ISLAMABAD (AP) — The beheading of a young woman in an upscale neighborhood of Pakistan’s capital has shone a spotlight on the relentless violence against women in the country. Rights activists say such gender-based assaults are on the rise as Pakistan barrels toward greater religious extremism. A Human Rights Watch report says data collected from domestic violence hotlines across the country showed a 200% increase in domestic violence between January and March last year. The numbers were even worse after March, when COVID-19 lockdowns began. An expert says the rise in violence is accompanied by an increase in ultraconservative and even extremist religious values in Pakistan.
Brutal killing spotlights violence against women in Pakistan
