GUJRAT: The ratio of crime against women increased in Gujrat during 2022 as some 39 women were murdered in the cases of honour or domestic violence in the district compared to the killing of 35 women in 2021.

Similarly, the incidents of murder also increased in the district during the last one year as 169 people were murdered as compared to 155 in 2021.

What’s more shocking is that none of the accused involved in the murders of women has been convicted in the last four years.

Out of these incidents of violence against women, the brutal murder of two Spanish sisters by none other than their own brothers and other close family members in Nathia village of the Gulliana police precincts of Kharian over an honour-related issue on May 20, 2022.

The incident had got attention of the international media. The nikah of Arooj Abbas and Aneesa Abbas, the two sisters aging between 21 to 23 years, had been done with their cousins around a year before their murder and the family was annoyed with them for failing to get their ‘husbands’ visa for Spain which was quoted as one of the main reasons behind their killing by their brother and in-laws.

However, all the suspects involved in the notorious case were set free on bail by an additional session court of Kharian in October. The trial of the case is still underway and decision in the case is yet to be made by the court.

Ironically, there has been no conviction of the accused involved in the cases of murders of women in the last four years. Police said that in most of such cases, the complainants would reconcile or pardon the accused, leading to their release as well as making it difficult for them to get the accused convicted.

As per the data, compiled by Gujrat police, at least 10 women were killed mainly on honour-related issues whereas in remaining cases domestic violence was the main reason. Most of such cases are often reported from the rural localities of Gujrat.

A senior police official said poor investigation, low conviction ratio and lack of preventive measures such as consistently engaging with the rival groups and the police station could be the major causes of the increase in the ratio of murder incidents.

A spokesman for Gujrat police said police had arrested most of the suspects involved in killing of women after registration of cases. Asked why the ratio of murder incidents increased in the year 2022, he said the social, economic pressures, intolerance and other psychological issues had been the basic reasons for an increase in such incidents.

Published in Dawn, January 2nd, 2023