ISLAMABAD: The Women Democratic Front (WDF) has declared a countrywide “femicide emergency” over the rising incidents of killings of women and gender-based violence in Pakistan, demanding transparent investigations into all such cases, including the murder of Hina Javed, and the arrest and prosecution of all nominated and involved suspects.
Addressing a press conference at the National Press Club, Islamabad, WDF leaders, along with Hina Javed’s cousin and family spokesperson Sabah Bano Malik, called for a complete and fair investigation into the killing of the 45-year-old digital media professional.
According to the speakers, Hina Javed was allegedly tied up and strangled to death at her home in Rawalpindi on August 20, while an attempt was made to portray the incident as suicide. They said her husband and a domestic worker had been arrested, but her father-in-law, who was nominated in the FIR, had not yet been arrested.
Sabah Bano Malik said Hina Javed was a dignified and sensitive woman who cared for her parents. She demanded that every person involved in the murder and in concealing evidence be brought before the law. She also called for a transparent forensic-based investigation to ensure justice for the victim.
WDF Federal Secretary Education Zoya Rehman said the state would have to take coordinated and effective measures at the national level against the killing of women and domestic violence. She said domestic violence should not be treated as a private or family matter, but as a serious threat requiring an immediate response.
She called for the police to be bound to carry out immediate risk assessment on every complaint of domestic violence. She said affected women must be provided immediate protection, legal assistance, safe shelter and financial support.
Zoya Rehman also demanded the establishment of a national femicide register to record previous complaints by women, the relationship between the victim and the accused, court proceedings and the outcome of cases. She said the data should be made public on a regular basis.
WDF Islamabad-Rawalpindi unit General Secretary Anum Rathore said the state could not remain limited to condolence statements when hundreds of women had been killed in six months. The speakers referred to Sahil’s “Six Months Cruel Numbers Report”, saying that during the first six months of 2026, 3,172 incidents of gender-based violence were recorded in Pakistan through media monitoring.
They said the reported incidents included 644 murders and 132 so-called honour killings. The speakers added that these figures were based only on cases reported in the media.
WDF Deputy General Secretary and lawyer Neha Tauseef said laws against domestic violence existed, but their implementation remained extremely weak. She said the police should be made responsible for immediate risk assessment on every complaint and for taking practical protective measures.
She also called for an effective mechanism to reinvestigate suspicious suicides of women who had a history of domestic violence.
Rida Rashid appealed to trade unions, student organisations, women’s groups and democratic movements to support a joint struggle and charter for ending killings and violence against women and transgender persons.
The WDF leaders demanded that all those involved in the murder of Hina Javed and other killings of women be brought to justice through transparent and credible investigations.
