56 killed for giving birth to girl child in Pakistan

Lahore: Fifty-six women have been killed in Pakistan this year for giving birth to a girl rather than a boy, human rights activist I.A. Rehman was quoted as saying by The Express Tribune on Monday at a symposium here.

“A country where mothers are killed for giving birth to baby girls can’t be called an ethical society,” Rehman said.

From January 2012 to September 2013, there were also 90 acid attacks on women, 72 cases of burning caused by other means, 491 cases of domestic violence, 344 cases of gang rape and 835 cases of violence, he said.

“Young girls are being raped in Pakistan and all we do is shout rather than anything practical,” he said. Rehman said that giving girls and boys equal access to education and introducing a uniform education system for the rich and the poor would bring about positive changes in Pakistan. “It has taken us 62 years to say that education is a basic right,” he said.

Supreme Court Advocate Shamsa Ali said a third of seats in local government should be reserved for women.