'Honour killings': Pakistan closes loophole allowing killers to go free

Pakistan's government has closed a loophole allowing those behind so-called honour killings to go free.

New legislation means killers will get a mandatory life sentence.

Previously, killers could be pardoned by a victim's family to avoid a jail term. Now forgiveness will only spare them the death penalty.

It is being seen as a step in the right direction in a country where attacks on women who go against conservative rules on love and marriage are common.

According to the independent Human Rights Commission of Pakistan (HRCP), nearly 1,100 women were killed by relatives in Pakistan last year in such killings, while many more cases go unreported.

The loophole allowed the perpetrators of "honour killings" - often a relative acting on the pretext of defending family "honour" - to avoid punishment because they can seek forgiveness for the crime from another family member.

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Pakistan and 'honour killings'

• Qandeel Baloch: 'She was a girl just like you'
• A murder that reflects a divided nation
• Samia Shahid's father dismisses 'honour killing' claim
• Who are the Pakistani group proposing to 'lightly beat' women?
• Pakistan honour killings 'on the rise'
• The 'digital hate' faced by Pakistan's female journalists

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'First step'

In recent months, a number of high-profile deaths have made headlines both in Pakistan and abroad, including the killing of British woman Samia Shahid in July, allegedly by her father and her former husband.

The same month, Pakistani social media celebrity Qandeel Baloch was strangled to death, allegedly killed by her brother in the province of Punjab.

The amended law was debated by Pakistan's National Assembly for four hours on Thursday, before being passed unanimously.

Campaigners have been calling for tougher legislation to protect women from violence for years.

A 2005 amendment to the law pertaining to "honour killings" prevented men who kill female relatives pardoning themselves as an 'heir' of the victim.

Pakistani activist and filmmaker Sharmeen Obaid - who won an Oscar earlier this year for a documentary on "honour killings" - paid tribute to the people who had worked to get the bill through.

"It may not change much over night but it is certainly a step in the right direction," she said in a Facebook post. "And today I am proud that we have gone the distance on this bill."

Others were more cautious, raising concerns over the fact the bill still allows a judge to decide whether a murder qualifies as an 'honour killing' or not.

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Will not let govt function if Nawaz doesn't present himself for accountability

RAIWIND: Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf chairman Imran Khan, while addressing the much-hyped public gathering at Raiwind, said PTI will not let the government function after Muharram if Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif fails to present himself for accountability.

Imran was addressing thousands of PTI supporters gathered at Adda Plot in Raiwind.

The PTI chief said the incumbent leaders have lost their conscience and claimed that more than Rs8 billion has been spent for the security of Jati Umra, residence of Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif.

"Nawaz Sharif was caught red handed in the Panama leaks issue, and he is accused of laundering money," claimed Imran.

He questioned NAB Chairman Qamar Zaman Chaudhry for not carrying out proper investigations against Nawaz after the offshore accounts were revealed.

The PTI chief also threatened to shut down Islamabad after Muharram if the prime minister did not present himself for accountability by then.

"Then I will announce the future line of action," he said.

A view of PTI Raiwind March against Panama papers leak. —Online

PTI condemns Indian atrocities in Kashmir

The leaders of Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf also strongly condemned the recent atrocities committed by Indian forces in held Kashmir against the innocent and unarmed Kashmiris.

Imran Khan and PTI lawmaker Arif Alvi said that local residents are facing real hardships in India.

The PTI chief said that he believes in peace, not war. "Nations equipped with nuclear weapons should not be thinking of war."

He added that India's intelligence agency [RAW] is responsible for the unstable law and order situation in Karachi.

“Pakistan will continue to support the cause of the Kashmiri people till they get their right of self-determination,” said Arif Alvi.

Senior party leaders including Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Pervez Khattak, Shah Mehmood Qureshi and Abdul Aleem Khan were present at the gathering.

Thousands of PTI supporters from different parts of the country had gathered at Adda Plot on Raiwind Road on Friday to protest against the incumbent government.

A 40-feet-high stage was erected and seating arrangements were made at Adda Plot — close to the prime minister’s Jati Umra residence.

The PTI supporters came in great numbers to participate in the “accountability movement” seen by many as a “do-or-die” act of Imran Khan.

The party had appealed to its workers from all over the province to gather at the Adda Plot in Raiwind. A large number of of female supporters also attended the gathering.

Around 7,000 policemen were deployed for the security of Raiwind march.

The rally was organised by the PTI to put pressure Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif and his family to explain their position over “proof of their corruption” published in the Panama Papers some six months ago.

The PTI urged Nawaz Sharif to present himself for accountability in the Panama leaks scandal.

Earlier in the day, PML-N workers had staged a protest in Peshawar. "Instead of worrying about his political success, Imran Khan should worry about the defence of the country," said a PML-N worker taking part in the protest.

"If he had gone to Wagah border instead of marching to Raiwind, we would have accompanied him," he added.

The protesters said Nawaz Sharif has guided the country onto the path of success. They added that instead of putting hurdles in the way of success, Imran Khan should focus on the problems being faced by people in Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa.

The N-League workers stressed "the country is in need of some serious politics".

Nawaz Sharif was one of the 259 Pakistani citizens who's names appeared on a list linking them to off-shore companies in one of the world’s biggest ever data leaks, earlier this year.

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