MULTAN, Jan 2: The year 2003 could not be any better as far as the state of human rights in the southern Punjab was concerned compared with that in the preceding years, records an annual report of the Human Rights Commission of Pakistan's local task force.

The report says around 1,000 people were murdered up to the November last in Multan, Bahawalpur and Dera Ghazi Khan. "The number of people killed is not less than the toll of a full-scale war," comments the task force.

Of those, around 484 were men, 196 women and 65 children. As many as 12 of the children were criminally assaulted before murder while 89 killed in the name of honour.

Some 36 of those women fell prey to anguish of their husbands, 27 killed by brothers, 11 by fathers, seven by sons and 11 by other relatives. Around 103 women became a victim of domestic violence, nine of whom were killed because they had turned down the proposals and three for not bringing dowry up to the expectation of their in-laws, the report says.

It adds that 493 women were subjected to criminal assault in the southern part of the Punjab compared to 440 in the corresponding period of the previous year. Four of the victims had to lose their lives when they resisted the designs of perpetrators. Of the women subjected to sexual violence, 220 were married and 273 unmarried.

Nearly 177 cases of child abuse are also reported, according to which, boys were the victims in 118 incidents while girls in the remaining 59 cases. Some 573 cases of abduction of women were also reported during the period. However, this figure also included the "fake cases" of abductions got registered by the families of such women, who had left their homes of their own free will to marry with the men of their choice.

Nearly 81 men and 48 women committed suicide the main reasons for which in case of men were poverty and unemployment and tense domestic situations for girls and women.

Drinking of pesticides and other poisonous chemicals was noted to be a major phenomenon to cut short one's own life in 42 of the suicide cases. Among the other suicidals, 26 strangled themselves, 17 shot themselves and 16 laid before trains.

Some 38 incidents of acid throwing occurred in the area and about 62 people fell victim to this inhuman practice. Two men and four women lost their lives after being severely burnt in the acid attacks.

The task force report observes the state institutes especially the law-enforcement departments have had a role in human rights' violations. In 84 incidents, around 115 men and 43 women were subjected to police torture, 32 of those publicly beaten up. Some 71 incidents of illegal detention were reported and 110 people had to undergo this ordeal.

Two incidents of assault on women by the police officials were also reported. Among the officials allegedly involved in torturing people, two were said to be of the rank of SSP, 10 of DSP, 51 of SHO, 52 of ASI, 34 constables and 11 were jail officials.

The HRCP task force report comments that the local bodies and the district public safety commissions have failed to deliver so far. It also notes with concern the increasing incidence of discriminatory action against artists, especially those who perform at theatres, and describes it as violation of cultural rights of the people in the name of anti-obscenity drive.