A VIRAL video of a couple being killed in cold blood for marrying of their own free will and against the tribal laws somewhere in Balochistan has attracted condemnation from all quarters as is the unfortunate routine. The government has voiced its resolve to give exemplary punishment to the culprits. These resolves do not materialise due to weak judicial system and laws.

Every other day, a woman or a girl is killed in cold blood by some close relative, mostly on the pretext of honour. Honour killing has a long history. Its roots are found in different cultures and societies. During the dark ages in ancient Rome, a male family member was prosecuted for not taking action against a female adulterer.

In Europe, honour killing was also common, which is reflected in their literature and dramas. For instance, the fourth wife of King Henry VIII was beheaded for adultery.

Honour killing is predominant in Asian and Middle Eastern countries, and in tribal cultures where the law is lenient towards such killings. During the Ottoman Empire, in some Arab countries, a killer man would sprinkle the blood of the victim on his clothes and walk proudly in the streets with the murder weapon. Today, scattered cases are still reported from Europe, the United States and Canada among Asian immigrants, but the culprits are tried and punished.

The worst part of this whole tragedy is that in Pakistan, the killer is pardoned by the family of the deceased for blood money. Sometime the murder is confined to being a ‘family affair’, as usually the killer is a close relative of the deceased. This is done without even investigating the motive of the cold-blooded murder.

Though the jirgas are illegal in Pakistan, they are still active. Their verdicts are solemnly accepted and followed in tribal society. Those cases are hardly reported in the media.

Considering the sensitivity of the issue, there is a need for the saner elders to sit together and find a way to stop this spree of crime against women in society.

Malik ul Quddoos
Karachi

Published in Dawn, August 4th, 2025