ISLAMABAD, Pakistan Amnesty International slammed the Pakistan government on Friday for what it called a disturbing indifference to women's rights. The London-based organization was reacting to last week's killing of a young woman in Pakistan's eastern Punjab capital of Lahore because she wanted a divorce from her abusive husband. Samia Imran was shot and killed by a gunmen hired by her parents who accused their daughter of dishonor them with her request for a divorce.

Ms. Imran's lawyers and prominent Pakistani human rights activists, Asma Jehangir and her sister Hina Jillani, have been receiving death threats since the shooting. The threats issued in Urdu-language newspapers, on telephone and in letters accusing the two women of misguiding women. By remaining silent in the face of such blatant incitement to murder and by taking no effective action against those responsible for the so-called honor killing of a young woman, the government of Pakistan has displayed a disturbing indifference to women's rights, said an Amnesty International statement received on Friday. Provincial Punjab Minister of Social Welfare Pir Bilyamin Rizvi argued that his government has given top priority to human rights.

He also said orders have been given to the police to arrest the gunmen who killed Ms. Imran, although it wasn't clear whether her parents also would be arrested. Rizvi said Ms. Jehangir, who currently is out of the country, also will be given maximum protection. Amnesty International said Pakistan's Judiciary and police need instruction in human rights law to be sure that they do not let any cultural bias override the enforcement of fundamental rights.

The organization also called for criminal charges to be brought against those who issue threats, encourage others to harass, attack or kill human rights defenders or put a price on the murder of lawyers and human rights defenders. (AP)