From Sana Yousaf to Amina Bibi, Pakistani women who were killed to satiate fake male pride

A 17-year-old girl named Sana Yousaf, with a massive fanbase on social media for creating lifestyle content, was shot dead in her own house in Islamabad on June 2. The Pakistani teenage influencer was killed hours after celebrating her 17th birthday.

Initially, the murder was speculated to be a case of honour-killing, but Pakistani authorities said she was murdered by a man for rejecting his "friendship" proposal. Police statement was hard to believe as the accused used to live around 322 kms away from her residence and it was claimed that he took her mobile with him to delete the evidence.

Yousaf's killing came amidst rising incidents of killing women for "honour" in Pakistan.

• In July 2024, Mohabbat Khan allegedly murdered his 45-year-old wife Shahnaz and his 18-year-old daughter in Lahore to preserve his "honour". The suspect attacked the two women with a dagger, leaving them dead on the spot.
• In August 2024, a 20-year-old woman named Shaheena Bibi was killed by her father and brother for the so-called honour. She was murdered after eloping with her lover. She was brought back home by her family and was killed.
• In September 2024, a 19-year-old woman named Saira and her husband was killed for "honour" in Karachi. The suspect was Saira's brother who allegedly murdered them for marrying against family's wish.
• In October 2024, a man murdered four women in his family, including his mother, in a fit of rage over their TikTok videos.
  During investigation, he told police that their videos spread “immodesty and shamelessness, tarnishing the family’s reputation”.
• In November 2024, a mother of five was brutally killed in Faisalabad by her husband and younger brother, allegedly to protect the family’s "honour". She was attacked by them in her house after being accused of having an affair. Her body was later dumped in a nullah through a donkey cart.
• In December 2024, a woman named Amina Bibi was shot dead by her brother, Zafar Hussain, in the Qasimpur area of Pakpattan. She was the mother of three children.
  During investigation, Zafar said he thought his sister had a “questionable character”.

And these were just some prominent registered cases. There must be numerous more out there.

What the data say?

As per the data by the Human Rights Commission of Pakistan (HRCP), "honour" killings continued to be a serious issue in the country in 2024.

From January to November, a total of 346 people fell victim to "honour" crimes in the country.

Cultural roots of killing for 'honour'

Victims of "honour" killings typically get accused of doing "immoral" acts in the society. The acts can range from conversing with unrelated men to engaging in premarital physical relations - even when it's rape.

Not just that, women also get targeted for rejecting an arranged marriage, marrying of her own choice, seeking a divorce, or attempting to separate from an abusive partner.