The restive Balochistan region in Pakistan has witnessed 47 incidents of violence against women in 2020, officials said recently.

In these incidents, 16 women lost their lives and seven were subjected to rape, reports Dawn News.

Director, Aurat Foundation, Balochistan, Alauddin Khilji, and member of the National Commission for Women, Balochistan, Fatima Khan, disclosed this while speaking at a joint press conference here on Sunday, the newspaper reported

They said 33 incidents of violence against women were reported in just four districts of the province — Quetta, Sibi, Turbat and Gwadar.

They said the investigation report for 2020 revealed that overall 2,297 incidents of different natures, including human rights violation, murders, women harassment, were reported in 25 districts of the province, Dawn News reported.

“The incidents during the coronavirus pandemic were reported in a very limited number,” Fatima Khan said, adding that the number of such incidents was still alarmingly high.

Alauddin Khilji was quoted as saying by Dawn News that 47 incidents of violence against women were reported in four districts of Balochistan — 29 from Quetta, 13 from Sibi, three from Turbat and two from Gwadar.

“One woman committed suicide, two were killed in the name of honour and 13 were abducted,” he added.

“In the last two months, 10 people were killed in the name of honour in five reported incidents in Balochistan," he said.

(IBNS)