Islamabad, Oct 6 Civil society and rights activists have voiced concerns over the poor implementation of existing rules to curb honour killings as these incidents have witnessed a rise in Sindh in 2025, with most of the victims being women, local media reported on Monday.
So far, 142 people have been killed in Sindh in 2025 under the pretext of honour killing, with 105 victims being women, according to the statistics, leading Pakistani daily Dawn reported on Monday. The data showcases a grim picture of gender-based violence rooted in patriarchal norms and cultural justifications.
Data compiled by the police has revealed that perpetrators in many of these cases were the family members of the victims. These included 38 husbands, 24 brothers, six fathers, and even sons, daughters, mothers, and sisters. Furthermore, 46 extended relatives and seven people from outside the family, like neighbours and friends, were also implicated.
Rights activists have highlighted the urgent need to implement strict measures to address the crisis. Speaking to Dawn, rights activists Anis Haroon said that there were adequate laws to curb honour killings, however, the issue is in their enforcement. She called it state’s responsibility to implement these laws, however, she mentioned that the state “neglects its duties due to political expediency.”
Human Rights Commission of Pakistan (HRCP) member Mehnaz Rehman said that men managed to escape punishment in honour killing incidents while women ended up being killed. She stressed that honour killing has “become a kind of industry” and called low literacy levels and ignorance among the main reasons for these killings. She said, “It involves blood money, compensation, and even the exchange of women through jirgas as part of settlements.”
Rights advocate and noted lawyer Sara Malkani stressed the need to make people more aware about these issues. She emphasised that the continued occurence of such incidents demonstrates the urgent need to bolster protection mechanisms. She called for focusing on providing shelter and safety, particularly for women. She said, “The police should prioritise their protection, and victims must feel safe and confident to approach law enforcement.”
Earlier in July, Human Rights Commission of Pakistan (HRCP) said that at least 405 honour killings were reported in Pakistan in 2024, Pakistan-based The Express Tribune reported. Among these, majority of these victims were women, often killed by relatives claiming to defend family honour.
(Auto generated news from IANS Feed. This has not been edited by enewstime desk)
