How Many More Have To Die For Honour? Pakistan’s Silent War

In Pakistan, too many girls are killed for reasons that have nothing to do with “honour”—property disputes, silencing abuse, punishing independence—then the crime is relabeled to look acceptable. Families and perpetrators use the word “honour” as a cover story. It is murder, and everyone involved knows it. Rights groups count hundreds of cases every year, but many killings stay hidden in villages or police files, misreported as suicide or wrapped in “family honour” to dodge scrutiny.

How many more lives must be lost before we stop using “honour” to disguise other crimes? Silence protects the killers. We must speak up, document the truth, and demand justice—openly and without fear.

Why Is It Still Happening?

These killings are not about religion. They are about power, patriarchy, and control—and often about something else entirely:

• Inheritance or land disputes masked as “honour”
• Retaliation for reporting sexual violence
• Forced cover-ups after trafficking or exploitation
• Pressure tied to dowry, debts, or family feuds
• Punishment for seeking education, work, or divorce

A girl chats online. A couple marries for love. A woman asks for a divorce. Or a family wants to hide a rape. A male relative claims “shame” to justify violence, but the real motive is control—or concealment.

Reported figures (heavily undercounted):

These numbers show three things. First, “honour” is still used to make murder sound moral. Second, weak policing lets cover stories stand. Third, rural girls remain the easiest to target because mislabeling faces the least media scrutiny.

How the Law Failed

Parliament tightened the law in 2016, closing the forgiveness loophole on paper. In practice:

• Police still register cases as “domestic dispute,” “suicide,” or generic homicide, never probing motive.
• Jirgas and tribal councils continue to order or bless violence, especially in remote areas.
• Trials are slow; witnesses feel unsafe; families settle.
  Result: Men learn that calling it “honour” (or letting others assume it) still helps them get away with it—especially when the true motive is property, silencing a complaint, or a family feud.

Digital life adds cover, too. A TikTok, a chat, or a selfie becomes the public “reason,” while the private reason (land, dowry, rape cover-up) is buried.

What Needs to Change

Stopping these murders means exposing false motives and protecting women at risk.

Steps that work:

• Register every suspicious female death as potential femicide; require a motive audit beyond “honour.”
• Investigate financial and property angles (inheritance records, land transfers, debts) in every case.
• Protect whistleblowers, journalists, and local activists who document mislabeling.
• Punish jirga members who order or endorse violence.
• Fund shelters, hotlines, and legal aid in every district.
• Train police, prosecutors, and medics on gender-based violence, evidence handling, and motive mapping.
• Teach boys and men that honour is not tied to a woman’s choices—and that lying about motive won’t shield a crime.

International partners can support training and safe housing. But the strongest push must come from inside Pakistan—clerics, teachers, lawmakers, media—saying clearly: “This is un-Islamic and illegal,” and a lie when used to hide other crimes.

Why This Matters to the World

Some may think, “This is local.” It isn’t. When a girl is killed over a “chat” or a “photo,” the clip travels globally. It shapes how Pakistan is seen and signals to abusers everywhere that online shame can be lethal. In a connected world, private violence becomes public trauma. Every case investigated honestly, every fake “honour” motive unmasked, and every survivor protected is a win for human rights—everywhere.

It’s Time to End This Silent War

Pakistan has brave women, lawyers, reporters, and community leaders. They have pushed for change for decades. Yet killers still pull triggers and file lies. So the question remains: How many more have to die before “honour” means dignity—not a cover for murder? The answer depends on whether the state—and society—treat every victim not as a scandal to hide, but as a citizen whose truth must be proven, protected, and heard.