2020 proved to be another bad year for women in Balochistan as 66 were killed due to domestic violence and other reasons.
The women Foundation Balochistan released its annual report on the situation of violence against women in Balochistan from January to December 2020, according to which 66 women were killed in 118 different incidents in 2020.
The Women Foundation Balochistan released a survey report on violence against women in 18 different districts of Balochistan during the last year, which includes detailed statistics on honor killings and other deaths due to domestic violence, suicide, kidnapping and rape.
According to the report, a total of 84 such incidents took place between January and December, which included 66 women and 18 men, of which 33 women and 18 men were killed in honor killings.
“There were 12 incidents of domestic violence against women while 3 women committed suicide and 12 women were abducted,” the report stated.
According to the survey report, out of 118 incidents of violence, 8 incidents of sexual abuse of women and children have been reported. In different incidents 22 women in Quetta, 1 in Barkhan, 10 in Jaffarabad, 29 in Naseerabad, 7 each in Pishin and Jhal Magsi lost their lives. 16 other deaths were reported from Khuzdar, Qila Abdullah, Sibi, Kachi, Bolan and Kalat.
“Similarly, 17 incidents were reported from Panjgur, Loralai, Noshki and Mastung, while four incidents happened in Qila Saifullah, one each in Lasbela and Dera Bugti, five in Kech and Turbat, and three in Kohlu and Sohbatpur”.
It should be mentioned that Large-scale demonstrations took place in Balochistan in 2020 in response to the killings of women. The major demonstrations were held in response to the killing of Malik Naz, Kulsoom, Naz Bibi, Shahina Shaheen and the injury of a child, Bramsh Baloch.
Malik Naz was killed and her daughter Bramsh Baloch were injured in June in Dannuk area of Kech, where gunmen burgled into her house and targeted her. In the same month, gunmen stormed a house in Dazain area of Tump, brutally slaughtering and killing Kulsoom in front of her four children, and looted precious goods.
Similarly, anchorperson and artist Shahina Shaheen was shot dead in September. After an investigation under public pressure, the police named her husband as the culprit in the murder case, who has not been arrested so far.
In all three cases, civil society, including political and social circles, blamed the state-backed death squads. It is alleged that the “Pakistani army and intelligence agencies have formed death squads in various regions of Balochistan”.
In addition, in July, Pakistani forces conducted an operation in Nishpa area of Harnai where a young girl named Naz Bibi was killed along with her father Qaisar Chilgari and two other children.