THE United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) estimates that approximately 5,000 women are killed each year in the name of honour. Pakistan happens to be among the countries where the killings remain a serious problem. The actual scale of the problem is definitely much higher as many cases go unreported. It is sad that patriarchy has limited women’s choices, freedoms and lives.

If women choose to support themselves, they often face consequences. It is common for society to label women as emotional and weak. These untrue generalisations lead to prejudices and discrimination. How can we reduce an entire population down to a few discriminatory attributes? Those committing the so-called honour killings are the ones showing emotional instability and fragility. They are the ones who happen to be impulsive and unable to make the right choices in the heat of the moment.

Pakistan must work towards building a society where women can make their own choices and live with their due rights. No matter what a person does, no one has the right to take a human life. By viewing women as the equals they are, we can move beyond patriarchal expectations.

Lyalla Naseem Gul Magsi
Hyderabad

Published in Dawn, October 16th, 2026