“Criminal acts against the suppressed women population of Pakistan are shamefully on the rise. Thus, PWA demands legislation against this horrendous crime should be enacted on priority basis as this threatening situation calls for immediate action”, she said. Moreover, she demanded, “Domestic & Family Violence Protection Act 2005 should be promulgated for providing safety and protection to women, children and girls in domestic and family relationships.”
“Court should give orders on the request of the aggrieved to restrain and prohibit the violent behavior of the respondent/violator, in order to prevent more deaths and further slaughter of women, which is alarmingly on the rise”, she said. Shehnaz Bukhari further held, “To handle the immediate situation, a civil order as temporary protection order should be given by Magistrate till the case has finally been decided. However, a respondent who breaches order (or disobeys) commits a criminal offence! If this legislation is done, the statute law will reflect the reality of domestic violence while repeated nature of abuse should also be treated more seriously”, she said.

As for the details of the case, five months pregnant and a mother of 8 months old baby girl, 18 years old Irum Shazadi was murdered by her own husband, Mohammad Asif; a drug addict, resident of Dhok Ali Akbar. In a marriage of 2 years, he often demanded money from her, and she was beaten black and blue for bringing no dowry. She was married in Sept 2003, from Dhok Awan.

Apparently Asif and his mother planned to get rid of the victim and thus, they rented an apartment at Pindi and took the lady from her parents house some 11 days back. Her brother visited Irum Shehzadi the night of the accident when she begged him to take her with him as Asif beated her cruelly. But a settlement was done as the husband touched his wife’s and her brother’s feet to excuse himself. Thus, her brother went home, not knowing that it was her last day of life. Finally the same night, on 28/7/05 night, the husband stabbed and suffocated his wife to death through tying her hands and legs with electric cord. A broken wooden rod and iron were found in her bedroom where she was killed.