It’s women everywhere, a rare sight in a regular Pakistani government office. But this one in Multan in Punjab province is different. Touted as South Asia’s first Violence Against Women Centre, the building is a refuge for women fleeing violence and torture.

Nearly 9,000 women are subjected to torture and abuse by family members and relatives every year in Pakistan. Some of them are killed in the name of “honour”, says Naeem Mirza, executive director of Aurat Foundation, a non-profit working among women. In some cases, the killers and abusers get reprieve through parallel Islamic laws.

Last year, the Pakistani Parliament passed the anti-rape and anti-honour killing laws in a bid to check this violence. But one law that attracted most criticism from the clergy was the Punjab Protection of Women against Violence Act of 2016. This Act promises to take the abusers, including husbands, to task. Clerics, however, believe the law is un-Islamic. The Multan centre that opened on March 25 draws its powers from this legislation. The giant office complex has a court, a police station, a mini-hospital and legal and counselling services. The Centre caters to the Multan Division, which has a population of over 8 million.

The Violence Against Women Centre in Multan has a court, a police station, a mini-hospital and counselling services, and caters to areas with a population of over 8 million

In the first 10 days of the Centre, 62 cases have been reported and one was registered. Namreen Muneer, the police inspector in-charge, says the centre offers protection to the victims. “Most women who came to the centre told me they felt secure here. They leave satisfied as we not only reprimand the abusers, but also promise to register a case if they beat them again,” she says.

But the fight is not easy as several men in the area feel threatened by the centre. Ambreen Aslam, who works as a psychologist there, says it is a societal problem. “In Pakistani society, men had always been considered the authority over women. Even working women do not enjoy freedom.”

Usually, most number of acid attack cases are reported during the wheat crushing season. “Farmers in Multan and elsewhere buy acid during the crushing season. That’s when most acid burn cases are reported. Angry husbands throw acid on their wives after even minor arguments,” says counsellor Silvat Shafi. This year’s crushing season began in April, and Ms. Shafi hopes there will be fewer such incidents this time as the new law is in place. The law empowers women to keep their abusive husbands away from homes. The centre, with help from the police, puts bands on the hands of abusive men. “That’s how we monitor their movements and if they try to go back to the house without informing the centre, they will be arrested,” says Ms. Shafi.

Landmark law

The brain behind this landmark law is Salman Sufi, who heads the Strategic Reforms Unit of Punjab Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif, younger brother of Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif. He plans to open such centres across Punjab in two years. Asked how the centre would survive even as the number of abuse incidents are on the rise, Mr. Sufi tells The Hindu: “Time has come that we not only accept the ugly face of our society but take it head on. We preach respect for women and the elderly but in reality we do exactly the opposite. This centre is a challenge to the mindset and the system that our society has been endorsing. We now have to eliminate this menace once and for all.”

Mr. Sufi says he is appalled by the hypocrisy in society. “We take the name of Islam and tell all the good things about the religion to our children. Then we must bring out the true face of our religion. Don’t chain your women. Let them be what they want to be.”

Mubashir Zaidi writes for The Hindu and is based in Karachi.