Latest news with #HRCP
Express Tribune
a day ago
- Express Tribune
HRCP reports 405 honour killings in Pakistan in 2024, most victims women
Listen to article Human Rights Commission of Pakistan (HRCP) recorded at least 405 honour killings across the country in 2024. Most victims are women, often killed by relatives claiming to defend family honour. While hundreds of so-called honour killings are reported in Pakistan each year, often with little public or legal response, the video of a woman and man being taken to a remote area by a group of men to be killed has struck a nerve. A viral video of the "honour killing" of a woman and man in Balochistan has ignited national outrage, prompting scrutiny of long-standing tribal codes and calls for justice in a country where such killings often pass in silence. The authorities have made at least 16 arrests in the case thus far. The video shows the woman, Bano Bibi, being handed a copy of the Holy Quran by a man identified by police as her brother. "Come walk seven steps with me, after that you can shoot me," she says, and she walks forward a few feet and stops with her back to the men. The brother, Jalal Satakzai, then shoots her three times and she collapses. Seconds later he shoots and kills the man, Ehsanullah Samalani. Once the video of the killings in Balochistan went viral, it brought swift government action and condemnation from politicians, rights groups and clerics. Civil rights lawyer Jibran Nasir said, though, the government's response was more about performance than justice. "The crime occurred months ago, not in secrecy but near a provincial capital, yet no one acted until 240 million witnessed the killing on camera," he said. "This isn't a response to a crime. It's a response to a viral moment." Read: Brutal 'honour killing' caught on video sparks nationwide outrage Police have arrested 16 people in Balochistan's Nasirabad district, including a tribal chief and the woman's mother. The mother, Gul Jan Bibi, said the killings were carried out by family and local elders based on "centuries-old Baloch traditions", and not on the orders of the tribal chief. "We did not commit any sin," she said in a video statement that also went viral. "Bano and Ehsan were killed according to our customs." She said her daughter, who had three sons and two daughters, had run away with Ehsan and returned after 25 days. Bano and Ehsan were killed according to our customs Victim's mother Police said Bano's younger brother, who shot the couple, remains at large. Balochistan Chief Minister Sarfraz Bugti said it was a "test" case and vowed to dismantle the illegal tribal courts operating outside the law. Police had earlier said a jirga, an informal tribal council that issues extrajudicial rulings, had ordered the killings. #JusticeForCouple The video sparked online condemnation, with hashtags like #JusticeForCouple and #HonourKilling trending. The Pakistan Ulema Council, a body of religious scholars, called the killings "un-Islamic" and urged terrorism charges against those involved. Dozens of civil society members and rights activists staged a protest on Saturday in the provincial capital Quetta, demanding justice and an end to parallel justice systems. "Virality is a double-edged sword," said Arsalan Khan, a cultural anthropologist and professor who studies gender and masculinity. "It can pressure the state into action, but public spectacle can also serve as a strategy to restore ghairat, or perceived family honour, in the eyes of the community." The government outlawed honour killings in 2016 after the murder of social media star Qandeel Baloch, closing a loophole that allowed perpetrators to go free if they were pardoned by family members. Rights groups say enforcement remains weak, especially in rural areas where tribal councils still hold sway. "In a country where conviction rates often fall to single digits, visibility - and the uproar it brings - has its advantages," said constitutional lawyer Asad Rahim Khan. Read more: Three killed in honor-related incident in Bajaur "It jolts a complacent state that continues to tolerate jirgas in areas beyond its writ." Khan said rather than enforcing the law, the government has spent the past year weakening the judiciary and even considering reviving jirgas in former tribal areas. "It's executive inaction, most shamefully toward women in Balochistan," Khan said. Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif in recent months has asked senior ministers to evaluate proposals to revive jirgas in Pakistan's former tribal districts, including potential engagement with tribal elders and Afghan authorities. The Prime Minister's Office and Pakistan's information minister did not immediately respond to a request for comment. Viral and then forgetten? The Balochistan killings were raised in the Senate, where the human rights committee condemned the murders and called for action against those who convened the jirga. Lawmakers also warned that impunity for parallel justice systems risked encouraging similar violence. Activists and analysts, however, say the outrage is unlikely to be sustained. "There's noise now, but like every time, it will fade," said Jalila Haider, a human rights lawyer in Quetta. "In many areas, there is no writ of law, no enforcement. Only silence." Haider said the killings underscore the state's failure to protect citizens in under-governed regions like Balochistan, where tribal power structures fill the vacuum left by absent courts and police. "It's not enough to just condemn jirgas," Haider said. "The real question is: why does the state allow them to exist in the first place?"
Yahoo
3 days ago
- Politics
- Yahoo
Leading Pakistan rights group decries government crackdown
The Human Rights Commission of Pakistan (HRCP), an independent civil rights group, has warned that its operations are being affected due to pressure from Pakistani authorities. "In the past few months, HRCP has faced a series of arbitrary, illegal and unjustified actions that have impeded the organization's ability to carry out its mandate," the commission said in a statement released earlier in July. Harris Khalique, HRCP's secretary-general, told DW that the group has been facing "unprecedented pressure." "Authorities prevent us from organizing events and create disruptions. They have sealed the HRCP's Lahore office, frozen our bank accounts, claiming it is involved in commercial activities, and have blocked our electricity meters while issuing inflated bills," he said. Events organized in various cities were obstructed, and staff received threatening phone calls warning them against discussing topics considered sensitive. "We are against both violence and militancy. Individuals claiming to represent security agencies, along with those identifying as officials from the Interior Ministry, are threatening our female staff," said Khalique. The HRCP was co-founded in 1987 by late lawyer and activist Asma Jahangir, former Supreme Court Justice Dorab Patel and former Air Force Chief of Staff Zafar Chaudhry. It has since grown into Pakistan's leading human rights organization. The HRCP has consistently acted as an independent and credible advocate for civil liberties, both within Pakistan and on the global stage. Amid pressure from authorities, the HRCP has voiced significant concern regarding the increasingly shrinking space for human rights advocacy in Pakistan. Government cites 'security concerns' The security situation in Pakistan has deteriorated in recent years, with militant attacks occurring regularly. In the southwest, security forces are engaged in a long-standing conflict with Baloch separatist militants. Pakistan's foremost opposition party, Imran Khan's Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), was not allowed to contest the 2024 election as a party, resulting in violent protests and a crackdown on its members and supporters. Khan remains imprisoned on various charges, which his party has said are politically motivated. The government has denied pressuring the HRCP, and says it is taking measures to ensure security. "The standard operating procedures are in place for events due to security concerns and there are ongoing protests in the country. We have put no restrictions on freedom of expression, " Talal Chaudhry, state minister of interior, told DW. Chaudhry added that "online events are also being conducted without any limitations, and the state is not restricting them." But Hina Jilani, a human rights advocate and member of the HRCP's council, disputes this claim. "The government is employing tactics to silence the group activities. Our events are being obstructed and there are efforts to introduce laws that could impact our finances, hindering our ability to carry out the work," she told DW. Jilani cited two examples of the government placing bureaucratic hurdles that prevented an HRCP community outreach event from taking place in the northern Gilgit-Baltistan region, and a roundtable discussion in Islamabad focused on the human rights situation in northwestern Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and southwestern Balochistan province. Jilani said the government crackdown threatens the "HRCP's autonomy and poses a significant risk to the human rights of the people of Pakistan." Shrinking space for rights in Pakistan The human rights situation in Pakistan remains marked by inadequate judicial protection and rising authoritarianism. According to Amnesty International's 2024 report on Pakistan, authorities "weaponized laws" on defamation and hate speech as the security situation deteriorated amid militant attacks. Amnesty cited dozens of examples of legal measures to suppress opposition parties, particularly targeting Imran Khan's PTI following protests in May 2023. More than 80 people were imprisoned in connection with the protests after "secret trials." Freedom of the press and freedom of assembly have also been severely curtailed. "Enforced disappearances continued unabated, targeting journalists, activists, students, comedians, political opponents and families of political opponents," the Amnesty report said. In 2024, Pakistan's democracy ranking fell six places, placing it among the "top 10 worst performers" in the Democracy Index released by the Economist Intelligence Unit. Independent media outlets are facing increasing pressure, censorship and economic hardship. Social media platforms are often restricted during protests or political events. "Pakistan has become a completely authoritarian regime, there are no courts, there is no media, they have broken the civil society," Imaan Mazari, a rights activist and lawyer, told DW. "The human rights situation in Pakistan is deplorable and effectively we are living in a martial law," she added. HRCP vows to continue work However, HRCP leader Khalique remains optimistic and said the commission will continue its work and "persist in efforts to advocate for the rights of the people of Pakistan." On pressure from the government, Khalique said he hopes for more cooperation in the future. "We are critical friends, not adversaries, and we aspire for a healthy society and a strong country," he said. "We are an independent organization that strives to remain neutral and evidence based. We cannot compromise our integrity." Edited by: Wesley Rahn
DW
3 days ago
- Politics
- DW
Leading Pakistan rights group decries government crackdown – DW – 07/26/2025
One of Pakistan's most prominent civil rights organizations has said it faces intimidation and harassment from authorities, warning of a widespread threat to rights advocacy in the country. The Human Rights Commission of Pakistan (HRCP), an independent civil rights group, has warned that its operations are being affected due to pressure from Pakistani authorities. "In the past few months, HRCP has faced a series of arbitrary, illegal and unjustified actions that have impeded the organization's ability to carry out its mandate," the commission said in a statement released earlier in July. Harris Khalique, HRCP's secretary-general, told DW that the group has been facing "unprecedented pressure." "Authorities prevent us from organizing events and create disruptions. They have sealed the HRCP's Lahore office, frozen our bank accounts, claiming it is involved in commercial activities, and have blocked our electricity meters while issuing inflated bills," he said. Events organized in various cities were obstructed, and staff received threatening phone calls warning them against discussing topics considered sensitive. "We are against both violence and militancy. Individuals claiming to represent security agencies, along with those identifying as officials from the Interior Ministry, are threatening our female staff," said Khalique. To view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a web browser that supports HTML5 video The HRCP was co-founded in 1987 by late lawyer and activist Asma Jahangir, former Supreme Court Justice Dorab Patel and former Air Force Chief of Staff Zafar Chaudhry. It has since grown into Pakistan's leading human rights organization. The HRCP has consistently acted as an independent and credible advocate for civil liberties, both within Pakistan and on the global stage. Amid pressure from authorities, the HRCP has voiced significant concern regarding the increasingly shrinking space for human rights advocacy in Pakistan. The security situation in Pakistan has deteriorated in recent years, with militant attacks occurring regularly. In the southwest, security forces are engaged in a long-standing conflict with Baloch separatist militants. Pakistan's foremost opposition party, Imran Khan's Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), was not allowed to contest the 2024 election as a party, resulting in violent protests and a crackdown on its members and supporters. Khan remains imprisoned on various charges, which his party has said are politically motivated. The government has denied pressuring the HRCP, and says it is taking measures to ensure security. "The standard operating procedures are in place for events due to security concerns and there are ongoing protests in the country. We have put no restrictions on freedom of expression, " Talal Chaudhry, state minister of interior, told DW. Chaudhry added that "online events are also being conducted without any limitations, and the state is not restricting them." But Hina Jilani, a human rights advocate and member of the HRCP's council, disputes this claim. "The government is employing tactics to silence the group activities. Our events are being obstructed and there are efforts to introduce laws that could impact our finances, hindering our ability to carry out the work," she told DW. Jilani cited two examples of the government placing bureaucratic hurdles that prevented an HRCP community outreach event from taking place in the northern Gilgit-Baltistan region, and a roundtable discussion in Islamabad focused on the human rights situation in northwestern Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and southwestern Balochistan province. Jilani said the government crackdown threatens the "HRCP's autonomy and poses a significant risk to the human rights of the people of Pakistan." The human rights situation in Pakistan remains marked by inadequate judicial protection and rising authoritarianism. According to Amnesty International's 2024 report on Pakistan, authorities "weaponized laws" on defamation and hate speech as the security situation deteriorated amid militant attacks. To view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a web browser that supports HTML5 video Amnesty cited dozens of examples of legal measures to suppress opposition parties, particularly targeting Imran Khan's PTI following protests in May 2023. More than 80 people were imprisoned in connection with the protests after "secret trials." Freedom of the press and freedom of assembly have also been severely curtailed. "Enforced disappearances continued unabated, targeting journalists, activists, students, comedians, political opponents and families of political opponents," the Amnesty report said. In 2024, Pakistan's democracy ranking fell six places, placing it among the "top 10 worst performers" in the Democracy Index released by the Economist Intelligence Unit. Independent media outlets are facing increasing pressure, censorship and economic hardship. Social media platforms are often restricted during protests or political events. "Pakistan has become a completely authoritarian regime, there are no courts, there is no media, they have broken the civil society," Imaan Mazari, a rights activist and lawyer, told DW. "The human rights situation in Pakistan is deplorable and effectively we are living in a martial law," she added. However, HRCP leader Khalique remains optimistic and said the commission will continue its work and "persist in efforts to advocate for the rights of the people of Pakistan." On pressure from the government, Khalique said he hopes for more cooperation in the future. "We are critical friends, not adversaries, and we aspire for a healthy society and a strong country," he said. "We are an independent organization that strives to remain neutral and evidence based. We cannot compromise our integrity." To view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a web browser that supports HTML5 video
NDTV
22-07-2025
- NDTV
"Can Only Shoot Me": Pakistan Woman's Last Words Before Family Killed Her
Islamabad: A horrific video has emerged on social media showing the cold-blooded murder of a young couple from Pakistan's Balochistan province, who allegedly got married against their families in an "dishonour" killing. The viral footage shows a group of people arriving in an SUV and pickup trucks at a deserted area on the outskirts of Quetta, the provincial capital, where the couple is taken out of the vehicles. The woman, with her head covered with a shawl, was given a copy of the Qur'an. She takes the religious text and walks ahead towards the deserted hill as a crowd looks on. Speaking in the regional Brahavi dialect, she asks a man, "Walk seven steps with me, after that you can shoot me." The man follows her to some distance, after which she says, "You are allowed only to shoot me. Nothing more than that." It is not clear what the woman meant by "nothing more than that," but the man who followed her took her instructions as a cue and aimed a pistol at her back. He then fires multiple rounds of shots from close range. After the third shot is heard, the woman falls on the ground, presumably dead. More series of gunshots are heard, and then the video shows a bloodied man lying near the woman's body, while a crowd cheers on. The incident reportedly happened three days before Eid al-Adha 2025 in May. After the video went viral, it caused outrage in Pakistan and beyond, with activists calling for swift justice in the case. They also call for laws against crimes which target women who dare to defy local traditions and cultures. The local police have initiated a probe into the case and identified the couple as Bano Bibi and Ahsan Ullah. So far, as many as 13 suspects have been arrested in the "dishonour" killing case. Police said the couple's killing was ordered by tribal elder, Sardar Satakzai, after the woman's brother approached him complaining about her marriage, which happened without his consent, according to a report by The Guardian. The tribal leader and the woman's brother were among the 13 people arrested, police chief Naveed Akhtar said. Per the Human Rights Commission of Pakistan (HRCP) data, the country reported at least 405 "dishonour" killings in 2024, with activists estimating the real number to be much higher, as such cases are often not reported.
Qatar Tribune
20-07-2025
- Politics
- Qatar Tribune
Outrage in Pakistan after video of couple's killing goes viral
DPA Islamabad Pakistani authorities on Sunday arrested a suspect believed to have been involved in the gruesome killing of a couple, after a video of the incident sparked outrage on social media. The suspected honour killing saw the couple gunned down for marrying by choice and was apparently filmed by the perpetrators. The incident took place in the south-western province of Balochistan, where tribal customs and traditions often prevail. 'A case has been registered and a suspect has been arrested under terrorism laws,' Sarfraz Bugti, chief minister of Balochistan, said in a statement. 'Law will take its course in this heinous matter,' he said. Defence Minister Khawaja Asif also shared the video on his X account, urging people in the volatile province to raise their voices against the 'unjust' and oppressive system that continues to prevail instead of raising arms against the state. 'The tribes and individuals seen in the video have been identified and police have started a search operation to arrest them,' Shahid Rind, spokesperson for the provincial government, said. Around 1,000 women are killed in Pakistan by close relatives – fathers, brothers and sons – every year on the pretext of saving family honour, according to the Human Rights Commission of Pakistan (HRCP). In most cases, the perpetrators escape punishment because of a controversial Islamic clause in Pakistani law that allows relatives of the victim to pardon the perpetrator.
