Protests held across Pakistan’s Sindh against rising honour killing cases

Islamabad: Protests, rallies, demonstrations and street theatre were held in various parts of Pakistan’s Sindh to highlight injustice faced by women in the name of ‘karo-kari’ custom (murder for honour) and demanded action against killers, local media reported on Monday.

Rights group ‘Civil Society for Truth, Peace and Justice’ organised the protests, rallies and demonstrations in Sindh on Sunday. Participants of a protest rally gathered at the local press club in Hyderabad, Pakistan’s leading daily, Dawn reported.

The protest was held after the alleged honour killing of Khalida Chandio, Shumaila Chandio and the alleged suicide by a medical undergraduate student, Fahmida Laghari. During the protests, the participants demanded justice for all the victims of honour killings.

A street theatre was also staged to condemn the brutal custom. During the protest, the speakers stated that killings under the ‘karo-kari’ custom continued unabated in Sindh, which was evident through the killing of Khalida Chandio in Tando Masti and Shumaila Chandio in Hala. They mentioned that Fehmida Leghari was harassed to the extent that she committed suicide and stressed that it should be considered murder.

They stated that tribal jirgas were banned and the Sindh government had passed several legislations concerning the harassment of women; however, they were not implemented properly. They stressed that anti-harassment committees were not active in educational institutions.

Journalists, writers and civil society activists held a march in Larkana from the local press club to Jinnah Bagh Chowk, where they held a demonstration.

While addressing the participants, the speakers stated that women in Sindh, who were killed under the custom of ‘karo-kari’, were buried without proper last rites, and these incidents have increased in Sindh.

The leaders demanded the filing of FIRs in cases of honour killing on behalf of the state, and that perpetrators must be given the harshest possible punishment.

The group carried out a rally from the local press club to the DC Chowk in Jacobabad. While addressing the participants of the rally, the speakers blamed the police’s negligence for the recent incidents of honour killing and mentioned that the killers have not been arrested yet, Dawn reported.

In Dadu, writers, media personnel and activists of political parties, nationalist groups and social organisations carried out a march from New Chowk to the local press club.

While addressing the participants, the speakers condemned the rising incidents of honour killing and mentioned that Sindh had become a killing field for women. They deplored that such killings continued unabated, as there was a lack of will from the authorities to implement relevant laws. They demanded strict punishment for the killers and effective implementation of laws for women.

IANS