1. FRCE Research Report on KARO KARI Issue in Sindh
Foundation of Research & Community Empowerment
Website www.frce.org (under construction at present)
Email: foundationrce@gmail.com
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/frce.ngo.5
Twitter: https://twitter.com/
2. Contents
1. Introduction
2. What is Karo Kari
3. History of Karo Kari
4. Causes of Karo Kari
5. FRCE Observation
6. Reference
3. Brief Introduction of Karo Kari in Pakistan
Violence against women is not confined to our country alone but its prevalence is evident across
the world. Violence against women is a phenomenon that takes several identifiable forms and
cuts across national, ethnic and social backgrounds. In Pakistan certain social precedents, call
them customs or traditions justify acts of torture, violence and murder infused with a sense of
righteous pride. The worst of such customs is that of so-called ‘honour’ killings. In Baluchistan,
the act of ‘honour’ killings is termed siyahkari, karo kari in Sindh, in NWFP tor tora, and kala
kali in the Punjab. In all four provinces of our country there are areas where this custom persists
in its worst forms even today. On the accusation of illicit relations, women and men are
murdered, although women form the majority of victims. The primary reaction to these acts is
silence. Majority of the population consider such actions justifiable.
FRCE wants to shed some more light on what this issue Karo Kari and its history and how many
women were killed and reported in the newspapers on the name of Karo Kari
What is Karo Kari
Kari is a type of premeditated honor killing, which originated in rural and tribal areas of Sindh,
Pakistan. The homicidal acts are primarily committed against women who are thought to have
brought dishonor to their family by engaging in illicit pre-marital or extra-marital relations. In
order to restore this honor, a male family member must kill the female in question.
History of Karo Kari.
Karo-kari has basically been a custom practiced by certain tribes. Historically, the practice had
been alien to the liberal society of Sindh, which came face to face with it in the 13th century
when a magnanimous wave of certain tribes migrants crossed into Sindh after Mongols invaded
their land. But this custom was very sporadic and confined only to some of those tribes settled in
Sindh.
Causes of Karo Kari
The reports and karo kari trends revealed that usual causes for killing women were: husband’s
dislike for his wife, desire for second marriage, to extract money, to get a new woman in penalty
4. from the rival tribe and to disgrace a rival. The exact number of karo-kari cases in the country
has remained unascertainable since the killings are often hushed up.
FRCE Observation
Local and national media have reported 215 cases of Karo Kari from 1st Jan 2012 to 20th Nov
2012.After analyzing data FRCE research team has come at conclusion that that more than 80
per cent of karo-kari killings took place only in northern Ares of Sindh and the most important
findings in this research study was that almost 85 per cent of the cases of karo-kari were
committed in the tribal origin people of the northern Sindh.
References (1st Jan 2012 to 20th Nov 2012)
Newspaper Email address
Dwan http://dawn.com/
Daily times www.dailytimes.com
Jang www.jang.com
Umat www.umat.com
NEWS www.news.com
dailyeonline www.awamiawaz.com/
Hilal-e-Pakistan www.dailyhilal.com/
Ibrat www.dailyibrat.com/
Kawish www.dailykawish.com/
Koshish
Mehran www.dailymehran.com/
Sach
Safeer
Shaam
Sindh www.sindhhyd.com/
Sindhu
Sobh www.dailysobh.com/
