ISLAMABAD: PPP Human Rights Cell General Secretary Malaika Raza on Sunday urged the federal government to declare a national emergency on femicide and violence against women and launch a time-bound action plan following the killing of television anchorperson Rabia Ahsan in Rawalpindi.
In a statement issued on Sunday following Rabia Ahsan’s killing at her residence in Rawalpindi, Raza said the incident was another reminder of the urgent need for effective state intervention to protect women’s lives and ensure their security.
The victim was found shot dead at her home, while her husband was taken into police custody as investigations into the incident continued.
Raza questioned how many more women would have to lose their lives before the state fulfilled its constitutional responsibility to protect them, citing alarming figures on gender-based violence in the country.
Referring to Sahil’s January-June 2026 report, she said 3,172 cases of gender-based violence had been documented during the first six months of the year, including 644 murder cases and 132 honour killings. More than 54 percent of reported incidents, she noted, had occurred inside victims’ homes.
She further cited figures presented before the National Assembly, according to which more than 7,500 women were murdered between 2021 and 2024, including 1,553 cases of honour killings.
The PPP Human Rights Cell general secretary called upon federal and provincial governments to ensure effective enforcement of existing criminal laws, impartial investigations into every suspected femicide and prosecution in accordance with due process.
She also stressed the need to strengthen protection mechanisms for women facing threats, establish a standardised national femicide database, improve witness and survivor protection, and ensure access to shelters and legal assistance.
Raza said public officials must also be held accountable for negligence or failure to discharge their legal responsibilities.
She urged the federal government to convene an emergency intergovernmental meeting involving the National Commission on the Status of Women and provincial commissions to formulate an effective response, with clear implementation timelines, dedicated financial resources and public reporting mechanisms.
Highlighting the constitutional basis of her demands, she referred to Article 9, which guarantees the right to life and security, Article 25, which provides for equality before the law, and Article 34, which calls for women’s full participation in national life.
“A woman’s life is not her family’s property. No claim of honour, domestic authority or personal grievance places anyone above the law,” Raza said.
She emphasised that condemnations alone would not address the crisis, calling instead for enforceable commitments, institutional accountability and justice for victims.
“Declare the national policy emergency, implement the action plan and stop the killing of women,” she urged.
Copyright Business Recorder, 2026