Swat Tragedy: Five Women Murdered in 24 Hours

Niaz Ahmad Khan/ Syeda Seerat 

Peshawar: In a tragic 24-hour period from July 13 to 14, Swat witnessed the brutal murders of five women. 

On July 13, in Deolai, Tehsil Kabal, a man killed his wife and daughters before fleeing the country. The following day, in Chuprial, Tehsil Matta, a mother of four was shot dead allegedly by her husband in broad daylight over an unknown issue.

The police have classified both incidents as domestic disputes, but human rights organizations and many human rights activists o are condemning them as honor killings.

There, there is a widespread tendency to blame the victims, with many wrongly assuming that the women must have been at fault, thereby justifying the men’s violent actions.

According to “The Awakening,” a non-profit organization working on violence against women and women’s empowerment issues, as many as 34 women have been killed in Swat in the first six-and-a-half months of 2024. 

Among these, 10 were murdered in the name of honor, seven committed suicide due to dire circumstances, and the remaining 21 were killed for unknow reasons. 

Despite the severity of the situation, there has been little to no reaction from civil society, political organizations, or the general public, the rights activists deplored.

Irfan Hussain Babak, head of “The Awakening,” has highlighted troubling societal attitudes towards violence against women, suggesting that such acts and the resulting deaths are often dismissed as insignificant. 

Read More:https://thepenpk.com/honor-killing-claims-two-lives/

He emphasized the prevalence of victim blaming in these cases.

Babak also questioned the effectiveness of state institutions in preventing such violence. He recounted a recent incident in Kabul where a man murdered several family members and subsequently managed to escape the country. 

Babak raised a critical concern saying, “How did he manage to flee the country? This incident exposes serious flaws in the efficiency of our institutions, the police, and the entire system.”

Dr Shazia Hakim, a lecturer in Saidu Sharif who holds a PhD on the subject of honor killings, says, “There are clear laws regarding violence and murder against women. A special police force for women operates in Swat, yet incidents of this nature are increasing. These events prevent women from claiming their rights or expecting justice.”

Dr Hakim further explains that women face harassment and blackmail at workplaces, but cannot speak out in a male-dominated society. She identifies three main reasons for this:

“Firstly, women who face harassment and pressure often work out of necessity to support their families. They fear that speaking out against the harassment will damage their reputation, they will not receive justice, and can potentially lose the job. Instead, their credibility will be questioned. 

Secondly, they are concerned about their family’s honor, as they are often blamed at home as well.

Thirdly, they know that men hold authority. Decisions in offices, courts, or jirgas are made by men, and these decisions usually go against women. Thus, they are compelled not to seek justice.”

Neelum Rahim, a women’s rights activist, notes that such incidents have negative psychological effects on both working and non-working women. 

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She stated, “The psychological impact is severe, particularly on working women and students. They lose self-confidence and cannot even demand their legitimate rights. Many women abandon higher education because they fear such incidents might happen to them.”

In terms of governmental response, specific women’s desks and police stations exist, along with a provincial accountability commission for women. Nusrat Bibi, the director of Dar-ul-Aman in Swat, explains that they provide shelter, psychological treatment, legal aid, free food, and lodging to affected women.

They also offer skills training to help women become self-sufficient. Various NGOs also provide legal, rights, and aid training to these women.

SSP Bacha Hazrat, head of Swat Police Investigation Center, asserts that the police act according to the law in every crime and send the perpetrator to jail, however, it is the court which makes the final decision. 

It is pertinent to mention that Hazrat did not comment on whether any of the perpetrators of over 100 honor killings in the past five years have been punished.

Irfan Hussain in this regard points out that the law does not allow bail or settlements in honor killing cases, yet numerous cases can be recounted where courts have granted bail or exonerated the accused through settlements outside the court.

Regarding the murder of the mother of four in Chuprial on July 13th, the police have arrested the husband based on a complaint filed by their son. 

However, the question remains whether the son can endure the lengthy and painful judicial process to ensure his father receives punishment for his crime, or if he will pardon him that could lead to his release.

It is noteworthy that in honor killing cases, the state is the plaintiff, and the state does not settle with anyone for any crime.