Aitzaz Ahsan calls for women protection bill after Qandeel Baloch murder

Ahsan, who is also a prominent lawyer and senior leader of the Pakistan People’s Party (PPP), was addressing a session of the Senate. He said that Baloch was killed by two of her brothers, and expressed grave apprehension that they may be pardoned by her father.

He said that cleric Mufti Abdul Qavi had expressed his desire to marry Qandeel Baloch, which was rather shameful and had brought disrepute to him.

Moreover, he expressed disappointment over the role of the media in the handling of the issue. He said that the confessional statement of her brother was aired, but there was no outright condemnation over the murder of Baloch.

He said that the media has attempted to portray her brother as a hero, and it was likely that he would gain sympathies from the public. He questioned whether the so-called ‘honor’ had not arisen when her brother was using her money for various purposes including the establishment of a business.

He said that women were not given their religious and constitutional rights in the country. He was that brothers do not give women their due right in inheritance of property, but their ‘honour’ is aroused when she is conversing with an outsider or is not properly dressed.

Ahsan said that Baloch was murdered because her main fault was that she wanted to be an independent woman. Therefore, it was imperative that Protection of Women Act  be passed to protect the lives of women in the country.