By Aamir Yasin
ISLAMABAD: There were 7,571 incidents of violence against women reported during the year 2008 across the country, Aurat Foundation’s annual report revealed on Wednesday.
In the total number of reported incidents, 1,897 women were killed, 1,784 abducted, 778 raped and 29 received acid burns, according to the report, ‘Situation of Violence Against Women in Pakistan in 2008’.
Trocaire Regional Programme Officer Gulcheen Aqil presided over the meeting while National Assembly’s Standing Committee on Women’s Development Chairwoman Bushra Gohar was the chief guest. The data collected by the foundation revealed that of the 7,471 incidents of violence against women, 4,416 cases had been registered in Punjab, 1,390 in Sindh, 779 in the NWFP and 767 in Balochistan while 209 had been reported in Islamabad.
The report said almost all of the cases were reported and related to physical violence of “an extremely aggressive nature” such as murder, honour killing, abduction, rape, stove burning and acid throwing. It said first information reports (FIR) of only 5,462 cases had been registered. It said that there were no media reports of at least 784 cases.
Rate: The report revealed that Lahore district had the highest crime rate in terms of the incidents of violence against women with 911 cases, followed by Faisalabad with 494 cases, Rawalpindi 492 cases, Quetta 334 cases, Peshawar 331 cases, Sheikhupura 322 cases, Multan 235, Islamabad 209 cases, Kasur 196 cases, Gujranwala 184 cases, Sahiwal 176 cases and Karachi with 163 cases.
“Surprisingly, Karachi despite being the largest city of the country in terms of population, has the lowest rate of violence against women among the 120 districts of Pakistan, “ the report said.
The National Assembly’s Standing Committee on Women’s Development chairwoman said there was a need to improve the condition of women in the country and awareness should be created in the society.
She said the government should make policies to bring the most neglected segment of the society into the mainstream and provide equal opportunities to them.
Human Rights activist Tahira Abdullah demanded a repeal of “anti-women laws” including the Hudood Ordinances, evidence laws, Qisas and Diyat, and the revision of the Women’s Protection Act.
Source: Daily Times
Date:8/13/2009
