KARACHI, March 17: The Women’s Action Forum and Aurat Foundation have condemned torture and death threats against Noor Khatoon, a literary figure and member of the District Council Khairpur.

Anis Khatoon of the Forum and Nuzhat Shirin of the Foundation have urged the government to provide protection to the victim and restore justice to her.

In a statement, issued here on Monday, they acknowledge with resentment that Ms Noor had been declared a Kari and therefore ordained to death by a jirga.

Describing the jirga’s decree as ‘unlawful’ they said that the government must ensure that Ms Noor and every woman in the country was enjoying all the basic rights. They pointed out that customary killings and honour killings were on the rise in this society which must be stopped. They further said that the evolution of the jirga system, a parallel legal system, posed a serious threat to the lives of the innocent.

They observed that more than 380 people had been killed on the pretext of karo-kari last year 245 of them were women. They pointed out that Ms Noor was a victim of forced marriage who had raised her voice against the maltreatment and torture by her husband, Sharafuddin Shar.

They also recalled that Ms Noor had filed a suit against her husband in a family court which had summoned him.

Ms Noor has been shifted from her parents’ home to the residence of Ms Nafisa Shah, District Nazima of Khairpur.

The statement noted that Ms Noor’s parents were also under immense pressure and all the complaints lodged with the local authorities in the whole affair had gone unheeded.

The NGOs demanded end to the illegal and inhuman practices of honour killings, customary killings, parallel ‘judiciary’, etc. and also strict action against the culprits.

Meanwhile, Ms Nafisa Shah told Dawn on Monday that Ms Noor was being provided legal, medical and other assistance by various organizations and protection by the state.

Another NGO, Lawyers for Human Rights and Legal Aid (LHRLA), has called for an immediate action by the government, adds PPI.

Zia Ahmed Awan, President of the NGO, suggested that Supreme Court should take suo motu action in all karo-kari cases.

He condemned jirga system holding it responsible for this evil practice to flourish.

Madadgaar, yet another NGO, has pointed out that 823 women, including 20 minors, fell victim to the barbaric custom in Pakistan.

An analysis of data shows that only in Sindh, as many as 423 people were reported killed under karo-kari last year. At least 453 people were eliminated in 2001.