incidents of killing women in the concur with typical male assertions dence of honour killings is on the

W O M E N name of honour were negligible. such as, “a woman’s mind is weak rise, some critics of human rights
“The honour killing trend is on the and not as mature as a man’s.” Or organisations are accusing the AI of
decline following the government- that “she is easily swayed unlike a sensationalising the issue in the
launched awareness campaign man.” Clearly, centuries of male wake of Samia Sarwar’s high-pro-
aimed at safeguarding women’s domination and fundamentalist file case. Samia was murdered in
rights,” he said, when asked to indoctrination have left the women the office of noted human rights
comment on the report. However, mentally ill-equipped to deal with a activists Asma Jehangir and Hina
the minister’s assertion is belied by phenomenon as brutal as honour Jilani on April 6 this year, for want-
the findings of an inquiry by the killings. ing to marry a man of her choice.

Beyond the Pale

If the status of Pakistani women is to improve, what needs to change is the mind-set whereby
By Zofeen T.
Human Rights Commission of
Pakistan (HRCP): In 1998, the num-
ber of reported cases of honour
killings in the Punjab was 286.
Between January and July this year,
41 women were killed in the name
of honour in southern Punjab alone.
Meanwhile, increased efforts from “The issue of honour killing is not
international human rights organisa- new. It is outright murder and a
tions and media networks to focus common tool to take revenge. But it
on the curse of hon-
our killings has
raised the obvious The BBC documentary posits Shahnaz
question of whether
was never misused
the way it is now,”

Bokhari of the
they are viewed as mere chattel Despite these figures, though, even such killings are on titled Murder in Purdah Progressive
the Senate refused to adopt a reso- the rise. “The reason showed footage of a Women’s

“W
omen in Pakistan honour killings, the 57-page report tim to rape or even attempting to lution against the practice when it AI has taken up this Association. She
live in fear. They offers a chilling description of the divorce abusive husbands. In most met for the purpose on August 2 issue is because the man addressing a rally feels that just as the
face death by oppressive, downright brutal, tribal cases, mere suspicion is enough to this year. number of honour Zainab Noor case
shooting, burn- practices in which half of the coun- merit murder. And more often than Still, local NGO activists regard it killings are on the of emotionally charged brought the issue of
ing, or killing with axes if they are try’s population is condemned to not, the murders are carried out in as an important contribution to increase and more people during the domestic violence
deemed to have brought shame on spend its life. a particularly gruesome manner so growing efforts by the global and more women are out in the open,
the family.” So reads an Amnesty The report details how often, and that they become a lesson for the human rights community to bring being killed in the Riffat-Ahsan episode: Samia’s case may
International (AI) report titled visibly, Pakistani women are mis- rest. Pakistan under pressure and force name of honour,” have triggered
“Pakistan: Violence Against Women treated and abused. The fourth As expected, the government of the government into taking remedi- asserts Tasneem “If someone creates a worldwide interest
in the Name of Honour”, released among a series on the status of Pakistan has chosen to describe the al measures. In January this year, Ahmar, who heads love story with your in honour killings.
in September this year. Strong women in Pakistan, it is the first findings of this report as “rather when the whole world was tuned Aks, an Islamabad- Dr Habiba Hasan, a
words of censure, indeed. But they dealing exclusively with the abuse exaggerated”. While admitting that into the Riffat-Ahsan case, the BBC based women’s wife, daughter or sis- member of AI,
are nothing new for a country as of women’s rights at the hands of the menace of honour killings did aired the hair-raising documentary NGO. However, the argues otherwise.
steeped in feudal traditions and private parties. Pakistani women, it indeed exist, the former minister for Murder in Purdah. Not shown in AI’s own statistics do ter, will you let him do “AI has consistent-
tribal customs as Pakistan. points out, can be killed if suspect- religious affairs (in office till the Pakistan, the documentary con- not support this that?” he asked.The ly been working for
Nevertheless, prepared in the wake ed of having illicit relations, choos- military coup of October 12) Raja tained several interviews and view. “One is not political and civil
of a series of incidents involving ing a marriage partner, falling vic- Zafarul Haq maintained that the scenes depicting the extent of social sure if the incidence crowd thundered back rights. In 1997, it
acceptance such practices have has increased, was decided by the
acquired over the years. In one such although there does a unanimous “no”, World Parliament
scene, the documentary showed appear to be a defi-
footage of a man addressing a rally nite movement of the
leaving the more liber- to work on non-
state actors. As
of emotionally charged people dur- practice from the al viewers wondering such, the report
ing the Riffat-Ahsan episode: “If rural to the urban was not triggered
someone creates a love story with areas. However, at whose cost such by the Samia
your wife, daughter or sister, will because more such
you let him do that?” he asked. The incidents are being “love stories” will Sarwar murder case
because the work
crowd thundered back a unanimous reported now as be aborted. on the report start-
“no”, leaving the more liberal view- compared to the past, ed a year and a half
ers wondering at whose cost such there has been ago.”
“love stories” will be aborted. an increase in the awareness among Similarly, critics also argue that
The answer comes soon enough, all segments of society,” contends violence against women is a global
in the shape of an interview with a Nargis Rehman of the Karachi issue and as such, human rights
father-son duo that surrendered to Women’s Peace Committee. organisations are perhaps not justi-
the police after killing a girl in their “It is not about numbers, or how fied in singling out Pakistan. “This
family. “I did the right thing. I am many innocent women have been campaign [against honour killings]
an honourable man,” declared the murdered. The point to be noted is has particular relevance to this
father. “I am proud as well as that this custom is prevalent,” says region because the magnitude of
ashamed: proud because I killed her Dr Shershah Syed, a founding such violation is colossal. None of
and ashamed because she was my member of the AI in Pakistan. “As it the successive governments have
sister and she did the wrong thing,” is, only the reported cases can be taken any measures to stop the
added the son. Surprisingly, several recorded. But what about those abuse. This lenient view of honour
women interviewed for the docu- which go unreported? How does killings by the state machinery only
mentary indicated that they were one tabulate such data?” he adds. encourages and perpetuates the
happy to be in the “protection of Interestingly, given the AI’s practice,” explains Syed
men”. In fact, some even seemed to inability to establish that the inci- Shamsuddin, a section officer at AI.

1 The Herald, November 1999 The Herald, November 1999 1

 practice,” explains Syed
Shamsuddin, a section officer at AI.
Yet another point of criticism is that,
while both men and women can
become victims of honour killings,
only women are made the focus of
the reports prepared by internation-
al organisations. “We have acknowl-

“Ten years ago, the

courts would never hear
of sending a woman to
jail if she married of her
own free will. But our
system, our institutions
are getting regressive.
They are angry with us,
angry that women have
begun to speak for them-
selves, have started
thinking, making their
own decisions.This is
not the kind of society
they want,” contends
leading human rights
activist Asma Jehangir.
edged that women as well as men marriage, she is taught a lesson,” will disrupt society and that it is its
are victims of honour killings, but says Nasreen Azhar of the HRCP. duty to guard against such
women have a far slimmer chance If this, indeed, is the real issue upheaval,” says the AI report. The
of escaping than men,” argues driving the practice of honour result? Men involved in honour
Shamsuddin. killings, then it may be a long time killings are either let off completely
However, this debate does little before reports on the status of or given sentences that are insignifi-
else besides obfuscating the real women in Pakistan can be of help. cant compared to the gravity of the
issue, which has nothing to do “I am not sure if there will be an crime committed by them. In fact, if
with numbers or the approach that immediate effect [of the AI report]. leading human rights activist Asma
the various human rights organisa- Bringing a change in the thinking of Jehangir is to be believed, the situa-
tions have taken towards it. “In my the people is always a slow process tion is getting worse by the day.
opinion, it is in essence an issue of and can only be done through edu- “Ten years ago, the courts would
power. People who hold power cation for all and women’s econom- never hear of sending a woman to
will do anything to retain it. They ic empowerment,” opines Dr jail if she married of her own free
can resort to murder for that. Shershah. will. But our system, our institutions
Women in our society do not have The magnitude of change that are getting regressive. They are
any power or control over their must be brought about in people’s angry with us, angry that women
lives. They are not allowed to thinking is perhaps best illustrated have begun to speak for themselves,
express themselves. This includes by the current attitude of the judici- have started thinking, making their
the right to choose for herself. And ary: “Parts of the judiciary appear own decisions. This is not the kind
when a woman expresses her convinced that any interference in of society they want.” ■
desire to choose her partner in the patriarchal structure of society

1 The Herald, November 1999