4/18/2018 Pakistan honour killings on the rise, report reveals - BBC News

Home News Sport Weather Shop Earth Travel

Pakistan honour killings on the rise, report reveals

1 April 2016

AFP

Nearly 1,100 women were killed in Pakistan last year by relatives who believed they had
dishonoured their families, the country's independent Human Rights Commission
says.

http://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-35943732 1/14
4/18/2018 Pakistan honour killings on the rise, report reveals - BBC News

In its annual report the commission said 900 more women suffered sexual violence and
nearly 800 took, or tried to take, their own lives.

In 2014 about 1,000 women died in honour-related attacks and 869 in 2013.

Correspondents say a large number of such crimes go unreported in Pakistan.

Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif has said there is no place in Islam for killing in the name of
family honour.

"The predominant causes of these killings in 2015 were domestic disputes, alleged illicit
relations and exercising the right of choice in marriage," the report said.

Most of the 1,096 victims were shot, the report said, but attacks with acid were also common.

AFP

Among the cases highlighted in the report are a man who shot dead his two sisters in
Sargodha, Punjab, because he believed they had "bad character" and three teenage girls
killed by their male cousin for "dishonouring" their family in Pakpattan, Punjab.

The report said that 88 men were also the victims of honour killings last year.

In February, Punjab, the country's largest province, passed a landmark law criminalising all
forms of violence against women.

However, more than 30 religious groups, including all the mainstream Islamic political parties,
have threatened to launch protests if the law is not repealed.

Religious groups have equated women's rights campaigns with promotion of obscenity. They
say the new Punjab law will increase the divorce rate and destroy the country's traditional
family system.

Among the most infamous cases of honour killing in Pakistan was the stoning to death of
Farzana Parveen in 2014 outside the High Court in Lahore. She had married against her
http://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-35943732 2/14
4/18/2018 Pakistan honour killings on the rise, report reveals - BBC News

family's wishes.

Her father, brother, cousin and former fiance were all found guilty of murder. Another brother
received a 10-year jail sentence.

The issue of honour killings in Pakistan inspired a documentary film, A Girl in the River - The
Price of Forgiveness, which won its creator, Sharmeen Obaid Chinoy, an Oscar at this
year's Academy Awards.

In her acceptance speech, she said it was after seeing the film that Prime Minister Nawaz
Sharif had vowed to change the law on honour killings.

Related Topics

Gender Women's rights Pakistan

Share this story About sharing

More on this story

Why is a Pakistani bill to protect women unpopular?
17 March 2016

How Pakistan's women are punished for love

12 December 2014

Pakistan woman stoned by family outside Lahore court

27 May 2014

Asia

http://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-35943732 3/14
4/18/2018 Pakistan honour killings on the rise, report reveals - BBC News

CIA director 'met with North Korea's Kim'

18 April 2018 Asia

Actress kidnapped by North Korea dies

17 April 2018 Asia

http://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-35943732 4/14
4/18/2018 Pakistan honour killings on the rise, report reveals - BBC News

Jessie J wins China singing competition

17 April 2018 Entertainment & Arts

More Videos from the BBC

Recommended by Outbrain

Cows jump for joy after 'We're dark-skinned, IDF soldier: 'Take out the
winter indoors short and beautiful' one in pink'

Zuckerberg asked: 'A brothel's a safer place 'I feel like the worst mum
'Where did you stay last for me to work' in the world'
night?'

Elsewhere on BBC
Recommended by Outbrain

http://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-35943732 5/14
4/18/2018 Pakistan honour killings on the rise, report reveals - BBC News

BBC News BBC Travel

US TV host quits over shooting tweet Anne Frank’s American pen pal

BBC News BBC Future

Boy 'sold teacher sex story to tabloid' Locked up and vulnerable: When
prison makes things worse

BBC Culture BBC Future

Explore our selection of art, culture, The myth of the online echo chamber
music and film events from around the
globe

Top Stories
Former US First Lady Barbara Bush dies

http://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-35943732 6/14
4/18/2018 Pakistan honour killings on the rise, report reveals - BBC News

Barbara Bush, described as a "relentless proponent of family literacy", has died aged 92.
6 minutes ago

CIA director 'met with North Korea's Kim'

18 minutes ago

Obituary: Barbara Bush

1 hour ago

ADVERTISEMENT

Features

http://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-35943732 7/14
4/18/2018 Pakistan honour killings on the rise, report reveals - BBC News

North Korea's sudden surge of friendly visitors

Why a widower ran a marathon for his wife, and their sons

http://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-35943732 8/14
4/18/2018 Pakistan honour killings on the rise, report reveals - BBC News

Reality Check: Are Trump's tax cuts biggest in history?

Should the West suspect Chinese tech?

The US says national security concerns justify sanctions on Chinese tech firm ZTE.

http://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-35943732 9/14
4/18/2018 Pakistan honour killings on the rise, report reveals - BBC News

Is Coachella 'pro-gun' and 'anti-LGBT'?

Are celebrity baby Instagram accounts OK?

http://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-35943732 10/14
4/18/2018 Pakistan honour killings on the rise, report reveals - BBC News

Solving the world's problems, one prize at a time

Commonwealth Games: A turning point for Indian sport?

India placed third on the scoreboard, but the medals are an uplifting sign for future success.

http://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-35943732 11/14
4/18/2018 Pakistan honour killings on the rise, report reveals - BBC News

The unlikely Boston marathon runner-up

ADVERTISEMENT FEATURE
PRESENTED BY

Most Read
Former US First Lady Barbara Bush dies at 92 1

Southwest Airlines jet engine 'explosion' leaves woman dead 2

Alex Skeel: Domestic abuse survivor was 'days from death' 3

http://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-35943732 12/14
4/18/2018 Pakistan honour killings on the rise, report reveals - BBC News

Wish.com: Penis advert appeared in video game apps 4

Mike Pompeo, CIA chief, met with North Korean leader Kim 5
Jong-un - reports

'I had no choice but to be split from my sister' 6

Windrush generation: Dozens of new cases investigated 7

Boris Johnson promises Tom Daley he'll raise LGBT rights with 8
Commonwealth

Newspaper headlines: Windrush 'betrayal' and 'Labour fury' 9

over anti-Semitism

Men summonsed over England rugby union coach Eddie Jones 10

abuse

From Around the Web

Promoted content by Outbrain

Heidi Klum’s New Penthouse Is “One Of The Last Of Its…

Mansion Global

Jon Bon Jovi Purchased Insane Palm Beach…

Mansion Global

FDA Finalizes NGS Guidances; Proposes…

GenomeWeb

Why you can trust BBC News

BBC News Services

On your mobile

http://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-35943732 13/14
4/18/2018 Pakistan honour killings on the rise, report reveals - BBC News

On your connected tv

Get news alerts

Contact BBC News

Explore the BBC

Home News

Sport Weather

Shop Earth

Travel Capital

Culture Autos

Future TV

Radio CBBC

CBeebies Food

iWonder Bitesize

Music Arts

Make It Digital Taster

Nature Local

Terms of Use About the BBC

Privacy Policy Cookies

Accessibility Help Parental Guidance

Contact the BBC Get Personalised Newsletters

Advertise with us Ad choices

Copyright © 2018 BBC. The BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites. Read about our
approach to external linking.

http://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-35943732 14/14