The Special Committee on Gender Mainstreaming of Pakistan’s National Assembly has expressed serious concern over delays and gaps in addressing crimes against women, highlighting shortcomings in the implementation of laws designed to prevent honor killings and other forms of gender-based violence. The committee called on provincial governments to strengthen law enforcement and close procedural loopholes to ensure justice for victims.
During its latest meeting chaired by Dr. Nafeesa Shah, the committee reviewed a recent honor killing case in Balochistan involving Mst. Bano Bibi and Ehsan Ullah. The victims, a couple who had married for love, were reportedly killed on the orders of a tribal jirga after being lured to a gathering by their families. Authorities became involved some 30–40 days after the incident, prompted by the circulation of a video of the crime on social media. The Balochistan government registered a terrorism case in the absence of any formal complaint by relatives or local residents.
The committee expressed alarm at the delay in prosecution and the non-submission of the police investigation report in this case. While some suspects have been arrested, the main perpetrator remains at large, prompting the committee to instruct Balochistan officials to improve their criminal case tracking systems and report back with a refined mechanism for monitoring cases from registration to conviction.
The session also addressed the broader issue of honor-based killings in Pakistan, noting that such crimes continue due to deficiencies in the enforcement of the 2016 law intended to combat them. The committee urged all provinces to adopt stronger measures to enforce this legislation to prevent further tragedies.
Additionally, the committee reviewed a recent case of marital rape in Karachi, where a 19-year-old Hindu woman named Shanti died in hospital after allegedly suffering abuse from her husband. Despite a reporting delay, the Sindh Police acted quickly to investigate, submit charges, and secure a confession from the accused. While commending the police response, the committee condemned the brutality of the case.
The meeting was attended by members of the National Assembly and Senate, as well as senior officials from federal and provincial agencies. The committee also extended condolences to victims of recent floods in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, expressing solidarity with affected communities.
