Honor killing is a grave problem that has engulfed our society. The problem mostly stems from wrong interpretation of religious rules and lax implementation of government rules. Unfortunately Pakistan is one of the few countries that is most notorious for honor killing cases. Each year hundreds of such incidents occur and the culprits roam free by exploiting various loopholes in our weak laws that govern such issues.
Females in Pakistan live their life in fear. A slight mistake can make them a victim of honor killing. Not just killing but killing in the most horrendous way possible, just like it was done to Ambreen in Abbotabad.
The incidents are on the rise mainly because the culprits do not have any fear of being brought to justice. There laws governing this issue has various loopholes which allows such killers to go roam free or get minimal sentence.
Mostly the one who kills a female for “violating family honor”, is either the father, brother or husband of the victim. After carrying out the shameful act, he is forgiven by other family members.
Pakistani law allows a family member of the victim to forgive killer of their loved one. Once forgiven, the killer goes home free. Hence, in honor killing cases, because there is always a one family member who kills another, the remaining family members go to court and forgives the killer.
It’s an cunning maneuver designed to trick the loophole in the law and roam freely even after killing a human being so mercilessly. And, it works. Everytime!
What needs to be done is that our law makers have to close this loophole in our system. No such murderer should be allowed to go free even if his family members come forward to forgive him. There is no honor in killing, and there should be no mercy for anyone who kills in the name of so-called honor.