islamabad: It is a pity that law enforcers lately have not been able to do much about the large-scale violence on our streets. So much of violence for such a long time we have seen that we have grown immune to it.
But that is outside of a house. Within the four walls, rampant violence against women goes on, and the law still does not recognise it as cognizable.
The Pakistan Penal Code does not even cover domestic violence, making attempts to seek redress cumbersome for victims as they have to pass through the procedural rigours of the penal code.
The situation requires separate legislation.
While the provinces of Sindh and Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa have passed their respective bills, Islamabad Capital Territory’s Domestic Violence Bill (DVB) still remains a weak draft.
In a country where domestic violence is largely considered a private affair, the need for legislation on this count becomes even greater, according to Lahore-based lawyer Saad Rasool.
Meanwhile, data compiled by Aurat Foundation and other women’s rights NGOs shows that crimes against women such as burning incidents, acid throwing, domestic violence and murder have risen at an alarming rate over the last decade.
The Sindh government passed its DVB on March 8, 2013, followed soon after by Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (K-P).
However the Islamabad Capital Territory (ICT) bill is still pending. It is currently being revised by a legal consultant at the National Commission on Status of Women (NCSW).
“The biggest hurdle is lack of political will and commitment to gender justice” rights activist Tahira Abdullah said.
However, she cautiously added, “I will not speculate on the current government’s intentions. Let us see how the revised DVB is treated once the women parliamentarians table it in the National Assembly.”
INTERNEWS
