ALL the pen and paper in the world are insufficient to describe the pain and torture inflicted on women. In Pakistan, all flat surfaces could be covered with stories of women who have been harassed, beaten, tortured and killed. Few women in the country can claim to have lived a life free from male harassment.

Today, we mourn yet another woman. Hina Javed was married to Faisal Asghar, a former professor with an alleged history of harassment, less than a year ago. She was found dead in the bathroom of the apartment she shared with her husband. Evidence at the scene pointed to a possible hanging. According to the FIR filed by Hina’s brother, there was proof of much more than that. It is reported that Hina was found with her hands tied. A wire was around her neck and tied to the shower rod. She also had a cloth stuffed in her mouth.

The post-mortem found that she had a broken neck and injuries to her ribs, hips and lips. The findings showed that she had been tortured. Blood pooled around her heart, and there appeared to be some evidence that she had been poisoned. The investigation is still underway. Hina’s husband has been arrested, and court proceedings are........

© Dawn