A pregnant woman in Narowal was murdered by her in-laws allegedly because she was about to give birth to a girl. Ishrat Bibi, a mother of three, was strangled to death by her mother-in-law and her husband who did not want a daughter.
The victim's brother told the police that his sister was constantly tormented by her husband and her mother-in-law for having two daughters and only one son. He further alleged that both the accused had previously forced Ishrat Bibi to have an abortion twice to prevent her from giving birth to girls, in addition to constantly torturing her with snide remarks.
Ishrat Bibi was expected to give birth to her third daughter two days after she was murdered. The police registered a case against the accused, Imran Saleem (the slain woman's husband) and Rashida Bibi (the mother-in-law). Bibi’s body was handed over to her relatives by the police after an autopsy was carried out in the Tehsil Headquarters (THQ) hospital.
Domestic violence, of which women are mostly the victims, is rampant in Pakistan. Despite legislation against the crime, women tend to stay silent and refrain from reporting violence they face at the hands of their own families.
According to the United Nations (UN), the Lifetime Physical and/or Sexual Intimate Partner Violence against women stands at 24.5 % and the same figure for the last 12 months stands at 14.5%. However, even these statics are not a true representation of the dire situation. The UN also estimates that one in two women who experience violence never report it.
The victim's brother told the police that his sister was constantly tormented by her husband and her mother-in-law for having two daughters and only one son. He further alleged that both the accused had previously forced Ishrat Bibi to have an abortion twice to prevent her from giving birth to girls, in addition to constantly torturing her with snide remarks.
Ishrat Bibi was expected to give birth to her third daughter two days after she was murdered. The police registered a case against the accused, Imran Saleem (the slain woman's husband) and Rashida Bibi (the mother-in-law). Bibi’s body was handed over to her relatives by the police after an autopsy was carried out in the Tehsil Headquarters (THQ) hospital.
Domestic violence, of which women are mostly the victims, is rampant in Pakistan. Despite legislation against the crime, women tend to stay silent and refrain from reporting violence they face at the hands of their own families.
According to the United Nations (UN), the Lifetime Physical and/or Sexual Intimate Partner Violence against women stands at 24.5 % and the same figure for the last 12 months stands at 14.5%. However, even these statics are not a true representation of the dire situation. The UN also estimates that one in two women who experience violence never report it.