[sacw] 'Honor Killings' - Pakistan

[Harsh Kapoor]

August 4, 1999
FYI
(South Asia Citizens Web)
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Contents:
1] PAKISTAN: Senate Rejects Ban On 'Honor Killings'

2] Pakistan fails to condemn 'honour' killings

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1] UN WIRE
Tuesday, 03 August, 1999
WORLD SNAPSHOT: UN WIRE TOP STORIES
PAKISTAN: Senate Rejects Ban On 'Honor Killings'

Pakistan's upper house, the Senate, has rejected a resolution that would
have outlawed the practice of "honor killing," in which women are murdered
by
family members for allegedly bringing the family dishonor. Long condemned
by human rights groups, the practice continues in conservative regions of
Pakistan.

The resolution was proposed by the main opposition party, former prime
minister Benazir Bhutto's Pakistan People's Party, but was blocked by
members of the governing Pakistan Muslim League from the conservative and
largely tribal region of the northwest frontier. "Much to the surprise of
many," the BBC reports, a left-wing opposition group, the Awami National
Party, also opposed the resolution. Awami is also based in the northwest
frontier.

People's Party Senator Iqbal Haider, who drew up the resolution, said the
Pakistan Muslim League had endorsed the reprehensible custom to win the
support of tribal leaders (Zaffer Abbas, BBC Online, 2 Aug). (Back to
Contents)

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2] BBC NEWS Online
Tuesday, August 3, 1999 Published at 11:11 GMT 12:11 UK Pakistan fails to
condemn 'honour' killings

The practice has continued in the conservative north-west

By Zaffer Abbas in Islamabad

Pakistan's upper house, the Senate, has rejected a resolution condemning
the growing incidence of murder of women in the name of family honour.

The resolution was moved by the main opposition party of former prime
minister, Benazir Bhutto, but members from the highly conservative tribal
region of the north-west frontier province prevailed upon the house to stop
the move.

The practice to murder women in the name of family honour has been going on
for ages in many of the tribal and conservative parts of Pakistan.

Shot down

Recently, it became a major issue when a woman who had fled her home in the
north-west frontier to avoid a forced marriage was shot down by a hired
killer in the office of a human rights activist.

The incident sparked a bitter
debate in the country, with
human rights groups asking for a new and strict law to discourage the practice.

It was against this backdrop that the opposition Pakistan People's Party
wanted the Senate to pass a resolution to condemn the so-called "honour"
killings of women.

But when it tried to move the resolution, the governing party members
belonging to the conservative tribal region of the north-west frontier
province put up a forceful opposition.

'Sad day for democracy'

Much to the surprise of many, they were fully backed by a left-wing
opposition group, Awami National Party, whose members also come from the
same province.

People's Party senator, Iqbal Haider, who had drawn up the resolution,
later described it as a sad day for democracy in the country.

He said in order to win the support of some tribal leaders, the governing
Pakistan Muslim League had endorsed one of the most reprehensible customs -
killing women in the name of honour.