Honor Killing

Men and women are two wheels of a cart, if one is disable other will be of no use. Women is a vital part of any society. We live in a male dominating society where mistakes and sins of  men can be  forgivable but for women there are different laws.  If she commits sins she has no right to live. The word “honor  killing” which is also termed as vengeance , avenging ,  Karo kari and siyaa kari ,is treated as a murder under  so called Pakistan’s penal code. There are many types of Honor killing. Women gives compensation of the sins of her male sins, killing of  women on the grounds of morality and conduct by their own father, brother, and husband. According to a report from human right commission in 2014 more than 3000 women and in 2015 more than 1100 women were died in so called honor killing.

In 1999 Samia Sarwar was shot dead in honor killing in her lawyer’s office. She was a married  with her 1^st cousin with two children. Samia filed for divorce and claimed martial abuse. Her parents were against of her decision. She was eloped with an Army officer Nadir Mirza. Her parents felt shamed upon the family by eloping with a lover. Samia also sought the help of the Lahore-based sisters Asma Jahagir and Hina Jillani who are well known left wings feminist and lawyers. Samia’s  family planned her murder Samia’s  mother agree her to meet in a the lawyer’s office . her mother came with a strange men and as Samia entered the room that man pulled out his gun and shot samia dead.

 Ayman Udas , pakhtun singer was shot to death in her apartment apparently by her own two brothers.  According to a news stort in daily times, Aymen Udas’s husband Usman Udas reported at Paharipura Police station that her brothers were not happy with her having singing profession despite their disapproval. They allegedly opened fire on her near Koochi Plaza and killed her.  Her family believed it was sinful for a woman to perform on television. Ashamed of her growing popularity her two brothers killed her  for breaking family tradition and also by marrying for the second time.

Recently  popular social media celebrity  Qandeel Baloach was assassinated by her own brother Waseem  in her home town Multan on 15 july 2016 in honor killing . her fame was based on social media posts, pictures and videos. Her real name was Faizia Azeem. She got married at the age of 17 in 2008 and had ason. She left her husband by saying  he was abusive. Her brother waseem  felt no regret and confessed Due to her sensational and controversial videos on social media and Mufti Abdul Qavi incident , he killed  her in the house where her parents lives, in Multan. He said he’s proud to killed his sister and girls are born to stay home. In a statement Qandeel’s brother said “ I am  proud of what I did. I drugged her first, then I killed her. She was bringing dishonor to our family”. Another recent case of  Samia Shahid, when she visited her family in Punjab and being raped and killed by her father and ex- husband because she left her 1^st husband to marry  Syed Mukhtar Kazam.

The question raised why? Because she wanted her life on her own terms? It’s a big question mark for us. Is this a Islamic state where our religion gives equal rights for man and women. A man killed his wife and said she had relations with other man and he is not ashamed of what he has done.  After  murder with brutality of their own daughter, sisters and wives they  are not even ashamed for their cruel act. Women are callously killed in the name of honor if they go against the will of their families in any way.

There is no honor in killing. No one is permitted to take the life of others  because of their honor in any circumstances. Women are human not possessions.  There is no force is our religion. Islam forbids to force anyone. But our society does not accept women’s rights. Our society just remembers the words of their  meaning. Indeed the laws are made for women but there is no implementation on it.  Women’s protection is very important.  They are very crucial part of our society. Like men women must have the right of freedom of speech.  But unfortunately  literate segment also denies with the fact. Still in areas where tribal culture is following, still they killed their daughter, sisters and wives in the name of honor. This is not only the duty of our government but also the people of society, to accept the fact and importance of women.