GUJRAT: At least 36 women were killed, mostly on the pretext of preserving honour and over domestic disputes, in Gujrat in 2014. The number came down from previous year’s 51.

According to the data collected from the district police office, a majority of the women had been slain by their kin and the complainants in these cases also had been the family members. There was no conviction in these cases as the complainant would reconcile with the accused, giving an impression that the family of the deceased supported the gruesome incident.

Most incidents occurred in the rural areas especially those in the jurisdiction of three police stations -- Kunjah, Karrianwala and Dinga. There were some incidents in areas in the Kakrali, Daulatnagar, Gujrat Saddar, Lalamusa Saddar and Sara-i-Alamgir Saddar police remit.

Even in Gujrat city, the police stations covering the recently urbanised areas located in the outskirts of the city did have an alarming number of such cases as the Civil Lines and Lorry Adda police stations had registered six such cases in the year.

There were 34 incidents of murder of women which were lodged in different police stations in 2014 compared to 49 cases registered in 2013. The police recovered three bodies of women during the last one year and these remain unidentified as the police say sometimes people from neighbouring districts throw the bodies (with mutilated faces) in Gujrat.

The Kunjah police station’s areas were on top with six cases of murder of women -- five over honour and one land dispute. There were five such incidents in the Tanda police station of Saddar circle, followed by the Larri Adda, Dinga and Karrianwala police stations each of which saw murder of four women.

In 2013, the Dinga police station was on top with seven women murdered. The Karrianwala and Kakrali police stations had five incidents each and the Kunjah, Gujrat Saddar, Jalalpur Jattan Saddar, Civil Lines and Daulatnagar police stations had four each.

Some of the women had also been killed over marriage disputes, family feuds and during robberies.

The district police officer told Dawn that the culture and so-called traditions of society had been the main cause of violence against women. He said the police had brought the number of incidents down last year but still the ratio in rural areas demanded effective legislation and awareness campaigns.

He said a policing centre was being established in Gujrat to facilitate women, children and senior citizens who often remain neglected. He said trained and efficient police officials including women would be deputed at the centre and they would be sent to the rural areas as well.

Social scientist Prof Dr Muhammad Nizamuddin, chairman of the Punjab Higher Education Commission, says Pakistan has high prevalence of violence against women for which various factors can be identified. Patriarchal society, where gender inequality at various levels has been accepted as norm, leaves much room to exercise power over women.

Men have been given high status irrespective of cast, creed, finance and education, he says.

“Pakistani society is a complex society with various ethnic groups but when it comes to gender inequality almost all ethnic groups, classes and sects seem to follow this rule although intensity varies. Men are taught that they are superior and structure of society has been evolved and developed to give men more power. This unequal power lies at the root of violence against women,” he explains.

He says low level of literacy also leads to unquestioned acceptance of religious doctrines. In many cases, cultural practices are protected by various religious interpretations mostly given by clerics. Complex interplay of cultural and religious values that focus on subordination of women may result in gender discrimination that leads to violence against women, he says.

While suggesting measures to curb the menace, he stresses the need to have an egalitarian approach towards gender issues, equal status for women and opportunities of education and employment. He also says implementation of laws barring discrimination against women is one of the surest ways of improving things.

Published in Dawn January 8th , 2014

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