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'56 women killed in Pakistan for giving birth to girls'

Rights group flays govt and civil societies' response to the crisis

Press Trust of India Lahore
A total of 56 women have been killed in Pakistan this year for giving birth to a girl, a rights body has said.

"A country where mothers are killed for giving birth to baby girls can't be called an ethical society," said I A Rehman, human rights activist and office-bearer of Human Rights Commission of Pakistan.

According to statistics, "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 against women in the country."
 
The report said 56 women were killed for giving birth to a girl rather than a boy.

"Young girls are being raped in Pakistan and all we do is shout rather that do anything practical," Rehman said earlier this week.

He said 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.

Ruling PML-N parliamentarian Hina Pervez said the Punjab Assembly would soon pass the Punjab Protection of Family Members from Violence Bill.

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First Published: Nov 28 2013 | 3:56 PM IST

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