July 15, 2024
By Dauran Baloch
KOHLU
Forty-year-old Gulnaz Bibi was allegedly killed by her husband in the name of honour in Kohlu’s Tehsil Tambo.
The victim, a mother of four children, was shot and killed by her husband, Rahim Dad. She died on the spot. Her body was brought to the District Headquarters Hospital in Kohlu for a post-mortem.
According to doctors, Gulnaz Bibi was shot twice. A case has been registered against the accused at the Levies Station in Tambo on the complaint of her brother.
Bibi’s brother Abdul Aziz told Voicepk that his sister was innocent and was unjustly killed in the name of honour. “In my area, killing women for honour has become a norm. In most cases, women are accused of illicit relations, which is often false.”
Honour killings have seen an alarming rise in Kohlu, Balochistan. In the past two months, more than four women have been killed for honour. In most cases, the perpetrators are not apprehended, and those who are arrested are often released on bail due to tribal influence and intervention. Also, invariably, the victim’s families are pressured to settle the case out of court, and the crime is forgiven.
Aziz added that in many cases of honour killings, domestic disputes and personal grudges are involved “because women are seen as the weaker gender”. He requested the higher authorities to provide justice for his sister.
He said that Bibi’s husband used to subject her to severe physical abuse.
Investigating officer of Levies Force Tambo, Risaldar Jaffar Marri, told Voicepk that Gulnaz Bibi’s murder occurred in the rural and remote area of Tehsil Tambo. “Her husband was arrested after multiple raids and later presented in the court. We hope justice will be served in this case.”
In tribal areas, violence against women and girls has become a social norm. “that must be corrected in modern times”, Marri said.
Senior journalist from Kohlu, Syed Nazim Shah Marri, said: “In our society, women are considered a curse, which is why we marry them off at a young age, leading to various problems such as divorce, accusations of illicit relations, domestic violence, and suicides. To prevent these incidents, we need to understand women’s rights and status in our society; only then can we build a better and more developed society.”
He added that women in tribal areas are bound by various outdated traditions and values, which is why incidents of honour killings continue to occur. Those involved in these incidents should be severely punished so that others are deterred from committing such crimes – “otherwise, this cycle will continue”.
Human rights activists from Balochistan have demanded that those involved in honour killings be given strict punishments. To prevent such killings, it is crucial to change societal attitudes and take legal measures to ensure the safety of women and establish justice in society. This will allow women to play an equal role in society.