33 Countries of Origin’ Profiles

Major categories of crimes against women most prevalent in Pakistan are murder, kidnapping and rape/gang rape. Honour killing and suicide remained the major categories as indicated in different reports. Legal framework is not supportive to women, thereby aggravating the situation by leaving no breathing space to those who at times find it difficult to escape the vicious trap of violence. In Pakistan the underlying causes of violence are due to deep rooted social and cultural values. Sadly, women facing discrimination and violence cannot get support from society or the government. The government must formulate gender-sensitive policies in collaboration with the civil society so that crimes against women can be minimised. Such policies will help in changing attitudes in the long run 14 . “It’s our tradition,” one parliamentarian from Balochistan famously remarked when justifying the burying alive of some women in his province. Unfortunately, his argument resonates with the majority that perceives and justifies honour killings as cultural tradition. These traditions persist because they have been allowed to persist by the state, by the laws and by the clergy. Government has been reluctant to clamp down on religious extremist groups to preserve their vote bank. This covert support has had enormous implications for the fight against extremism and issues such as gender violence. Recently, the Council of Islamic Ideology (CII) proposed its own women protection bill, recommending ‘a light beating’ for the wife if she defies the husband. Such regressive proposals seek to legalise violence against women on religious grounds. Following the proposal, the chairman of the CII drew fierce criticism, persuading many Pakistanis to rally for the council to be permanently disbanded. But given patronage-based politics, the chairman remains protected and the council unchallenged 15 . 1 4 https://idjournal.co.uk/2017/01/29/gender-based-violence-in-pakistan/ 15 http://dailytimes.com.pk/opinion/14-Jun-16/gender-based-violence-in-pakistan