jirgas and panchayats, and are, in fact, highly politicised and intimidated by the feudals,” according to the statement.

Published in The Express Tribune, March 25th, 2014.

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