ISLAMABAD : Senator Sherry Rehman, Vice-President of the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP), on Saturday condemned the premediated murder of a woman in Toba Tek Singh, allegedly by her own family members, and called the authorities concerned to carry out a thorough investigation to deliver justice at the earliest.
She said: “Deeply disturbed and outraged by the tragic and brutal murder of a woman in Toba Tek Singh. The details of her case, including the alleged involvement of her own family members, are deeply distressing and highlight the urgent need for justice and accountability,” she said.
As per police reports, the event occurred during the night of March 17 to March 18, and the family buried Maria in the local village cemetery. The police took action after a video of the crime went viral on social media, prompting a public outcry. According to some reports, the victim’s brother-in-law shared the video with a lawyer who posted it on social media.
According to a report by the Human Rights Commission of Pakistan (HRCP), 90 percent of Pakistani women have encountered various forms of domestic violence during their lives. Additionally, according to a 2020 annual report released by the women’s rights organization Aurat Foundation, more than 11,000 incidents of violence against women were reported in the same year. Meanwhile, data from the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) reveals that 32% of women in Pakistan experience different types of gender-based violence (GBV).
The Senator added that the crimes of incest and murder must not be allowed a day’s impunity and that the men responsible need to be held accountable to the fullest extent of the law, so there’s a clear message from the state that such crimes against women are not repeated.
“While we stand together to condemn such acts of barbarism we must also prioritize efforts to raise awareness, provide support to victims, and implement measures to prevent such heinous anti-women crimes from occurring in the future,” Rehman stressed.
*Talking about legislation against domestic violence, Senator Rehman pointed out how the laws in Sindh had included is a comprehensive definition of domestic violence that included physical, emotional, sexual, or economic abuse, addressing all aspects of such violence.
“The judiciary is empowered to grant interim protection, residence, or custody orders, along with monetary relief, as per the Sindh Domestic Violence (Prevention and Protection) Act of 2013. This act also criminalizes domestic violence and outlines punishments for offenders.”
Moreover, Sindh has introduced the Sindh Domestic Violence (Prevention and Protection) Rules in 2016 to enhance the effective implementation of the 2013 Act, she added.*
“We demand justice for Maria and call upon authorities to ensure that no stone is left unturned in the pursuit of justice but also to launch a full campaign to sensitize society on violence against women.”
Rehman stressed the crucial need for all political parties to adopt a bipartisan approach in the parliament regarding women’s rights. She lamented the society’s failure to provide the freedom, equality, and empowerment women deserve.
“The state must uphold these values and extend these rights into the contemporary world. Women’s rights are consistently violated in our society, but for a progressive party like the PPP, they constitute a fundamental aspect of our manifesto and core values,” she said.
