August 31, 2026
By Hashir Ahsan
ISLAMABAD
A candlelight vigil was held outside the Islamabad Press Club organized by the Women Democratic Front (WDF), which declared the situation of femicide (murder of women) a national emergency.
Joined by the family of Hina Javed the protesters demanded justice for Hina after her brutal murder and state action against the ongoing cycle of violence against women.
According to Sahil’s “Six Months Cruel Numbers Report,” 3,172 cases of gender-based violence were recorded in Pakistan through media monitoring only during the first half of this year (Jan to Jun). These included 644 murders and 132 so-called honor killings. More than half of the incidents occurred inside the victims’ own homes, while 18 cases involved transgender individuals.
However, this report only covers incidents picked up by the news media.
Murder
On August 20, Hina Javed, a 45-year-old digital media professional, was found dead in her Rawalpindi home, just nine months after her marriage. Before attempting to frame her murder as a suicide, her killers tied her hands and feet and strangled her. Her husband and a domestic worker have been arrested, while her father-in-law who is a retired Colonel is named in the FIR but has not been arrested yet.
WDF demanded a forensic investigation against all individuals involved.
Sabah Bano Malik, a cousin of Hina, said that Hina had been a caring and independent woman dedicated to taking care of her parents.
“Hina’s mother is an Alzheimer’s patient and is still waiting for her to return home,” she had told Voicepk earlier. “On the other hand, the domestic worker Zeeshan, has repeatedly changed his statement, and despite being named in the FIR, Hina’s father-in-law is roaming free. All those involved in her murder and its cover-up must face the law.”
‘Immediate action’
Speakers demanded federal and provincial action plans with fixed timelines and public reporting, under which the police adopt definitive procedures to act upon domestic violence by considering it a life-threatening matter.
They said that there should be immediate access to and proper implementation of protection orders, while state-funded shelters and safe houses should be provided with legal aid and financial assistance. WDF also demanded the establishment of a national femicide register recording prior complaints, the relationship between the victim and perpetrator, as well as the outcome of each case, adding that this data must be published regularly so that the scale of femicide is not hidden behind scattered police records.
Zoya Rehman, WDF Federal Education Secretary, said, “WDF is declaring a femicide emergency and demanding a publicly funded, nationally coordinated response. Our society still dismisses domestic violence as a personal dispute and sends women back to violent marriages. Public anger cools down even before cases reach trial, sending a message to perpetrators that they have nothing to fear. Prevention must begin as soon as violence is disclosed.”
Recent cases were also discussed to demonstrate how male relatives punish women for taking control of their lives.
Recent cases of VAW
Shamsoo Bibi, known online as Ayesha Gulmana, was shot dead in Taxila in a planned murder by her father, uncle, and brother.
In another case, a woman Hina Zarif was killed by her father and ex-husband after obtaining a khula (divorce) and assuring her that if she returned home she would be safe. Jannat Khatoon has survived terrible wounds, after being set on fire by her brothers-in-law upon refusing to give money.
According to Anam Rathore, General Secretary of the WDF Islamabad-Rawalpindi Unit, “A state facing hundreds of murders in six months cannot continue to respond with mere condolences. These murders are rooted in the authority given to men within the family. Femicide is the ultimate enforcement of a patriarchal system that punishes women for leaving marriages or claiming control over their lives.”
Neha Tauseef, lawyer and Deputy General Secretary of WDF Islamabad-Rawalpindi, said, “Domestic violence laws exist in most parts of Pakistan, but their implementation is weak. Police force women into reconciliation, even where their lives are at risk.”
She said that immediate risk assessment and enforceable protection must be provided for every complaint. Deaths presented as suicides should also be investigated whenever a prior history of violence exists.
“Public anger must be converted into organized pressure,” said WDF member Rida Rasheed. “WDF appeals to trade unions, student groups, women’s organizations, and democratic movements to support a joint manifesto against femicide and violence targeting women and transgender people.”