At least 66 women have killed in incidents of domestic violence in Balochistan in 2022, surpassing the previous year’s count of 57, the Aurat Foundation has revealed in its annual report for 2022.
Aurat Foundation is a rights organization that champions women’s rights in Pakistan. The foundation organizes seminars and campaigns throughout Pakistan to highlight the plight of women and carries out annual surveys to shed light on the rights abuses women face throughout the country.
In its annual report for 2022, the foundation revealed that at least 66 women were killed in incidents of domestic violence in Balochistan, surpassing the previous year’s toll of 57.
The report said that in 2022, 19 of the 66 victims were killed in the name of honour. Honour killing, also known as Karo Kari, is murdering someone for having relationships before or outside marriage. It is a common practice in the remote areas of Balochistan, and most of the victims are women. Two women had also committed suicide due to family pressure and domestic abuse, the report revealed.
In 2021, the number of women killed in the name of honour was 28. The report further revealed that eight women were kidnapped in 2021. But in 2022, the figure dropped to just two.
The foundation attributed rising incidents of domestic violence in Balochistan to a lack of justice and accountability. It said the only way to keep this practice in check is to bring the culprits to the witness stand.
Reacting to the findings of the report, Baloch women’s rights activists demanded the government take strong measures to curb incidents of domestic violence in Balochistan.