WASHINGTON – The government of Pakistan and its people are determined to tackle the deplorable practice of “honour killing” which has no religious or cultural motivation, Pakistan’s Ambassador to the United States Jalil Abbas Jilani said at the screening of a documentary that has won Oscar award this year.
The Heritage Foundation organised the screening of a Pakistani documentary ‘A Girl in the River: the price of forgiveness’, by Sharmeen Obaid Chinoy who has become an iconic figure both in Pakistan and abroad. The documentary has highlighted the issue of honour killing, a social evil whose roots in South Asia can be traced back to centuries ago.
The movie sheds light on gaps in the legal systems that need to be plugged to end this menacing practice. He said that this documentary would consecrate the resolve of the Pakistani people to end this heinous problem from the society.
“As I speak before you today, I can testify to the fact that I represent a country which is transforming for the better. Pakistan is a vibrant democracy. We have an assertive parliament, a ruthlessly free media, an independent judiciary and an active civil society including women organisations working for the betterment of people,” he said.
He said Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif screened the film at his office and vowed to take action to eliminate this scourge. He said that it was through introspection and self-critique that the society would be able to evolve remedial measures to rid our society of such practices. “The incidence of this practice is diminishing since the issue has been in the media spotlight in recent years. This documentary and the international acclaim it has received would constitute an important milestone in that direction,” he said.
He told the audience that Pakistan’s Constitution guarantees full participation of women in all spheres of national life. The government has taken various steps to promote and protect their political, economic, social and cultural rights, and substantial steps have been taken to eliminate different forms of discrimination against women, he said.
The Oscar-award winning documentary is a story magnifies a social evil perpetrated against women in far flung areas of Pakistan. However, the ambassador said, it was more important to take note of the success story that it signifies. This success story is exemplified by the film maker, Chinoy, represents the introspective sentiment of a dynamic society that forms a defining characteristic of Pakistan today. Most importantly she represents contemporary women in Pakistan – able and willing to stand up in seeking remedial action with regard to social injustice, he said.
He said that Pakistan is a successful example of political participation and empowerment of women. “Pakistan has a tradition of political participation by women, as 30 per cent of our Parliamentarians – at both provincial and federal level – are women. This number is higher than many developed countries of the world,” he said.
He said the active participation of women has led to at least half a dozen laws on protecting and promoting women rights. The Parliament has passed landmark legislation on preventing violence against women and to protect women’s social and economic rights. These include Domestic Violence Prevention and Protection Bill (2013), Protection Against Harassment of Women at Workplace Act (2010), Acid Control and Crime Act (2011) etc.
The provincial governments have also started taking notice of women’s issues. The Punjab Assembly recently enacted the Punjab Protection of Women Against Violence Act (2015). He said the documentary underscores the will of Pakistani women and society as a whole to stand up to such deplorable practices and rid the society from these evils.
