The prevalence of so-called “honour” killings in Pakistan has increasingly been the subject of national debate. The perpetrators are husbands, fathers, sons, brothers, uncles, cousins, and in some cases, strangers hired by the victims’ families. And the reasons they give for their crimes include the women or girls having sexual relationships (actual or alleged), having a boyfriend, marrying without family consent, failing to prove virginity on their wedding night, being a victim of rape, leaving an abusive husband, using a mobile phone or posting a picture on Facebook.
After social media star Qandeel Baloch was murdered by her brother, Waseem Khan, in July 2016, a landmark piece of legislation was passed. The 2016 Criminal Law (Amendment) (Offences in the name or pretext of Honour) Act was widely opposed by the country’s influential clerics for being “anti-Islamic”. The bill was nonetheless welcomed by the public and considered a step in the right direction.
In February 2022, however, a mere three years after Khan was convicted, the high court of Pakistan ordered his acquittal. This has shocked the activists and public figures who have campaigned for justice for Baloch and marks a significant step backwards.
