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I. Introduction
World Economic Forum has placed Pakistan as the third least performer in addressing gender-based violence or violence against women. In its recent Gender parity report of 2020, Pakistan has done less than the expectation. The country stood 151 out of 153 countries in the current gender index (Achakzai, 2019). Reports suggest that 93% of Pakistani women experience sexual violence at various stages of their lives (Kazi, 2017). This is an alarming situation while seeing so many different laws and acts have been passed by Pakistan and provincial governments to curb violence against women. Still, the number of gender-based violence is increasing. In this research paper, we examine historical accounts of an analysis of gender-based violence in Pakistan and use our first-hand data collected through in-depth informal discussion while using purposive sampling. In the study, ten in-depth interviews were conducted in an informal setting with the women in Hyderabad, Sindh.
Besides primary data, the authors have looked at the newspapers reporting violence against women, especially news items related to the Sindh province of Pakistan.
At the outset, we argue that there is strong evidence that the cases of violence are under-reported. In many cases, violence against women, especially the domestic forms of violence, is largely unreported. Usually, it is not considered as an act of violence by the families, community, and individuals in a Pakistan's dominant male society. In the paper, the analysis found a pattern of high-profile cases. These cases were reported continuously for a long time; those high-profile cases had connections with political and influential figures, family, tribe, clan, and caste. A majority of incidents were reported as routine news and were not given much attention. In this way, the issue and cases of violence against women show strong sociopolitical and economic factors. For instance, in the cases of love and eloped marriages, the family, community, tribal, and caste determines the crime of violence to preserve ‘Izzat' and use masculine power and authority.
Our study shows that violence against women in Pakistan is rampant and has become a chronic social and public policy issue. It is not limited to a particular region, ethnic group, class, age, or gender, but it is widespread in society. However, woman and girl is the most affected...