The tall claims of the government about the protection of women rights were no more than lip service, as the incidents of sexual assaults; acid throwing and honour killing registered a considerable increase in 2011 as compared to last year.
Rabiya Hadi, representative of the Aurat Foundation (AF) said during a media briefing that, violence against women (VAW) had increased manifolds as the incidents like sexual assaults increased by 48.65 percent, acid throwing 37.5 percent, honour killings by 26.57 percent, and domestic violence by 25.51 percent in 2011 as compared to the last year.
She said, "In the year 2011, about 8,539 women became victims of violence and there was an overall 6.74 percent increase in reported cases of VAW as compared to year 2010. The figure was 8,000 in 2010; in 2009, the incidents of violence against women were 8,548 and; in 2008, these incidents were 7,571."
She said that out of total cases of violence, 6,188 incidents were reported in Punjab, 1,316 in Sindh, 694 in KPK, 198 in Balochistan and 148 in Islamabad. She admitted that there were some incidents that were not reported or registered and are still unreported.
"The increase in cases of VAW in 2011 show that the society has not made any departure from trend in commission of crimes against women. This reflect a kind of a status quo, also indicating that neither State is doing to eliminate this violence nor society is responding to curb uncivilised behaviour", she added.
Doctor Mustafa, a representative of AF, said while replying to a question that there was a need to change the mindset of society to reduce the cases of VAW. "There should be a mechanism to properly implement the laws and bills made for the protection of women in Pakistan", doctor Mustafa added.
In large number of incidents, the FIRs are not lodged which reflects lack of confidence among citizens to approach police in cases. Among the total 8,539 incidents, FIR was registered in 6,745 cases whereas no FIR was registered in 911 cases and there was no information available in 883 cases. The biggest number of unregistered cases was noted in Sindh province where FIRs were not registered in 605 cases and no information was available in 75 incidents among the total 1,316 reported cases.
Arifa Mazhar, a social activist said during the press briefing that in most of the cases in Balochistan, the women accused of 'honour killing' were killed on the orders of Jirga but the same Jirga let the men alive after the exchange of heavy amount in terms of compensation.
From the year 2008 to 2011, the total number regarding the cases of burning of women remained 178, acid throwing cases 158, sexual assault 630, gang-rape 3,461, honour killing 2,341, cases of suicide 2,673, domestic violence 1,985, murder 5,817 and the total number of cases of kidnapping remained 8,096.
Arifa Mazhar said it was very unfortunate that most of the perpetrators of violence against women were found to be the relatives of the survivor or the victim such as husband, brother, cousin, father, uncle, father and mother in law, brother in law, son or step son.
A total number of 6,188 incidents of violence against women occurred in 36 districts of Punjab between the months of January to December 2011. Of these 6,188 cases, there were 1,846 cases of abduction/kidnapping; 897 cases of murder; 348 of domestic violence; 322 of 'honour' killing; 734 of rape/gang-rape; 533 incidents of suicide; 64 cases of sexual assault; 28 of stove burning; 32 of acid throwing; and 1,384 cases of miscellaneous nature of violence against women occurred in different parts of the province.
A total number of 1,316 incidents of violence against women were recorded in 23 districts of Sindh during January- December, 2011. Out of a total of these, there were: Of the total of 1,316 incidents, there were 266 cases of 'honour' killing; 255 cases of murder; 152 of abduction/ kidnapping; 117 incidents of suicide; 68 cases of rape and gang-rape; 137 cases of domestic violence; 41 cases of sexual assault; six of acid throwing; and 273 cases of miscellaneous nature occurred in different parts of the province respectively.
A total number of 694 incidents of violence against women occurred in 26 districts of KPK during January- December, 2011 while a total number of 193 incidents of violence against women occurred in 28 districts of Balochistan between during the year 2011.