Dear friends,
The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) has received another honor killings case from Sindh Province, Pakistan. According to the information received, Ms. Mehan (22) was shot dead by her nephew Altaf (25) at her house in in Mirzapur village, Shikarpur district, Sindh province early in the morning of 7 July 2004. After killing his aunt, Altaf claimed that he killed her because she had illicit sexual relations with a man named Mr. Dilshad. It is reported that Mr. Dilshad left the village because he feared being killed by Altaf.
AHRC strongly urges the local authorities to investigate this serious case and arrest and prosecute the perpetrator without delay. AHRC also strongly urges the local authorities to take action to prevent a possible jirga from settling this case. In our Urgent Appeal issued on 26 August 2004(see UA-28-2004), AHRC reported that a father of the victim who was killed by her husband was arrested by the police because he refused to accept the kirga decision and compensation.
Your urgent action is required to pressure the local authorities to investigate this serious case and arrest and prosecute the perpetrator.
Urgent Appeals Desk
Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC)
———————————————————
DETAILED INFORMATION:
Name of the victim: Ms. Mehan, 22 years old, married with two children, wife of Hajji Abdul Khaaliq (45), of Junjo tribe
Alleged perpetrator: Altaf, 25 years old, son of Abdul Majeed, a farmer, the nephew of the victim’s husband, of Junejo tribe, resides in Mirzapur village, Garhi Yasen sub-division, Shikarpur district, Sindh province, Pakistan
Complainant: Dur Muhammad, son of Aandal, a farmer, of Junejo tribe, the victim’s cousin, resides in Mirzapur village in Garhi Yasen sub-division, Shikarpur
Witnesses: 1) Moula Bux, son of Lal Bux, of Junejo tribe, 2) Anwar, son of Meeral, of Junejo tribe (both reside in in Mirzapur village, relatives of the victim’s husband and complainant)
Date of incident: 7 July 2004 at about 5:00am
Place of incident: Mirzapur village, Garhi Yaseen sub-division, Shikarpur district, Sindh province, Pakistan
Account of incident:
At about 5:00 am on 7 July 2004, Altaf (25) allegedly killed his aunt Ms Mehan (22) on the pretext of honor killing in Mirzapur village, Garhi Yaseen sub-division, Shikarpur district, Sindh province, Pakistan. Altaf suspected his aunt had illicit sexual relations with one of his relatives named Mr. Dilshad who lived in the same street as Ms Mehan and Altaf. After the incident the victim’s cousin Dur Muhammad lodged a complaint about the incident at Gaheja Police Station immediately. (Case First Investigation Report(FIR) No. 23/2004 under Section 302 Pakistan Penal Code) At the time of the incident, the victim’s husband was not at home because he had gone Karachi to buy some goods.
According to Dur Muhammad, Ms Mehan was given into marriage to his maternal cousin Hajji Abdul Khaaliq (45) and they have two children. At about 5:00 am of 7 July 2004, he heard loud shouts from Hajji Abdul Khaaliq’s house. He and his two relatives named above ran to Hajji Abdul Khaaliq’s house and they could clearly hear cries of a quarrel.
When he entered the house, Dur Muhammad saw that Altaf held a T.T pistol in his hand. Altaf was quarrelling with the family members (mainly women) of Hajji Abdul Khaaliq. Hajji Abdul Khaaliq was not at home at that time as he went to Karachi to buy some domestic animals. Dur Muhammad and his two relatives asked Altaf about the matter but instead of answering them, Altaf shot his aunt Ms Mehan with his pistol. Altaf then claimed that Ms Mehan had illicit sexual relations with Mr. Dilshad so he killed her and he fled from the place. Dur Muhammad and his relatives did not dare to catch him because he had a pistol. When they rushed to the victim, they saw that the bullet hit on the left side of her stomach and she had already died.
Dur Muhammad asked his relatives to stay with Ms Mehan’s body and went to the elder of his clan Mr. Imtiaz Khan to seek counsel about the incident. Mr. Imtiaz Khan advised him to report the case to the police station. Then Dur Muhammad lodged the First Investigation Report (FIR) at the Gaheja Police Station. At the police station, Dur Muhammad claimed that Ms Mehan was killed by Altaf due to false allegations.
According to villagers, Mr. Dilshad, who was alleged of having illicit sexual relations with the victim, left the village fearing that he would be also killed by Altaf.
The Gaheja police made a raid to arrest Altaf but he had already fled from the village and his whereabouts is unknown. Even though Dur Muhammad lodged a FIR at the Gaheja Police Station, the case has not been challenged before court and instead the police sent the case to the prosecution department for its opinion. Local human rights activists are concerned that a local council jirga may be held to settle this matter outside the court and the perpetrator will escape from the punishment as usual.
Pakistans jirga system continues to lead the country in feudal practices that are contrary to legal and human rights principles. The practice of honour killings is an atrocious form of violence against women that is committed almost daily within the country. While the jirgas allow and support this practice, it has been almost impossible to take effective legal action against the perpetrators.
In our Urgent Appeal issued on 26 August 2004(see UA-28-2004), AHRC reported that a father of the victim who was killed by her husband was arrested by the police because he refused to accept the decision and compensation made by the jirga, which have been held illegal under the Sindh High Court decision in Pakistan. Although the police were aware of the jirga being held, they did nothing to prevent this illegal act.
AHRC strongly urges the local authorities to investigate this serious case and arrest and prosecute the perpetrator without delay. AHRC also strongly urges the local authority to take action to prevent a possible jirga to settle this case outside court.
SUGGESTED ACTION:
Please send a letter, fax or email to the following addresses and express your concern about this serious case. And urge the authorities to arrest the perpetrator shortly.
