THERE seems to be no end in sight to the horrifying practice of honour killings in our country.
Time and again, we are faced with stories so brutal and devoid of humanity that they shake the very foundations of our collective conscience. The latest such incident, which emerged from the Dagari area of Quetta, is a tragic reminder that despite laws, awareness campaigns and outrage, the mindset that fuels such acts remains entrenched.
The chilling video of the cold-blooded killing of a young couple allegedly for marrying without their families’ approval, is deeply disturbing. The couple were lured back to their village with a false invitation to lunch, only to be taken to a desolate place where they were told they had been sentenced to death by local elders. The woman was reportedly shot three times by her own brother, and then her husband was killed. This was not just an act of violence. It was a premeditated, barbaric murder carried out in the name of warped notions of honour. Those involved in this heinous crime do not deserve an ounce of mercy. They must be brought to justice swiftly and punished with the strictest penalties available under the law. The State must make it unequivocally clear that such savagery will not be tolerated. Honour killings are a stain on our society—an unbearable scar that continues to deepen. According to data from the Human Rights Commission of Pakistan (HRCP), a total of 346 people were victims of honour crimes from January to November 2024 alone. This statistic speaks volumes about how widespread and persistent this issue is across the country. It is a national disgrace. Ending honour killings requires more than just outrage. It requires bold, systemic change. Laws already exist. The State must ensure that those who support, cover up or incite such acts—elders, relatives, or others—are also held accountable. Public education is equally important. The idea that family honour lies in controlling women’s choices must be confronted at every level—from school curricula to media to religious and community leadership. More shelters, legal aid and support services must be made available for those who fear for their lives because they dare to choose their own path. Until we collectively dismantle the culture that deems a person’s life expendable in the name of honour, the killings will not stop. We owe it to victims to do everything in our power to ensure that such horror never happens again.
