GUL HAYAT holdings on‘KARO KARI’
Research By: -
Dr. Dur Muhammad Pathan
Email Address: - Gulahyat2010@gmail.com
Website: - www.drpathan.com
I intend to share District-wise figures of cases of anti-human crime Karo Kari with my friends and try to review the previous literature on the subject. Let us start with the way of defining this crime. In simple we can say that it is honour killing, honour murder, honour-based violence, violence against women and gender-based violence with various combinations.
Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia writes that: “A form of gender-based violence, an honour killing is the homicide of a member of a family or social group by other members, due to the belief the victim has brought dishonor upon the family or community. The killing is viewed as a way to restore the reputation and honour of the family.[1]
In Pakistan, honour killings are known locally as karo-kari (Sindhi: ڪارو ڪاري, Urdu: کاروکاری). Karo-
International Journal of Asian Social Science, 2013, 3(7):1467-1484 carries study of Sadiq Bhanbhro, M Rafique Wassan, Muhbat Ali Shah, Ashfaq A Talpur and Aijaz Ali Wassan. It is wonderful and informative ETHNOGRAPHIC STUDY. This study aims at “to discuss the wider context, in which honour murders occur, the social structures which contribute to the occurrence and perpetuation of the practice of honour murders. An ethnographic fieldwork was conducted in Jacobabad Sindh, Pakistan. The study found that honour murders were not solely driven by customs and traditions, but also by a feudal culture, maledominated social structures, the complicit role of state institutions and law enforcement agencies and a web of vested interests. Therefore, honour murders may be prevented by reducing the influence and interference of feudal lords on state institutions, in particular law enforcement agencies, and by promoting education that challenges a patriarchal and feudal mind-set in the community”.
A United Nations (UN) report on woman violence stated that one-third of woman population in the world suffers aggression from men,” quoted former chairperson of National Commission on the Status of Women, http://homepage.
Karo-Kari is an act of murder, in which a person is killed for his or her actual or perceived immoral behavior. Such "immoral behavior" may take the form of alleged marital infidelity, refusal to submit to an arranged marriage, demanding a divorce, perceived flirtatious behaviour and being raped.[3] Suspicion and accusations alone are many times enough to defile a family’s honour and therefore enough to warrant the killing of the woman. In patriarchal cultures, women’s lives are structured through a strict maintenance of an honour code. In order to preserve woman's chastity, women must abide by socially restrictive cultural practices pertaining to women's status and family izzat, or honour, such as the practice of purdah, the segregation of sexes. Honour killings are frequently more complex than the stated excuses of the perpetrators. More often than not, the murder relates to inheritance problems, feud-settling, or to get rid of the wife, for instance in order to remarry. Human rights agencies in Pakistan have repeatedly emphasized that victims were often women wanting to marry of their own will. In such cases, the victims held properties that the male members of their families did not wish to lose if the woman chose to marry outside the family.
HONOUR KILLING is seen as a part of religious right (although no religion accept it) as a Muslim (man or woman) when found guilty of adultery should be killed or stoned to death. The Muslim law practise is entirely different and complicated which involves many of legislative affairs (such as witnesses, character of witness, scene of crime, local and personal reports etc) and hardly a judge can issue such a death sentence. But in the name of honour killing MAN has to kill and appear before the court admitting the kill. This way his sentence can be reduced or considered subject to family of victim. If the family of victim are ordinary or poor people they can be bribed or forced easily to FORGIVE THE KILLER. Such practice is very cruel and unfortunately backed by local tribesmen, politicians although they officially deny such reports and issue statements but in reality they do not play their active role to end it. The one good reason is their involvement in the local feslo or jirgo [local tribe courts].
According to a recent survey conducted by Sindhi newspapers, some 300-400 people were murdered by honour killings in Sindh every year. The victims included about 80% women and 20% men. Human right Activists believe the figures are in fact much higher, since most honour killings go unreported. Sindh is only one of the regions in world where such incidents occur frequently”.
In 2011, human rights groups reported 720 honour killings in Pakistan (605 women and 115 men). Some discrepancy exists between reports. For instance Pakistan's Human Rights Commission reported that in 2010 there were 791 honor killings in the country,while Amnesty International cited 960 incidents of women alone who were slain in honour killings that year.
Over 4,000 cases were reported in Pakistan between 1998 and 2004. Of the victims, almost 2,700 were women and just over 1,300 were men; and 3,451 cases came before the courts. The highest rates were in Punjab, followed by the Sindh province. Lesser number of cases have also been reported in other provinces.
In my next posting, I will do my level to provide figures and facts of the crime. They will be District-wise, Gender-wise and Caste-wise along with the place where the crime occurred. My study will consist of names of Karos & Karis also.
2.Karo-kari is a cruel practice perpetrated especially in the province of Sind in Pakistan. Karo is a black man, and Kari a black woman, where 'black' means morally corrupt. It is a highly ritualized form of woman killing. To declare a woman aKari, there has to be a Karo, a black man, but the statistical data shows that although both are declared black, in 90 percent of the cases, it is the woman who is killed. The Karo either escapes or bargains for his life by paying money. There are necessary rituals, which have to be performed to validate this process. The accusation has to be made in advance vociferously. The couple is declared Karo-Kari in the village. This job is always done by the men of woman's family, especially the husband. Her grave is prepared in advance. There is no final bath or funeral prayer for her. No one is allowed to cry over her dead body. The village gives respect to the murderer. Separate grave yards for the Kariwomen have been established in the province of Sind in Pakistan. Lately, the patterns have changed in the custom of Karo-Kari . In many cases, there is no advance accusation. Before, mostly the wives were declared Kari, and now any woman of the family can be accused as a Kari immediately after her murder. This custom, in fact, has become an excuse for the murder of helpless women for reasons completely unconnected to the victims.
The following are few situations in which women have been denounced as Karis;
• When a husband killed a man of the enemy tribe for whatever reason, he would come home and kill his wife and declare both the victims as Karo-Kari. This declaration helped him escape a severe punishment and the village would regard him with respect. In such cases sometimes, the woman had not even seen the man with whom she was accused of misconduct.
• During a tribal/family feud, if the rival groups' man was killed accidentally, his body would be brought to the house immediately and any woman available on the premises (wife, daughter, sister-in-law or mother) would be killed immediately and it would be declared a Karo-Kari case.
•Material reasons- Husbands (now in many cases, uncles and brothers) would declare woman Kari for 'misbehaving' along with a rich man in the village. The husband could then extract money to pardon the accused man and then get rid of the wife/sister, etc. by killing her. The woman's share of property then went to him as well..
• In the villages where men pay bride price, the situation is worse for women. Once sold to a man they cannot ask for divorce if he abuses them. She is the man's property. If she protests, she is not divorced or sent back to her parents because the parents will have nothing to do with her after selling her off into marriage. If she protests, she is killed in the name of Karo-Kari. Sometimes the Karo is from another village and no one has ever seen him.
• In the rural areas of Pakistan, especially among the land-owning feudal class, a daughter's marriage is a well-calculated affair. To keep the property together, marriages are arranged within the family on the basis of exchange (watta-satta). In such cases, if the daughter or sister does not want to marry the person chosen by the family men, she faces dire consequences. Her defiance results in her death. Due to her refusal, she is labeled as disobedient. If she shows interest in getting married to someone of her own choice, and against the wishes of the family men, trouble begins. If she is determined to assert her right and gets married through the civil court, she has to face death. The crime of the girls in such cases is disobedience.
• In the areas where a bride price is set, young girls at the tender ages of 12 or 13 are sold to men of 60 or 70 years of age because the latter are willing to pay high prices. If a young girl protests, or runs away to avoid the impending marriage, she is murdered for being disobedient.
• When a husband killed a man of the enemy tribe for whatever reason, he would come home and kill his wife and declare both the victims as Karo-Kari. This declaration helped him escape a severe punishment and the village would regard him with respect. In such cases sometimes, the woman had not even seen the man with whom she was accused of misconduct.
• During a tribal/family feud, if the rival groups' man was killed accidentally, his body would be brought to the house immediately and any woman available on the premises (wife, daughter, sister-in-law or mother) would be killed immediately and it would be declared a Karo-Kari case.
•Material reasons- Husbands (now in many cases, uncles and brothers) would declare woman Kari for 'misbehaving' along with a rich man in the village. The husband could then extract money to pardon the accused man and then get rid of the wife/sister, etc. by killing her. The woman's share of property then went to him as well..
• In the villages where men pay bride price, the situation is worse for women. Once sold to a man they cannot ask for divorce if he abuses them. She is the man's property. If she protests, she is not divorced or sent back to her parents because the parents will have nothing to do with her after selling her off into marriage. If she protests, she is killed in the name of Karo-Kari. Sometimes the Karo is from another village and no one has ever seen him.
• In the rural areas of Pakistan, especially among the land-owning feudal class, a daughter's marriage is a well-calculated affair. To keep the property together, marriages are arranged within the family on the basis of exchange (watta-satta). In such cases, if the daughter or sister does not want to marry the person chosen by the family men, she faces dire consequences. Her defiance results in her death. Due to her refusal, she is labeled as disobedient. If she shows interest in getting married to someone of her own choice, and against the wishes of the family men, trouble begins. If she is determined to assert her right and gets married through the civil court, she has to face death. The crime of the girls in such cases is disobedience.
• In the areas where a bride price is set, young girls at the tender ages of 12 or 13 are sold to men of 60 or 70 years of age because the latter are willing to pay high prices. If a young girl protests, or runs away to avoid the impending marriage, she is murdered for being disobedient.
3.When a female be blamed with a male either having loving relationship/friendship or when someone eye witnessed them while mating, in a phrase having illegal relationships of male to a female or female to a male within their caste, creed, community or either out of their community or caste.
Most of the females got killed innocently due to their males enmity with other tribes, caste, community or some times within families due to many awesome reasons of their male egos!
Precise figures are hard to obtain, especially for the more remote rural and tribal areas; but Pakistan is thought to hold the world record in honour crimes.
During last decade or so thousands of case registered on Karo-Kari killing legitimate or unlegitimate according to Law Enforcement agency Police!
Many NGOs locally, regionally and internationally striving motivate social actors inside communities!
Masses in Pakistan either controlled by religious heads or by Tribal/heads of communities the conspiracy is that families of tribal heads prefer to live in metropolitan or cosmopolitan cities of world but when they come to their settlements/areas they banned their females to boundaries and Pardah/Hijab/Veil system even while travelling too. The case is same to religious heads. Both authorities in the name of religion/clan community order misleading the masses.
They aren’t in favor of welfare; Education or community based uplift of vast masses living under the dark shadows of Ignorance.
Masses in Pakistan either controlled by religious heads or by Tribal/heads of communities the conspiracy is that families of tribal heads prefer to live in metropolitan or cosmopolitan cities of world but when they come to their settlements/areas they banned their females to boundaries and Pardah/Hijab/Veil system even while travelling too. The case is same to religious heads. Both authorities in the name of religion/clan community order misleading the masses.
They aren’t in favor of welfare; Education or community based uplift of vast masses living under the dark shadows of Ignorance.
Our [Muslim] Holy Book Quran Kareem do tell us for equal opportunities for women and equal status to men without any distinction of color or creed. Karo Kari does not fall into one of these categories, so regardless of whether we belong to the system or not, we have a God-given duty to pass judgment on it as being evil.
Every Muslim should hate this murderous cultural practice and strive to see it eliminated because it runs contrary to Islam.
Due to these both factors, all struggle to get all vast masses communities onboard to basic Human Rights or equal rights for women, motivation goes into dumps of ignorance and illiteracy!
Hence sometimes all powerful denial forces come onboard but in absence they preach against the role NGOs as vulgar bodies against Islam and their tribal system reason is that their so called dominance should prevail.
Due to these both factors, all struggle to get all vast masses communities onboard to basic Human Rights or equal rights for women, motivation goes into dumps of ignorance and illiteracy!
Hence sometimes all powerful denial forces come onboard but in absence they preach against the role NGOs as vulgar bodies against Islam and their tribal system reason is that their so called dominance should prevail.
Karo Kari is the maddest form of human madness & violation of the code of “decent behavior
We will be discussing the crime and reviewing the previous literature but it is sole aim of my postings to compile the history of crime in systematic way and according to research methodology. God knows better how many innocent people have lost their lives and who was killed and where in the name of so-called Honour Killing. The task is too difficult and I will request readers, Social workers and Scholars to collect and compile list of killed people in respect of their villages, Talukas and Districts.
We can make Press reporting and FIRs as a Primary Source of information on the subject. We must offer our thanks to our Sindhi Press that has not only reported such cases but, have played its valuable role in creating awareness about discouraging and condemnation of this ugly and anti-human crime. Human-Rights organizations have also done wonderful work and documentation of the crime. But, I am of the opinion that we must have complete and comprehensive list of all names those were assassinated in the name of Honour Killing.
In this connection I have selected two important districts Larkano and Kambar-Shahdadkot and have tried to collect names. I am starting the story of sorrows and longings from 1996. Here are some names:
1. On 10th November 1996 Janat Khatoon was killed by her Husband in the area of PS Dari.
2. On 6th April 1996 Sakina was killed by her Husband in the area of PS Hydri.
3. On same date Rukaya was killed by her Husband in the area of PS Hydri..
4. On 28th July 1996 Zubeda was killed by her Husband in the area of PS Drigha.
5. On 12th September 1996 Chanessar & Hassina were killed by her in the area of PS Drigha.
6. On 2nd November 1996 Raheman was killed by her Husband in the area of PS Drigha.
7. On 28th April 1996 Shoukat Ali was killed in the area of PS Valid.
8. On 10th of June 1996 Zameran and Parveen were killed by their Uncle in the area of PS Valid.
9. On 14th October 1996 Ali Hassan was killed in the area of PS Valid.
10. 30th March 1996 Haleeman was killed by her Husband in the area of PS Dhamraha.
11. On 12th August 1996 Rachul was killed in the area of PS Dhamraha.
12. On 27th September 1996 Hubdar and Jairy were killed in the area of PS Dhamraha.
13. On 24th August 1996 Zuhira was killed in the area of PS Rashid Wagan.
14. On 28th March 1996 Anwar Ali was killed in the area of PS Ratodero.
15. On 8th April 1996 Zar Gul was killed by her Husband in the area of PS Ratodero.
16. On 15th October 1996 Zenat was killed by her Husband in the area of PS Waris Dino.
17. 9th November 1996 Bilqees was killed by her Husband in the area of PS Waris Dino.
18. On 24th February 1996 Reshman was killed by her brother in the area of PS Naudero.
19. On 22nd June 1996 Ali Sher was killed in the area of PS Naudero.
20. On 13th June 1996 Sihat Khatoon and Ali Hyder were killed in the area of PS Kambar.
21. On 12th September 1996 Habiban was killed by her husband in the area of PS Kambar.
22. 24th November 1996 Rahisa was killed by her husband in the area of PS Kambar.
23. 21st January 1996 Mashooq Ali was killed in the area of PS Drigha.
24. 24th June 1996 Ali Dost was killed in the area of PS Drigha.
25. 26th July 1996 Zameran was killed by her husband in the area of PS Drigha.
26. 4th January 1996 Ali Sher was killed in the area of PS Ghabidero.
27. 26th June 1996 Zahdan was killed by her brother in the area of PS Warah.
28. 18th July 1996 Peerani was killed by her uncle in the area of PS Gaji Khuhawar.
29. 4th April 1996 Sakina was killed by her husband in the area of PS Nasirabad.
30. 21st February 1996 Ghulam Rasool & Iqbal Khatoon were killed in the area of PS Shahdadkot.
31. 21st March 1996 Zulfiqar & Rahat Khatoon were killed in the area of PS Shahdadkot.
32. 2nd June 1996 Bakhtawar Khatoon was killed by her husband in the area of PS Shahdadkot.
33. 14th September 1996 Ashiq Ali & Raheman were killed in the area of PS Shahdadkot.
34. On 11th November 1996 Maryam Bibi was killed by her husband in the area of PS Shahdadkot.
35. On 28th November 1996 Noor Bibi was killed by her husband in the area of PS Shahdadkot.
36. On 16th February 1996 Deedar & Parveen were killed in the area of PS Mirokhan.
37. On 5th June 1996 Ayub & Hajan were killed in the area of PS Mirokhan.
38. On 7th June 1996 Qadirdad & Hooran were killed in the area of PS Mirokhan.
39. On 11th June 1996 Asif Ali & Amirzadi were killed in the area of PS Qubo Saeed Khan.
40. 28th March 1996 Ali Muhammad & Naz Bibi were killed in the area of PS Sujawal.
41. 25th April 1996 Naz Bibi was killed by her husband in the area of PS Sujawal.
42. On 11th June 1996 Gul Muhammad & Allah Waeai were killed in the area of PS Sujawal.
43. 20th May 1996 Amina Khatoon was killed by her husband in the area of PS Dokri.
44. 22nd June Mushtaq Ahmad & Shaheena Khatoon were killed in the area of PS Badah.
45. 9th June 1996 Muhammad Bux & Mai Chhutal were killed in the area of PS Bakrani.
46. 26th July 1996 Gulzar Khatoon was killed in the area of PS Bakrani
47. 27th September 1996 Niyani Khatoon was killed in the area of PS Keti Mumtaz.
48. 27th May 1996 Bellan Khatoon was killed in the area of PS Gaji Khuhawar.
The data collected by me reveals that 63 in total and out of it 44 are women innocent lives were snatched in the one year of 1996 in two districts of Larkana and Kambar Shahdadkot and this ugly crime was committed in various Police stations with the following details PS BADAH (01); PS Bakrani (03);PS Dari (01), PS Dhamraha (03); PS Drigha (06); PS DOKRI (01); PS Hydri (01); PS Gaji Khuhawar (02); PS Ghabidero (01); PS Kambar (03); PS Keti Mumtaz (01)PS Mirokhan (04); PS Nasirabad (01); PS Naudero (01); PS Qubo Saeed Khan (01); PS Rashid Wagan (01);PS RATODERO (02);PS Shahdadkot (07); PPS Sujawal (03); S Warah (01), PS Waris Dino Machhi (02) and PS Valid (03).
Castes and tribes found involved are:Abro; Bhatti; Bijrani; Bozdar; Budhani; Buriro; Chandio; Jato; Jeho; Joyo; Kalhoro; Khaskeli; Khoso; Korkai; Laghari; Lolai; Magsi; Markhand; Mastoi; Mugheri; Narejo; Sanani;Shaikh; Shar; Syed; Tragar; Umrani and Unar.
We will be discussing the crime and reviewing the previous literature but it is sole aim of my postings to compile the history of crime in systematic way and according to research methodology. God knows better how many innocent people have lost their lives and who was killed and where in the name of so-called Honour Killing. The task is too difficult and I will request readers, Social workers and Scholars to collect and compile list of killed people in respect of their villages, Talukas and Districts.
We can make Press reporting and FIRs as a Primary Source of information on the subject. We must offer our thanks to our Sindhi Press that has not only reported such cases but, have played its valuable role in creating awareness about discouraging and condemnation of this ugly and anti-human crime. Human-Rights organizations have also done wonderful work and documentation of the crime. But, I am of the opinion that we must have complete and comprehensive list of all names those were assassinated in the name of Honour Killing.
In this connection I have selected two important districts Larkano and Kambar-Shahdadkot and have tried to collect names. I am starting the story of sorrows and longings from 1996. Here are some names:
1. On 10th November 1996 Janat Khatoon was killed by her Husband in the area of PS Dari.
2. On 6th April 1996 Sakina was killed by her Husband in the area of PS Hydri.
3. On same date Rukaya was killed by her Husband in the area of PS Hydri..
4. On 28th July 1996 Zubeda was killed by her Husband in the area of PS Drigha.
5. On 12th September 1996 Chanessar & Hassina were killed by her in the area of PS Drigha.
6. On 2nd November 1996 Raheman was killed by her Husband in the area of PS Drigha.
7. On 28th April 1996 Shoukat Ali was killed in the area of PS Valid.
8. On 10th of June 1996 Zameran and Parveen were killed by their Uncle in the area of PS Valid.
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