"Senate Criticizes Honor Killings in Balochistan: human rights atrocity is denounced"
In a strong show of solidarity, the Senate of Pakistan has passed a unanimous resolution condemning the recent honor killing of a couple in the Degari area near Quetta. The heinous incident, which involved Bano Bibi and Ehsanullah, has been deemed a gross violation of human rights, the Constitution, and the laws of Pakistan.
Current Laws and Measures in Pakistan
Pakistan introduced the Anti-Honor Killing Law in 2016, making honor killings a non-compoundable offense. However, despite this legislation, honor killings remain a significant issue due to societal pressures and the influence of tribal councils (jirgas).
Reforms and Suggestions
To address this deep-rooted societal issue, the Senate has proposed several reforms. These include strengthening police and judicial responses, raising societal awareness about the illegality and moral implications of honor killings, and reforming tribal justice systems.
Strengthening Legal Framework
- Ensuring effective policing and judicial actions to bring perpetrators to justice is crucial.
- Campaigns to raise awareness about the illegality and moral implications of honor killings are essential.
Reforms in Tribal Justice Systems
- Efforts should be made to reduce the influence of tribal councils (jirgas) that often order these killings, integrating their structures into the formal legal system.
International Cooperation
- Collaboration with international organizations and women's rights groups can help pressure the government to implement laws more effectively and initiate broader reforms.
Ongoing Challenges
Despite legal reforms, societal acceptance and traditional views often hinder the effective prosecution of honor killings. Corruption within the legal system and lack of resources can also undermine the effectiveness of laws against honor killings.
Recent Developments
The Balochistan government has registered a case under terrorism charges after the video of the incident went viral. The Senate has called upon the government to ensure an immediate and transparent investigation into the killings, with all those involved, directly or indirectly, including those who convened or sanctioned any jirga, and they must be brought to justice without delay.
The House has stressed that the provincial and federal governments must launch awareness campaigns that categorically reject the concept of honor-based violence and reinforce the primacy of constitutional law over tribal or feudal norms. The rule of law cannot be selectively applied, nor can tribal or informal justice mechanisms be permitted to undermine constitutional protections and due process.
The Senate has affirmed that so-called honor killings are murder under the law and must be treated and prosecuted as such. The resolution has urged the Ministry of Law and Justice and the Ministry of Human Rights to conduct a thorough review of the enforcement gaps in existing laws dealing with honor crimes and to recommend actionable reforms for robust implementation.
The Senate's unanimous resolution serves as a powerful reminder that honor killings are a grave violation of human rights and the law, and that all efforts must be made to eradicate this barbaric practice from Pakistani society.
- In the quest for a healthier and more just society, the Senate of Pakistan has highlighted the need to combat honor killings, which are a gross violation of women's health, human rights, and the Constitution.
- To tackle this complex social issue, the Senate has suggested strengthening the legal framework, including effective policing, increasing awareness about the illegality and ethics of honor killings, and reforming tribal justice systems to minimize their influence and integrate into the formal legal system, as part of a comprehensive strategy for change in the realm of science, health-and-wellness, and general news.
