Though the gender mainstreaming movements and voices against women prosecution have been gathering momentum across the globe over the past couple of decades, the plight of women in Sindh is becoming increasingly miserable and terrifying. The blood thirsty claws of patriarchy and misogyny have been fast preying on the life and sanctity of women and girls, particularly in rural areas of the province. Besides being the cause of woman’s persecution, feudal system hampers serving justice to victimised girls and women, a number of whom are butchered every year on frivolous charges related to honour, matrimonial disputes and personal animosities. Instead of adjudicating their cases in the court of law, the influential feudal class gets them decided through Jirgas in line with their misogynic rulings. In almost all cases the victim’s family is coerced into submitting to settlements under Jirgas whereby victim families are paid a couple of hundred thousand rupees as blood money….
Read the full story at the express tribune website.
