PAKISTAN: Another honour killing case from Sindh Province

Dear friends,

The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) has received information that a 25-year-old woman named Ms. Shahul was killed by her husband, Mr. Manthar Ali Shar in Bakhshoo Ujan Village, Garhi Yaseen Town, Shikarpur District, Sindh Province on 21 February 2004. This is the third honour killing case reported to AHRC within last 40 days. 

Even though the case was registered at the Dakhan Police Station by the victim’s brother, it is alleged that the police were intentionally trying to conceal the actual cause of the murder and the case might be disposed compoundable under the Ordinance of Qisas andDayat. (According to the Ordinance of Qisas and Dayat, if the offender provide compensation to the victim’s family as they claimed, the offender can be released without any punishment.) 

Please send a letter to the local authorities and request them to conduct impartial investigation in this matter and punish the perpetrator as soon as possible. 

Urgent Appeals Desk
Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC)
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DETAILED INFORMATION:

Name of the victim: Ms. Shahul (25), married with no child
Alleged perpetrator: Mr. Manthar Ali Shar son of Haji Mehar Shar (25), the victim’s husband and farmer
Name of witnesses: Mr. Khair Bux Shar (the victim’s brother), Mr. Hussain Bux son of Mohammad Bux and Mr. Koowat Ali son of Meer Mohammad (Both are the victim’s cousins)
Date of Incident: At about 8:30 pm on 21 February 2004
Place of Incident: P.O. Drakhan, Bakhshoo Ujan Village, Garhi Yaseen Town, Shikarpur District, Sindh Province

Case details:

At around 8:30 pm on 21 February 2004, Mr. Manthar Ali Shar killed his wife, Ms. Shahul of having a bad character at their house in Bakhshoo Ujan Village after having a quarrel. However, it is alleged that Mr. Manthar Ali Shar killed his wife on the pretext of honour killing. After the incident, the victim’s brother Mr. Khair Bux Shar has lodged the First Information Report (FIR) about the incident (Case No. 8/04 under Section 302 of Pakistan Criminal Code) at Dakhan Police Station.

According to the victim’s brother, Mr. Khair Bux Shar, Mr. Manthar Ali Shar is his paternal cousin and his sister Ms. Shahul got married to Mr. Manthar Ali about nine years ago. Both of the parties have lived together in a joint family environment. On the evening of 21 February 2004, Mr. Manthar Ali and Ms. Shahul had a quarrel on a minor domestic matter. At same night Mr. Khair Bux Shar, and his two other cousins, Mr. Hussain Bux and Mr. Koowat Ali were sleeping in their rooms after dinner, while Mr. Manthar Ali and Ms. Shahul were sleeping in the dairy farm that is located little bit away from the rest part of the house. At about 8:30 pm, Mr. Khair Bux Shar heard a gunshot from the dairy farm. He ran to the dairy farm with his two other cousins. When they arrived there, they saw that Mr. Manthar Ali was fleeing over the thorn fence holding a pistol in his hand. Ms. Shahul was bleeding with serious injury on her left shoulder and she died after a while. 

While the victim’s brother Mr. Khair Bux Shar said that a domestic quarrel resulted in the murder of Ms. Shahul, our reliable source who contacted the relatives of the victim, the village people and the police said this incident is happened under the lethal custom of honour killing. They also reported that there is no reliable evidence to prove the allegation against Ms. Shahul. 

In particular, it is alleged that the victim’s family and the police are intentionally trying to conceal the actual reason of the murder and the case may be disposed compoundable under the Ordinance of Qisas and Dayat. (According to the Ordinance of Qisas and Dayat, if the offender provide compensation to the victim’s family as they claimed, the offender can be released without any punishment.) In many cases of honour killings, the victim’s family often compromises with the accused according to the Ordinance of Qisas and Dayat after receiving big pressure from the society. 

In September 2003, a human rights organization in Pakistan has reported that at least 631 women and six girls died in “honor killings” perpetrated by their own relatives in Pakistan in the first eight months of 2003. These figures were based on newspaper reports and were not believed to include all of such killings. The actual number of honor killings is definitely much higher than the reported cases. The report found that husbands were responsible for 247 of the killings, brothers 112, fathers 54, sons 25 and uncles two.

Honor killings often occur on the pretext of maintaining honor. The male relatives who commit the murders are rarely prosecuted in traditional communities. It appears that any action, real or fabricated, if deemed by the family as compromising their honor, may be considered a valid reason to commit murder. Moreover, the rural landlords provide maximum shelter to the killers. And the decisions of such cases are taken by the landlords (tribal court) rather than by the courts of law. Therefore, it is difficult for the victims of this case to expect fair trials and justice. 

SUGGESTED ACTION: 
Please send a letter, fax or email to following addresses and express your concern about this serious case. 

1. General Pervez Musharraf
President 
Pervez Musharraf, Pakistan Secretariat, Islamabad 
PAKISTAN 
Fax: +92 51 922 4768/ 920 1893 or 1835 
Email: CE@pak.gov.pk

2.Hon. Mr. Ishrat-ul-Ibad Khan
Governor Govt. of Sindh 
Governor House Karachi 
Tel: +92 21 9201201-3 
E-mail: governor@governorsindh.gov.pk

3. Mr. Sayed Kamal Shah 
Provincial Police Officer, Sindh Police 
Central Police Office Karachi 
Tel: +92 21 9212626-7 
Fax: +92 21 9212051 

4. Syed Sultan Shah
Joint Secretary for Law, Justice and Human Rights 
Tel: + 92 51 920 3464
Fax: + 92 51 9203119

5. Ms. Yakin Erturk
Special Rapporteur on Violence against Women
OHCHR-UNOG
Palais Wilson, 8-14 Avenue de la Paix, 
1211 Geneva 10
SWITZERLAND 
Fax: 41 22 917 9022

6.Mr. Arif Hanif
Police Head Quarters Shikarpur
Tel: +92-761-515077, 512309

To support this case, please click here: SEND APPEAL LETTER