Up in arms: Protesters lament society’s apathy in Farzana’s murder

‘Religious and educational institutes share the blame’.

LAHORE:

More than 10,000 women in the country face violence of various kinds each year and more than 1,000 are killed in the name of honour...that doesn’t even include the cases that go unreported,” Women in Struggle for Empowerment Executive Director Bushra Khaliq said at a protest demonstration on Monday to condemn the murder of Farzana Iqbal who was stoned to death by her family outside the Lahore High Court premises.

The demonstration was organised by the Mumkin Alliance of Civil Society Organisations at Charing Cross. The protesters chanted slogans and held placards stating There is no Honour in Honour Killings; Men can change; Women rights are Human rights; No more honour killings and What Kind of an Islamic Republic is this in which women aren’t protected.

Khaliq said, “Our society is riddled with a feudal mindset that wants to control women. Unfortunately women are very vulnerable in our society...the entire society, including religious and education institutions, is responsible for honour killings.”

Khaliq criticised the Council of Islamic Ideology which she said had allowed for escalation of violence against women.

International Association of Human Rights Chair Rubab Mehdi H Rizvi said inaction by the police, in this case, indicated that an extremist version of Islam was being accepted as mainstream.

“According to the University of Al Azhar, honour killings are not just un-Islamic but anti-Islamic. The basis of honour crimes lie in greed, power, money and a tribal version of Islam,” Rubab said.

She said Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) had spent his entire life challenging oppressive tribal norms in which the rich had an advantage over the poor, the white people on black and men over women.

Rubab said that extremists all over the world targeted women, arts and education.

“This so-called honour killing has embarrassed Pakistan at the international level. It is obligatory upon us women, to ensure that these victims live through us...I hope the brutal murder of Farzana will ignite the conscience of all Pakistanis in taking steps towards a better Pakistan,” Rubab said.

Mumkin Alliance Coordinator Shazia Shaheen said, “At least six incidents of honour killings have taken place in the last six days...where are our law enforcement agencies...These killings depict the failure of the state.” HomeNet Pakistan Executive Director Ume Laila Azhar strongly condemned the heinous stoning to death of Farzana Iqbal who she recalled was three months pregnant. Azhar said the incident was gruesome, appalling and deplorable.

“The failure of the police at the scene to rescue her shows the level of apathy among law and justice enforcing agencies,” she said.

“This is because of double standards of law enforcement agencies who, instead of implementing the law, find ways to save the culprits,” protesters said.

Mumkin Alliance urged the Punjab Commission on the Status of Women, and the Women Parliamentarian Caucus to pressure the government to take strict action against the murderers.

The Strengthening Participatory Organization (SPO), the Aurat Foundation, the South Asia Partnership, the HomeNet Pakistan, the Working Women Organisation, the SIMORGH, the Bedari, the ASR, the WISE, the War Against Rape, the AGHS, the CHRE and the Action Aid, took part in the demonstration.

Published in The Express Tribune, June 3^rd, 2014.