Muhammad Tayyab

Supreme Court of Pakistan has directed for appointment of female investigation officers in all police stations of the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa for investigation of honor killings.

Justice Qazi Faiz Isa issued these directions during the hearing of bail application of an accused Janab Ali. Advocate Astaghfirullah appear on behalf of the accused.

At this occasion, Justice Isa called the DIG Mardan before the bench and directed him to appoint women investigators at police station levels. At this occasion, he also issued directions to the KP government as well.

The accused, along with his son is alleged to have murdered his daughter-in-law Huma Bibi. He has approached the apex court after the Peshawar High Court turned down his bail application. However, the apex court ordered his release on bail after the arguments.

Muhammad Fayyaz, a Peshawar based crime reporter termed the appointment of women police investigators at police station level as a significant development. He said that the incidents of honor killings were in the rise across the province.

Earlier last year, 13 women were killed in incidents of honor killing in provincial capital. However, there was evidence of women violating local honor codes was never brought to the fore.

Women police investigators are expected to help resolve cases where murders of females are colored as honor killing.

Mr Fayyaz said that these appointments will help shed light on mysteries behind the honor killing in the society. He said that in many cases women were murdered on other pretexts, however, later the killings were dubbed as honor related.

Khushnod Advocate, a woman rights activist also termed it as positive development and help reduce crimes against women. “It was necessary to have women police investigators on board in the investigation of

He said that the provincial government should immediately implement the SC decision and appoint women investigators in all police stations, particularly those in remote and poor areas.

Mr Khushnod said that it will help women to clearly express their issues. Besides, he said that it will also make police department job of investigating crimes against women easier.

“It will also help reduce crimes against women,” he said.

Farhadullah Afridi, a Peshawar based lawyer with expertise in criminal cases said that the appointment of women investigators will positively impact the investigations. He said that it will also ensure fair investigations of crimes against women.

Mr Afridi said that women cops role was clear in 2002 and 20017 police legislation and it was necessary for government to appoint female investigators at police station level.

Besides, he said that a thorough and fair investigation was the only way to the punish murderers. He said that it was necessary to have women investigators on board in cases involving honor killings and other crimes against females. “In most of such cases the absence of women investigators benefits the accused,” he said.

Besides, he said that most of the accused also go scot free from courts due to the faulty investigations.

“It was need of the hour to have women investigators in probes of sexual and other crimes against women,” he said.