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Human Rights Group Says Honor Killings on the Rise In Pakistan - 2002-12-12


An independent Pakistani human rights groups says at least 461 women have been murdered this year by family members in so-called "honor killings."

The Human Rights Commission for Pakistan says the figure represents an increase of almost 25-percent from last year. The report is based on information from two Pakistani provinces -- Punjab and Singh.

A senior official with the human rights group, Kamila Hayat says police in Pakistan either do not arrest men involved in "honor killings" or, if arrested, they are not treated like murderers.

In such killings, women are murdered to protect the family's honor for behaviors including having sex outside of marriage, dating, talking to men or being raped.

But a Pakistani Interior Ministry official (Javed Iqbal Cheema) tells the Associated Press that Islamabad has changed laws to give more protection to women.

Earlier this year, an anti-terror court sentenced six men to death for their involvement in the tribal-ordered gang-rape of a woman in rural Pakistan after the rape drew international condemnation.

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