Pakistan: Report highlights police’s failure to protect victims of honour killings

Islamabad, June 1 (SocialNews.XYZ) A newly married couple - Nadia Aslam and Najeebullah Aziz - were shot dead in Karachi in yet another case of honour killing in Pakistan. The woman's own brother was the main suspect in the case and police have claimed to have arrested him. However, the question arises why did the police not check when he followed the couple along with his accomplices after they left the court, a report has stated.

"...The murder of Nadia and Najeeb could be prevented if the authorities were more alert and fully aware of their responsibilities. That they did not apparently care about the precious lives of two young persons may also be an example of the moral degradation of the Pakistani society," Ghazi Salahuddin wrote in an opinion piece in Pakistani daily 'The News International'.

After Nadia (20) left her house to marry Najeebullah (25), her family filed a complaint with the police, claiming that she had been kidnapped. On May 25, she appeared before a Malir court to record her statement. Nadia stated that she had married Najeebullah, who was present in the court, of her own will and presented her marriage certificate.

A senior official said that armed assailants who were on a motorcycle were tracking the couple after they left the court. The official said that armed assailants opened fire on the car and Nadia and her husband were killed on the spot.

"Considering the circumstances in which the couple had come to the court, why did the police not suspect the possibility of ‘honour killing’? After all, there is a record of similar murders after the victims had left the premises of a court. If the police officials had been watchful, they might have identified the angry brother. It is heartbreaking to see how these star-crossed lovers, who had shown great courage in defying the primitive values of a family, were brutally murdered," wrote Salahuddin in 'The News International'.

"Were they not, in some ways, betrayed by their state, by their society, and by law enforcement authorities who should have seen it coming? Who else stands guilty for this monstrous crime? Are our police officials properly sensitised to deal with these issues? Essentially, we have to contend with fundamental questions about the process of social change and the values that would set its direction. Would the emancipation and empowerment of women be part of the idea of progress in Pakistani society?," the writer added.

In February, a report claimed that honour killings continue to emerge as a serious human rights issue in Pakistan, as the number of incidents reported across the country remain high while the rate of convictions is low, a report has stated.

A report in another leading Pakistani daily 'The Express Tribune' stated, "Every now and then, some isolated case of honour killings makes its way to the media. However, beyond individual tragedies lies a bleak national picture, where family forgiveness, judicial delays, and weaknesses in law enforcement allow innocents to continue being killed in the name of honour."

A recent report by the Sustainable Social Development Organisation (SSDO), supported by official records and international studies, showcased that weak probe, judicial delays, and social pressure continue to obstruct the road to justice despite the presence of laws.

The highest number of honour killing cases were reported in Pakistan's Punjab province as it reported 225 incidents and only two convictions. Khyber Pakhtunkhwa reported 134 honour killings, which secured only two convictions. Sindh also documented incidents of honour killing, however, there was no conviction. Balochistan reported 32 honour killings and secured only one conviction. The data showcases a gap between the number of lives of lost the delivery of judiciary.

While speaking to 'The Express Tribune', social activist Imran Takkar, who works on women’s rights, stated that women accounted for 90 per cent of honour killing victims. "Women are already considered a weak and oppressed segment of society, and families often withdraw in such cases. If the police builds stronger cases, investigations are conducted in an improved manner, and prosecution plays its role, harsher punishments are possible."

Source: IANS