EVERY time another woman is murdered in Pakistan because she chose whom to marry, sought a divorce, rejected unwanted advances, or simply exercised her right to live independently, the nation reacts with outrage—until the next tragedy replaces it. This cycle of violence and collective amnesia has turned femicide into one of Pakistan’s gravest human rights crises.

Femicide—the intentional killing of women and girls because of their gender, is not confined to so-called “honour killings.” It also includes murders arising from domestic violence, intimate partner abuse, forced marriages, and deeply rooted misogyny. These crimes expose the dangerous intersection of patriarchal attitudes, weak law enforcement and a justice system that too often fails to protect women.

The statistics are alarming. According to information presented to Pakistan’s National Assembly, more than 7,500 women were murdered between 2021 and 2024, including 1,553 women killed in the name of “honour.” Independent monitoring also........

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