‘Stop killing women’ | Pakistan Press Foundation (PPF)

Pakistan Press Foundation

‘Stop killing women’

Women rights activists staged a protest demonstration in front of Karachi Press Club on Monday to condemn the brutal act of burying five women alive in Balochistan on the pretext of ‘Tribal Custom’.

Holding placards inscribed with slogans such as ‘Stop killing women’, Murder is no custom’ and ‘No honour killing’, the protestors condemned the outrageous remarks of Senator Israrullah Zehri in the Senate to justify the abhorrent incident of burying women alive.

The protestors were representing different rights groups and media channels, including South Asia Women in Media (SAWM), Shirkatgah, PILER, Women Action Forum (WAF) and others. They warned the senator who passed remarks during the Senate session, defending the tribal customs and urged him to ‘apologise or quit’. The activists urged the government to initiate a probe into the matter instantly, stop violation of human rights in the name of traditional customs and punish the criminals involved in the matter.

Furthermore, they called upon the Federal government and government of Balochistan not to turn a blind eye and ensure registration of the case against these murderers, their immediate arrest and prosecution without any further delay, fear or favour. The governments should also ensure that such stone-age inhuman and barbaric customs and practices are abolished forthwith, they urged. Denouncing the remarks of the senator on the floor of Senate, they said he must be punished for defending such a crime that is condemnable.
Source: The News
Date:9/2/2008