Women in Pakistan live in constant fear. They face death by shooting, burning or killing with axes if they are deemed to have brought shame on the family.
The lives of millions of women in Pakistan are circumscribed by traditions that enforce extreme seclusion and submission to men.
Rural areas of the Province are still drenched in dogmatic existence. Many men consider it an insult if their female relatives marry without their consent. Killing or attacking women and their partners in such cases is assumed to reinstate family honor. And to make the situation more worse, the offenders escape the lariat of justice just because of poor policing, corruption and legal loopholes.
Lately, a young chap of 22 year old was severely battered by his wife’s relatives. His crime was that his wife belonged from so-called ‘upper caste’ family and they got betrothed against their wishes.
The girl’s male relatives, around 30 in number, assaulted the man and slashed his nose and ears.
Hundreds of women are killed in Pakistan every year in the name of ‘honor killings’.
In recent years, Pakistan’s President Pervez Musharraf has defended his government’s record on violence against women and says he has done more for women’s empowerment than any previous administration.
However, human rights groups in Pakistan say the president’s claims are not backed by adequate legislation.
Ensuring activists, lawyers and women’s groups to practice their legitimate activities without harassment or fear and pursue all such threats with a view to punishment could make the life of victims a little better.
