Families change the nature of the case and give the color of ‘honor killings’ to ordinary murder, human rights organizations
Honour killings continue in Pakistan, and the accused repeatedly escape the clutches of the law
Legal loopholes, social challenges are weakening the fight against this serious crime, legal experts
News Desk, Daily Dawn, Dawn TV report
London: Despite the efforts of human rights organizations and government measures, honor killings continue in Pakistan. Although arrests have been made in some cases, the cases of the release of the accused raise questions about the justice system.
Recently, the Balochistan High Court granted bail to Sardar Sherbaz Khan Satakzai, who was arrested on charges of murdering a woman and a man in the Dagari area of Quetta. The murder was carried out on the decision of a local jirga, and the viral video of it sparked a debate on the rule of law.
Earlier, a lower court had rejected bail, but the High Court released Sherbaz Khan on a bond of five hundred thousand rupees. The police arrested 14 people in this case, but human rights organizations consider the bail in favor of the accused.
Qandeel Baloch case: In 2016, social media star Qandeel Baloch was murdered by her brother Muhammad Waseem. In 2019, he was sentenced to life imprisonment, but in 2022, the Lahore High Court acquitted Muhammad Waseem on the grounds of legal incapacity after his parents forgave him and confessed to the crime. An appeal against this decision is pending in the Supreme Court.
Kohat case: In 2022, Sharifullah was convicted of murdering his daughter, but in 2023, he was acquitted due to weak evidence. Similarly, in 2017, the Supreme Court acquitted three people in a 2005 Hafizabad case, and in 2021, the Peshawar High Court acquitted a suspect in a double murder case.
Supporters of judicial decisions say that these decisions are based on evidence and that the accused have the right to a fair trial. Critics say that weak investigations and family pressure are obstacles to justice.
In 2016, parliament declared honor killings an unforgivable crime, which carries a mandatory life sentence for the killer. In 2005, the provision that allowed the killer to apologize by declaring himself an heir was abolished. The government claims that these laws are effective, but human rights groups say that families change the nature of the case to give the ‘honor killing’ the color of ordinary murder, which makes forgiveness possible. Weak prosecutions and investigative flaws also lead to the release of suspects.
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