Latest news with #SherryRehman
Express Tribune
a day ago
- Politics
- Express Tribune
Sherry Rehman condemns India's ban on Kashmiri literature
Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) Vice President and Senator Sherry Rehman on Saturday condemned the Indian government's ban on Kashmiri historical and resistance literature, terming it 'the worst example of fascism.' In a statement, Rehman said the move was a direct attack on the intellectual freedom of Kashmiris and reflected what she described as India's undemocratic ambitions. She remarked that suppressing history does not erase facts and that silencing free expression exposed 'fascist tendencies.' The PPP leader alleged that New Delhi's policies were pushing Kashmiri youth into 'intellectual slavery' and that such bans were damaging India's global reputation. She added that every attempt to suppress the truth has failed in history, and 'India will fail too,' asserting that confiscating books was an attempt to erase Kashmiri identity, which could not be achieved through bans. Read: India bans 25 books in IIOJK over 'secession' claims Earlier, police in Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IIOJK) raided bookshops after authorities banned 25 books, including one by Booker Prize winner Arundhati Roy, saying the titles "excite secessionism" in the contested Muslim-majority region. The raids came after the government accused the writers of propagating "false narratives" about Kashmir, "while playing a critical role in misguiding the youth" against the Indian state. "The operation targeted materials promoting secessionist ideologies or glorifying terrorism," police said in a social media statement. "Public cooperation is solicited to uphold peace and integrity," it said. Authorities also seized Islamic literature from bookshops and homes after a similar directive in February.
New York Times
5 days ago
- Politics
- New York Times
Another Pakistani Woman Is Killed for ‘Honor,' but She's Not Forgotten
The woman took her final steps on the open desert terrain in southern Pakistan and stopped, turning her back to her executioner as he raised his gun. 'You can shoot me,' said Bano Bibi, 35, her beige shawl fluttering in the wind. 'But nothing more than that.' The man shot Ms. Bibi three times, killing her on the spot over accusations that the mother of five was having an affair. Then he turned to the man accused of being her lover, Ehsanullah Samalani, a 50-year-old father of four, and shot him dead as well. The double execution has shocked many Pakistanis, sparked protests and drawn widespread condemnation from politicians. It caused outrage not just because it was another so-called honor killing in Pakistan — where, on average, more than one woman is slain every day for supposedly dishonoring her family — but because the authorities took action only after a video of the shootings went viral, more than six weeks later. 'Many communities and families insist that their misplaced sense of 'honor' is located in a woman's body and actions,' said Sherry Rehman, a senator who introduced a resolution calling for the prosecution of those involved in the killings of Ms. Bibi and Mr. Samalani. Ms. Rehman said perpetrators were emboldened by the low rate of prosecutions for such killings. 'That is also why control over a woman's actions and rights find so many colluders across the board in keeping heinous customs like this alive,' she said in a written response to questions. Politicians and law enforcement officials in this Muslim nation of more than 240 million people have long vowed to do more to protect women. They have repeatedly promised to take action against perpetrators of killings like these, which are carried out in the name of centuries-old traditions. But Ms. Bibi's death, her defiant last words and the impunity enjoyed for weeks by those who ordered her death have yet again cast doubt on Pakistani officials' ability, or will, to tackle one of the country's most persistent and egregious forms of violence. In the video, male onlookers can be seen watching in silence, neither moving nor trying to intervene, some of them filming the execution with their smartphones. Late last month, the police opened an investigation into the killings, which took place in early June. More than 15 people were arrested within days. Among them was Ms. Bibi's mother, who, in a video recorded before her arrest, had said that the killing 'had to be done' and 'was necessary to cleanse our family's honor.' 'It's mostly victim blaming, where the killer will say, 'She dishonored our family,'' said Sheema Kermani, a classical dancer and women's rights activist who co-founded Aurat March, a leading feminist movement in Pakistan. 'But there is no honor in these killings. They are dishonorable murders.' At least 405 women were victims of so-called 'honor killings' last year, according to the Human Rights Commission of Pakistan, an independent rights group. They often take place in rural areas, where deeply entrenched patriarchal beliefs are used to justify violence against women. The killing of Ms. Bibi and Mr. Samalani was one of those, carried out on the outskirts of Quetta, a city in the southern province of Balochistan. But such killings happen in all economic classes and across the country, including in large cities, and even among Pakistan's diaspora. In January, a man lured his 14-year-old daughter, who was living in New York, back to Pakistan and killed her because of her lifestyle, including the clothing she wore. There are several laws against gender-based violence in Pakistan, but killings like these often go unreported or unpunished, as a centuries-old tribal code trumps civil law in vast swathes of the country. In such cases, decisions made at local council meetings, known as jirgas, prevail over Pakistan's courts. Often, relatives — a father, a brother, an uncle — will kill women for refusing a forced marriage, seeking a divorce or engaging in relationships that the men see as violating their culture's values. According to the Sustainable Social Development Organization, a Pakistani nonprofit, such killings led to criminal convictions in just 0.5 percent of all reported cases last year. A 2016 law, meant to ensure that more perpetrators were punished, made it impossible for the victim's family to pardon the accused in such cases, among other measures. But the killings continued and even increased in number over the past few years, said Farah Zia, director of the Human Rights Commission of Pakistan. Her organization uses data provided by the police, and she said the real toll was likely to be much higher. 'The law hasn't come to the rescue to mitigate these crimes,' Ms. Zia said. 'Incidents every now and then get traction in the media, but it continues in a shameful way.' In recent weeks, the police arrested the father and brother of an 18-year-old woman who was found dead after escaping a forced marriage in Rawalpindi, 20 miles from the capital, Islamabad. In Pakistan's south, an 80-year-old man confessed to murdering his 23-year-old granddaughter, with the help of his son and his brother, in the name of 'honor' because, he said, she had left home after refusing an arranged marriage. In early June, Ms. Bibi and Mr. Samalani were brought before a local tribal leader in Balochistan, who declared that they had committed an act of dishonor and ordered their execution, according to a police report seen by The New York Times. The authorities have since charged the tribal leader and 15 other people with premeditated murder. They were also charged with terrorism, on the grounds that they had tried to incite fear and panic by posting the video. The man who is seen shooting Ms. Bibi and Mr. Samalani in the video was still at large as of Tuesday. So was Ms. Bibi's brother, who can be seen among the people watching the execution. Ms. Kermani, the activist, said, 'That video sends a chilling message that says, 'Don't let any women dare decide for their own life, because that is what we will do to them.''
Express Tribune
25-07-2025
- Politics
- Express Tribune
Senate condemns Balochistan honour killing
The Senate on Thursday unanimously passed a resolution, condemning the public and illegal execution of a couple in broad daylight in Balochistan, allegedly on the orders of a so-called jirga in the name of "honour". The resolution, moved by Senator Sherry Rehman on her own behalf and on behalf of Senators Mohammad Abdul Qadir, Jan Muhammad, Mohsin Aziz, Haji Hidayatullah Khan, Kamil Ali Agha, Raja Nasir Abbas, Palwasha Mohammad Zai Khan, Irfan-ul-Haque Siddiqui, Quratulain Marri, and Syed Faisal Ali Subzwari, was adopted by the House during its sitting on July 24. The resolution condemned the heinous and premeditated act as an abhorrent crime and a gross violation of human rights, the Constitution, and the laws of Pakistan. It declared that such barbaric killings must not be justified under cultural or tribal practices and emphasized that the concept of "honour" cannot override constitutional protections. It highlighted that despite existing legal safeguards, the implementation on the ground remains weak, leading to subversion of justice, particularly in cases targeting women. The house resolved that such so-called honour killings constitute murder and must be prosecuted under the relevant laws without compromise. It called upon the government to ensure immediate and transparent investigation into the recent killings and bring all those involvedincluding those who convened or sanctioned any jirgato justice without delay.
Express Tribune
24-07-2025
- Politics
- Express Tribune
Senate slams 'honour killing' in Balochistan, urges swift justice
Listen to article The Senate on Thursday passed a resolution condemning the brutal murder of a man and a woman in Balochistan, carried out on the orders of a tribal jirga. The resolution was adopted with overwhelming support, with Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam (JUI-F) being the only party that declined to endorse it. Tabled by Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) Senator Sherry Rehman, it described the killings as a gross violation of human rights, the Constitution, and the laws of Pakistan, Radio Pakistan reported. According to the resolution text, the House 'strongly and unequivocally condemns the heinous incident wherein a woman and man were publicly and illegally executed in broad daylight, following a so-called jirga decision.' It termed the murders a premeditated act of vigilante violence and rejected any attempt to justify the act under the guise of tribal customs or so-called honour. Calling the killings 'barbaric,' the resolution stated that they must not be masked by cultural or traditional pretexts. 'It is in fact a crime that has gravely dishonoured the nation. Any attempt to justify such a crime based on 'custom or honour' is completely unacceptable, as is the entire process of victim-blame,' it noted. Affirming that honour killings constitute murder under the law, the resolution stressed that they must be treated and prosecuted accordingly. It warned that the rule of law cannot be selectively applied, nor should tribal or informal justice mechanisms be allowed to undermine constitutional protections and due process. Also Read: ATC grants 10-day remand of key suspect in Quetta 'honour killing' case The resolution urged the government to ensure an immediate and transparent investigation into the killings. It called for all those involved—whether directly or indirectly, including individuals who convened or sanctioned the jirga—to be brought to justice without delay. It also asked that law enforcement agencies be directed to handle such cases strictly under the relevant provisions of the Pakistan Penal Code, without compromise or discretion. Grateful to all the parties across the opposition/ treasury benches in the Senate of Pakistan for generously supporting a House Resolution against the heinous practice of murdering women in the name of "honour". Thank you @BBhuttoZardari for always supporting women's rights ! We… — SenatorSherryRehman (@sherryrehman) July 24, 2025 Furthermore, it recommended that the Ministries of Law and Justice and Human Rights conduct a thorough review of enforcement gaps in existing laws dealing with so-called honour crimes and propose actionable reforms for robust implementation. It emphasised the need to train and sensitise public prosecutors and investigating officers to treat honour crimes and gender-based violence as serious criminal offences warranting proactive prosecution. The resolution also called on provincial and federal governments to launch awareness campaigns rejecting the concept of honour-based violence and reinforcing the supremacy of constitutional law over tribal or feudal traditions. Read More: 14 suspects arrested over 'honour killing' of couple in Balochistan Following the passage of the resolution, Senator Rehman expressed her gratitude to fellow lawmakers across party lines for supporting the motion. In a post on X, she wrote: 'Grateful to all the parties across the opposition/treasury benches in the Senate of Pakistan for generously supporting a House Resolution against the heinous practice of murdering women in the name of 'honour'.' The killings, which occurred last month, gained widespread attention after a video surfaced showing the couple being shot. The man who killed the woman was her brother, acting on behalf of the family and tribe, provincial police chief Moazzam Jah Ansari told Reuters. The chief of the tribe, Sher Baz Satakzai, had ordered the killing, he added. Satakzai was among those arrested, according to Chief Minister Sarfraz Bugti, who addressed the media in a news conference in Quetta, the provincial capital. "We will make sure that they all will be prosecuted," Bugti said. In response, law enforcement officials arrested the chief. He is currently in police custody on a 10-day physical remand.
DW
28-06-2025
- Climate
- DW
Pakistan: Flash floods kill 11 amid heavy rain warning – DW – 06/28/2025
Pakistan's meterological department has said there is a risk of severe rainfall and more flash floods up until Tuesday. Flash floods in Pakistan's northwest mountanious province of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa have killed 11 people, including four children, the country's disaster management officials said. "In the past 24 hours, flash floods and landslides have claimed the lives of 11 people — including four children and three women — while six others have been injured," the Provincial Disaster Management Authority said in a report released late Friday. One person was killed in the Malakand district while the 10 others were killed in the Swat Valley, according to the report. Local media reported that families had been swept away and that the flooding had damaged 56 houses along the Swat river. Pakistan's local daily newspaper reported that rescue operations were underway in several other districts with people trapped in the water. Meanwhile the national meterological department warned of heavy rainfall and a possibility of more flash floods until Tuesday. Pakistan is among the world's more vulnerable countries to the effect of climate change with an increasing frequency of flash floods and other climate-related events impacting its 240 million inhabitants. In May, some 24 people were killed in severe storms in Pakistan. In August 2022, a third of the country was flooded due to unprecedented monsoon rainfall with more than 33 million people affected. Scientists from across the globe have since said that the climate crisis was to blame and that rising global temperatures will only make monsoons more intense in future. Pakistan's former climate change minister Sherry Rehman took to X, saying that the nation continued to "sleepwalk" on climate change and the threat it posed. She pointed to regular alerts issued by the national disaster management agency and said that local authorities had failed to take them seriously. "Not only did the provincial administration fail to understand the magnitude of the crisis, I keep repeating, so did denialist tourists. This is endemic to a system that thinks that climate change can just be put on a back burner, or that crises will not multiply in scale and intensity," she wrote. "These are not "natural disasters" which absolve all actors of responsibility, local, national and global. Super monsoons and flash floods are not the norm. They have been intensifying for decades," she added, urging the country to "wake up" the to the issue. To view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a web browser that supports HTML5 video
