[women-rights] Pakistan: A woman killed by her nephew on the pretext of honor killing

URGENT ACTION URGENT ACTION URGENT ACTION URGENT ACTION URGENT ACTION

ASIAN HUMAN RIGHTS COMMISSION - URGENT APPEALS PROGRAM

9 September 2004
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UA-114-2004:  PAKISTAN: A woman killed by her nephew on the pretext of
honor killing

PAKISTAN: Honor killing; Violence against women; Rule of law
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Dear friends,

The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) has received another honor
killings case from Sindh Province, Pakistan. According to the information
received, Ms. Mehan (22) was shot dead by her nephew Altaf (25) at her
house in in Mirzapur village, Shikarpur district, Sindh province early in
the morning of 7 July 2004. After killing his aunt, Altaf claimed that he
killed her because she had illicit sexual relations with a man named Mr.
Dilshad. It is reported that Mr. Dilshad left the village because he feared
being killed by Altaf.

AHRC strongly urges the local authorities to investigate this serious case
and arrest and prosecute the perpetrator without delay. AHRC also strongly
urges the local authorities to take action to prevent a possible jirga from
settling this case. In our Urgent Appeal issued on 26 August 2004(see
UA-28-2004), AHRC reported that a father of the victim who was killed by
her husband was arrested by the police because he refused to accept the
kirga decision and compensation.

Your urgent action is required to pressure the local authorities to
investigate this serious case and arrest and prosecute the perpetrator.

Urgent Appeals Desk
Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC)
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DETAILED INFORMATION:

Name of the victim: Ms. Mehan, 22 years old, married with two children,
wife of Hajji Abdul Khaaliq (45), of Junjo tribe
Alleged perpetrator: Altaf, 25 years old, son of Abdul Majeed, a farmer,
the nephew of the victim's husband, of Junejo tribe, resides in Mirzapur
village, Garhi Yasen sub-division, Shikarpur district, Sindh province,
Pakistan
Complainant: Dur Muhammad, son of Aandal, a farmer, of Junejo tribe, the
victim's cousin, resides in Mirzapur village in Garhi Yasen sub-division,
Shikarpur
Witnesses: 1) Moula Bux, son of Lal Bux, of Junejo tribe, 2) Anwar, son of
Meeral, of  Junejo tribe (both reside in in Mirzapur village, relatives of
the victim's husband and complainant)
Date of incident:   7 July 2004 at about 5:00am
Place of incident:  Mirzapur village, Garhi Yaseen sub-division, Shikarpur
district, Sindh province, Pakistan

Account of incident:

At about 5:00 am on 7 July 2004, Altaf (25) allegedly killed his aunt Ms
Mehan (22) on the pretext of honor killing in Mirzapur village, Garhi
Yaseen sub-division, Shikarpur district, Sindh province, Pakistan. Altaf
suspected his aunt had illicit sexual relations with one of his relatives
named Mr. Dilshad who lived in the same street as Ms Mehan and Altaf. After
the incident the victim's cousin Dur Muhammad lodged a complaint about the
incident at Gaheja Police Station immediately. (Case First Investigation
Report(FIR) No. 23/2004 under Section 302 Pakistan Penal Code) At the time
of the incident, the victim's husband was not at home because he had gone
Karachi to buy some goods.

According to Dur Muhammad, Ms Mehan was given into marriage to his maternal
cousin Hajji Abdul Khaaliq (45) and they have two children. At about 5:00
am of 7 July 2004, he heard loud shouts from Hajji Abdul Khaaliq's house.
He and his two relatives named above ran to Hajji Abdul Khaaliq's house and
they could clearly hear cries of a quarrel.
When he entered the house, Dur Muhammad saw that Altaf held a T.T pistol in
his hand. Altaf was quarrelling with the family members (mainly women) of
Hajji Abdul Khaaliq. Hajji Abdul Khaaliq was not at home at that time as he
went to Karachi to buy some domestic animals. Dur Muhammad and his two
relatives asked Altaf about the matter but instead of answering them, Altaf
shot his aunt Ms Mehan with his pistol. Altaf then claimed that Ms Mehan
had illicit sexual relations with Mr. Dilshad so he killed her and he fled
from the place. Dur Muhammad and his relatives did not dare to catch him
because he had a pistol. When they rushed to the victim, they saw that the
bullet hit on the left side of her stomach and she had already died.

Dur Muhammad asked his relatives to stay with Ms Mehan's body and went to
the elder of his clan Mr. Imtiaz Khan to seek counsel about the incident.
Mr. Imtiaz Khan advised him to report the case to the police station. Then
Dur Muhammad lodged the First Investigation Report (FIR) at the Gaheja
Police Station. At the police station, Dur Muhammad claimed that Ms Mehan
was killed by Altaf due to false allegations.

According to villagers, Mr. Dilshad, who was alleged of having illicit
sexual relations with the victim, left the village fearing that he would be
also killed by Altaf.
The Gaheja police made a raid to arrest Altaf but he had already fled from
the village and his whereabouts is unknown. Even though Dur Muhammad lodged
a FIR at the Gaheja Police Station, the case has not been challenged before
court and instead the police sent the case to the prosecution department
for its opinion. Local human rights activists are concerned that a local
council jirga may be held to settle this matter outside the court and the
perpetrator will escape from the punishment as usual.

Pakistan's jirga system continues to lead the country in feudal practices
that are contrary to legal and human rights principles. The practice of
honour killings is an atrocious form of violence against women that is
committed almost daily within the country. While the jirgas allow and
support this practice, it has been almost impossible to take effective
legal action against the perpetrators.

In our Urgent Appeal issued on 26 August 2004(see UA-28-2004), AHRC
reported that a father of the victim who was killed by her husband was
arrested by the police because he refused to accept the decision and
compensation made by the jirga, which have been held illegal under the
Sindh High Court decision in Pakistan. Although the police were aware of
the jirga being held, they did nothing to prevent this illegal act.

AHRC strongly urges the local authorities to investigate this serious case
and arrest and prosecute the perpetrator without delay. AHRC also strongly
urges the local authority to take action to prevent a possible jirga to
settle this case outside court.

SUGGESTED ACTION:
Please send a letter, fax or email to the following addresses and express
your concern about this serious case. And urge the authorities to arrest
the perpetrator shortly.

Sample letter:

--------

Dear Sir,

Re: PAKISTAN: A woman killed by her nephew on the pretext of hornor killing
(FIR no. 23/2004 under Section 302 PPC at Gaheja Police Station)

Name of the victim: Ms. Mehan, 22 years old, married with two children,
wife of Hajji Abdul Khaaliq (45), of Junjo tribe, resides in Mirzapur
village, Garhi Yasen sub-division, Shikarpur district, Sindh province,
Pakistan
Alleged perpetrator: Altaf, 25 years old, son of Abdul Majeed, a farmer,
the nephew of the victim's husband, of Junejo tribe
Date of incident:   7 July 2004 at about 5:00am
Place of incident:  at the victim's house in Mirzapur village

I am writing to bring to your attention another case of honor killing
happened in Shikarpur district, Sindh province, Pakistan. Ms. Mehan (22)
was killed by her nephew Altaf (25) at her house in Mirzapur village, Garhi
Yasen sub-division, Shikarpur district, Sindh province on 7 July 2004.
Altaf allegedly claimed that he killed his aunt because she had illicit
sexual relations with Mr. Dilshad who lived in same street. It was reported
that Mr. Dilshad fled from the village fearing that he would be also killed
by Altaf. The perpetrator has not been yet arrested by the police.

This case is another example that shows inaction of the government of
Pakistan in matter of honor killings. Even though, Article 2(f) of the
Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women
(CEDAW), which the government of Parkistan is a state party, clearly
mentioned that the state government should take all appropriate measures,
including legislation, to modify or abolish existing laws, regulations,
customs and practices which constitute discrimination against women, the
government of Pakistan has failed to implement it on domestic level.

I strongly urge you to order a thorough inquiry into this case and bring
the perpetrator to justice as soon as possible. I also urge the government
of Pakistan to prohibit a tribal jirga and to handle the case in accordance
with the law. I further urge the government of Pakistan to fulfill its
international obligation and implement CEDAW on a domestic level to abolish
the practice of honor killing.

Truly yours,

----------------

Send a letter to:

1. General Pervez Musharraf
President
Pakistan Secretariat
Islamabad
PAKISTAN
Fax: +92 51 922 4768/ 920 1893 or 1835
Email: ce@pak.gov.pk

2. Mr. Ishrat-ul-Ibad Khan
Governor
Governor House Karachi
Sindh Province
PAKISTAN
Tel: +92 21 9201201-3
E-mail: governor@governorsindh.gov.pk

3. Mr. Khameeso Khan Memon
District Police Officer (DPO), Shikarpur
Police Head Quarters
Shikarpur, Sindh province
PAKISTAN
Tel: +(92) 761 515077/512309
Fax: +(92) 761 512369

4. Mr. Sayed Kamal Shah
Provincial Police Officer, Sindh Police
Central Police Office Karachi
Sindh Province
PAKISTAN
Tel: +(92) 21 9212626-7
Fax: +(92) 21 9212051

5. Mr. Syed Sultan Shah
Joint Secretary for Law, Justice and Human Rights
Islamabad
PAKISTAN
Tel: +(92) 51 920 3464
Fax: +(92) 51 9203119

6. Ms. Yakin Erturk
Special Rapporteur on Elimination of Violence against Women
Atten: Ms. Christina Saunders
Room: 4-041
c/o OHCHR,-UNOG
1211 Geneva 10
SWITZERLAND
Tel: +41 22 917 9150
Fax: +(41) 22 917 9022/9006
E-mail: csaunders@ohchr.org


Thank you.

Urgent Appeals Programme
Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC)

Asian Human Rights Commission
19/F, Go-Up Commercial Building,
998 Canton Road, Kowloon, Hongkong S.A.R.
Tel: +(852) - 2698-6339 Fax: +(852) - 2698-6367


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