Pakistan: two killings in the name of honour

Case PAK 120204.VAW Violence against women / Killings in the Name of Honour The International Secretariat of OMCT requests your URGENT intervention in the following situation in Pakistan. Brief description of the situation The International Secretariat of OMCT has been informed by the Asian Human Rights Commission, a member of the OMCT network, of the honour killings of a 45 year old woman and a 25 year old man in Pakistan. According to the information received, Mr. Bhooro Subzoai killed his aunt, Ms. Malookan (45) and Mr. Ali Dost, alias Moran Jakhrani (25) on February 5, 2004 claiming that they had been having an illegal affair. Mr. Subzoai, along with another man named Asghar, allegedly entered Ms. Malookan's house at Gulsher Street, Kandhkot town, District Jacobabad, Province Sindh, and shot her and then went to shoot Mr. Dost, who lived down the street. The bodies were taken to the hospital after the incident for autopsies. After the autopsies, two First Information Reports (FIRs) were filed separately at the A-Section Police Station Kandhkot. Although the two abovementioned men were accused in both FIRs, six other culprits were also accused. In the first FIR, lodged by Mr. Sanwal Subzoai (father of Ms. Malookan), men by the names of Zulfiqar, Sijawal, and Khan Mohammad were also identified being involved. In the other FIR, lodged by Mr. Abdul Karim Jakhrani, (brother of Mr. Ali Dost), Bhooro Subzoai, Asghar, Malook and two other unknown individuals were accused. Although these two FIRs have been filed, the police have yet to take any serious action to arrest anyone, particularly Mr. Bhooro Subzoai and Asghar. Killings in the name of honour reportedly take place on a regular basis in Pakistan, despite national laws which prohibit this practice. The information received cites another human rights organization in Pakistan, which reports that in September 2003, at least 631 women and 6 girls had been killed by their relatives in the name of honour since January 2003. It is suspected that the number of victims of this form of violence against women is much higher, as these numbers only represent the cases that had been reported in the newspapers. In Pakistan, husbands, fathers, boyfriends or brothers have gone unpunished after murdering wives, daughters, girlfriends or sisters in order to defend the honour of the family or their own honour. The killing normally occurs when a woman allegedly steps outside of her socially prescribed role, especially but not only, with regard to her sexuality and to her interaction with men outside her family. OMCT firmly condemns these killings in the name of honour and calls upon the government of Pakistan to investigate, prosecute and punish the perpetrators with due diligence. OMCT recalls that the Declaration on the Elimination of Violence against Women, in article 4(c), states that States should "exercise due diligence to prevent, investigate and, in accordance with national legislation, punish acts of violence against women, whether those acts are perpetrated by the State or by private persons." Action requested Please write to the authorities in Pakistan urging them to: i. order a thorough and impartial investigation into the circumstances of these killings, in order to identify those responsible, bring them to trial and apply the penal and/or administrative sanctions as provided by law; ii. guarantee that adequate reparation is provided to the families of the victims of these murders; iii. ensure that the prohibition of killings in the name of honour is strictly respected and that police react to such killings with appropriate vigour to hold the responsible parties accountable; iv. guarantee the respect of human rights and the fundamental freedoms throughout the country in accordance with national laws and international human rights standards. Addresses President, Pervez Musharraf, Pakistan Secretariat, Islamabad, Pakistan, Fax: + 92 51 9224768 / 9224836 , E-mail: CE@pak.gov.pk Minister of Foreign Affairs, Mian Khursheed Mahmud Kasuri, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Constitution Avenue, Islamabad, Pakistan, Fax: +92 51 920 2518/922 4205/4206, E-mail: pak.fm@usa.net Minister for the Interior, Mr. Moinuddin Haider, Faisal Saleh Hayat, Ministry of Interior, Block R, Federal Secretariat, Islamabad, Pakistan, Fax: +92 51 9202624, E-mail: minister@interior.gov.pk, secretary@interior.gov Zaman Khan, Complaint Cell, National Human Rights Commission of Pakistan, Aiwan-i-Jahmoor, 107-Tipu Block, New Garden Town, Lahore-54600, PAKISTAN, Fax: +92 42 588-3582, E-mail: zaman@hrcp-web Syed Sultan Shah, Joint Secretary for Law, Justice and Human Rights, Fax: + 92 51 9203119 Hon. Mr. Ishrat-ul-Ibad Khan, Governor Govt. of Sindh, Governor House Karachi, Tel: +92 21 9201201-3, E-mail: governor@governorsindh.gov.pk Mr. Sayed Kamal Shah, Provincial Police Officer, Sindh Police, Central Police Office Karachi, Tel: +92 21 9212626-7, Fax: +92 21 9212051 Mr. Rahoo Khan Brohi, Regional Police Officer, Sukkur Region, Airport Road Sukkur, Tel: +92 71 30547, 30248, Fax: +92 71 31824 Ambassadeur Umer Shaukat, Rue de Moillebeau 56 (4ème) - CP 434, CH-1211, Genève 19, Suisse, E-mail: mission.pakistan@ties.itu.int, Fax: +41 22 734 80 85 Please also write to the embassies of Pakistan in your respective country. Geneva, February 12, 2004 Kindly inform us of any action undertaken quoting the code of this appeal in your reply.