QUETTA: The rights of women would be protected and all cases involving honour killing would be heard in future by the anti-terrorism courts (ATCs), Chief Justice of the Balochistan High Court (BHC) Justice Mohammad Noor Meskanzai said on Tuesday.

He was speaking at a ceremony held in Sibi to mark opening of the ATC Complex and judges’ residences there.

“It is the responsibility of the judiciary to ensure implementation of the Constitution and rule of the law. The cases against the accused involved in honour killings will be heard in Anti-Terrorism Courts,” he said, adding that the judiciary would monitor and ensure protection of women’s rights.

He instructed the officials concerned to construct waiting rooms for women in all courts across the province.

Chief Justice Meskanzai said that in Pakistan, women had been deprived of the rights that had been granted to them by Islam.

“It is a very bad trend that the society has been making compromises on the issue of women murdered in the name of honour,” he said. “First the women are killed in the name of honour and later the killers are freed through bargaining.”

He said the judiciary would not allow such injustices in future. “The judiciary will do justice and the offenders will be brought to book,” he said.

The murder of an innocent woman was a shameful and cowardly act, he said. All such cases in future would be heard by the ATCs in order to ensure punishment of those responsible.

The BHC chief justice said the lawyers gave voice to the sentiments of the people and played a vital role in the provision of justice.

He expressed the hope that the judicial complex would be constructed on time.

The ceremony was also attended by Justice Muhammad Hashim Kakar, District and Sessions Judge Rashid Mehmood, senior judges and officials of the district administration.

Published in Dawn, December 30th, 2015