Two recent cases have once again laid bare Pakistan’s systemic failure to protect women — from violence, from stigma, and from societal neglect. However, in Islamabad, a woman named Sanya died after allegedly being set on fire by her husband and in-laws.
In Karachi city, an actress Humaira Asghar Ali’s decomposed body was found in her apartment weeks after her death, with reports suggesting even her own family initially refused to claim her remains. Moreover, the two tragedies, though different in circumstances, point to the same rot. In the case of Sanya, her lawyer has called for prosecution under the Anti-Terrorism Act, describing the crime as being “tantamount to terrorism”.
Pakistan remains a country where justice for women is rare, and peace and punishment even rarer. Conviction rates remain abysmally low: 1.3% for domestic violence cases and less than 0.5% for rape and honour killings. In 2024 alone, an average of six domestic violence incidents and two honour killings were reported daily, and most did not result in prosecution.
As courts have rightly ruled, honour killing is not a private matter; it is framed as a rebellion against the rule of law. If the state continues to treat these as isolated incidents, it sends a clear message that women’s lives can be taken with impunity.
Nida Baloch
Absor
