QUETTA: Around 50 people, including 30 women, have been killed by their relatives in the name of honour in Balochistan this year so far. Nasirabad division tops the list in the number of killings.

The Aurat Foundation — a non-governmental organisation — working for protection of the rights of women, disclosed the information in its annual report, unveiled by its programme officer Muhammad Ashfaq Mengal at a press conference here on Friday.

“All these victims were deprived of their lives by their close relatives, including husbands, brothers and other relatives in the name of so-called honour and small family feuds,” he said. He added that all these cases were registered in different police stations in Nasirabad and other towns and cities.

He said that the foundation’s report was based on the incidents reported. He added that the number of honour killing cases could be much higher because many incidents were not reported.

Mr Mengal further disclosed that at least 17 women committed suicide over small family disputes in the province while 29 people were tortured including 21 women.

The report disclosed that at least 14 women were kidnapped in 2018 from different areas of the province, while four were sexually harassed and four were victims of acid attacks in Quetta and other areas.

The organisation has announced the start of a 16-day awareness campaign in Balochistan against honor killings and domestic violence. “Seminars would be held in women universities and government girls colleges, while programs for women protection would be held in all schools across Balochistan.”

Assistant Director Women Development Department Rukhsana Baloch, and members of civil society have urged the provincial government to establish a commission for the protection of women rights and said that all political parties must play a bigger role for the approval of the Anti-Child Marriages bill, which is pending before the assembly for approval.

Published in Dawn, November 24th, 2018