The Incident
In July 2025, a young couple, Zark and Sheetal, were brutally executed in Balochistan, Pakistan, for the "crime" of marrying by their own choice, defying their families' wishes. According to reports circulating on X, the couple was shot dead following a decision by a tribal jirga, a local council that operates outside formal legal frameworks. The woman, in a display of remarkable courage, reportedly walked to her death with defiance, refusing to beg for mercy from her relatives who enforced the jirga's ruling. This horrific act, described as an "honor killing," underscores the persistent lawlessness in parts of Pakistan, where tribal customs and patriarchal norms often supersede state law, leaving citizens—particularly women and marginalized groups—vulnerable to violence and injustice.
Context of Honor Killings in Pakistan
Honor killings, locally known as karo-kari, are a form of gender-based violence where individuals, predominantly women, are murdered by family members or community leaders for perceived violations of family or community honor. These violations can include refusing arranged marriages, extramarital relationships, or even minor acts deemed "immodest." The Human Rights Commission of Pakistan (HRCP) estimates that approximately 1,000 women are killed annually in such acts, though the actual number is likely higher due to underreporting. In 2024 alone, 346 honor killings were reported, with 392 women murdered for "honor" in 2022, including 103 in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.
The case of Zark and Sheetal is not isolated. Similar incidents, such as the 2014 stoning of Farzana Parveen in Lahore for marrying against her family's wishes, highlight the systemic nature of this violence. These acts are often perpetrated with impunity, as tribal councils like jirgas issue rulings that contradict Pakistan’s legal framework, and law enforcement frequently fails to intervene.
Lawlessness and the Failure of State Protection
The murder of Zark and Sheetal exposes a broader state of lawlessness in Pakistan, where the rule of law is undermined by tribal and cultural practices. Despite legislative efforts, such as the Criminal Law (Amendment) Act of 2016, which defined honor killings as a specific crime with severe penalties (including life imprisonment or the death penalty), enforcement remains weak. The Qisas and Diyat Ordinance, which allows families to forgive perpetrators (often relatives), creates loopholes that enable perpetrators to evade justice. In many cases, as noted by human rights lawyer Rida Tahir, the legal heirs of the victim—often complicit in the crime—pardon the killer, resulting in minimal or no punishment.
The persistence of jirgas, declared illegal by Pakistan’s Supreme Court in 2019, further illustrates this lawlessness. These councils operate as parallel legal systems, issuing rulings that often sanction violence against women and girls, such as the practice of swara (forced marriage to settle disputes). The state’s failure to dismantle these councils or hold their members accountable perpetuates a culture of impunity.
Police and judicial responses are also inadequate. Amnesty International has criticized the Pakistani government for failing to investigate and punish perpetrators of honor killings, noting that police often do not act in cases of admitted murder, and lower courts may issue lenient sentences or dismiss cases altogether. A case study of 150 honor killings revealed that only eight claims of "honor" as a motive were rejected by judges, with most perpetrators receiving sentences of three to four years, if any. This reflects a deep-rooted gender bias within the police, prosecution, and judiciary, where crimes against women are often trivialized.
Human Rights Violations Against Weaker Sections of Society
The murder of Zark and Sheetal is a stark example of how the powerful—whether defined by gender, religion, or class—perpetrate human rights violations against the weaker sections of Pakistani society. Below is a detailed examination of these violations across three dimensions: gender, religion, and class.
Gender-Based Discrimination and Violence
Pakistan ranks 148 out of 148 in the 2025 Gender Gap Index, reflecting severe gender inequality. Women and girls face systemic discrimination, including:
Honor Killings and Femicide: Honor killings are a form of femicide, rooted in patriarchal beliefs that a woman’s value lies in her sexual purity and obedience. Acts such as refusing an arranged marriage, as in the case of Zark and Sheetal, or even minor infractions like immodest attire, can lead to murder. Human rights defenders estimate that 1,000 women are killed annually in such acts, with 531 cases recorded from January to November in a recent year.
Domestic Violence and Rape: Domestic violence is rampant, with a 200% increase in cases reported during the COVID-19 lockdowns in 2020. Rape prosecutions are rare due to underreporting and lack of centralized data, with only 304 rape cases reported among 5,551 kidnappings and 2,818 assaults from May to August in a recent year.
Child Marriage and Forced Conversions: Over 5 million primary-school-age children, mostly girls, are out of school due to factors like child marriage and gender discrimination. Girls from religious minorities, particularly in Sindh and Punjab, face forced conversions and marriages, often with no legal recourse.
Legal and Cultural Barriers: Despite Pakistan’s ratification of the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW) in 1996, discriminatory laws like the Qisas and Diyat Ordinance persist. The Council of Islamic Ideology (CII) has opposed reforms, such as a 2016 proposal to raise the minimum marriage age for girls to 18, labeling it “anti-Islamic.”
Religious Bigotry and Persecution of Minorities
Religious minorities, including Ahmadis, Christians, Hindus, and others, face severe discrimination and violence, often exacerbated by Pakistan’s blasphemy laws and societal intolerance:
Blasphemy Laws: Pakistan’s penal code criminalizes “posing as Muslims,” disproportionately targeting Ahmadis. At least 19 people were on death row for blasphemy in 2016, with hundreds awaiting trial. In 2020, an Ahmadi prayer center in Lahore was sealed after objections from local clerics.
Violence Against Minorities: The Ahmadiyya community faces frequent attacks, including the destruction of tombstones and places of worship. In 2020, 36 Ahmadis were detained under the Maintenance of Public Order Ordinance during Eid ul-Azha. Christians, like Aasia Bibi, who spent eight years on death row for blasphemy before her release in 2019, face persecution and mob violence.
Targeted Attacks: Terrorist groups like Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) and Al-Qaeda target religious minorities, such as the Hazara community, with bombings and killings. In 2019, 20 people were killed in a market attack in Quetta targeting Hazaras.
Class Disparities and Marginalization
Class disparities exacerbate human rights violations, as the most marginalized sections of society—often the poor and rural populations—lack access to justice and protection:
Prison System Inequities: Pakistan’s prison system classifies inmates into “superior,” “ordinary,” and “political” classes, with better treatment reserved for those with socioeconomic status. Over 4,600 prisoners, mostly from marginalized groups, are on death row, facing execution for offenses like murder and blasphemy.
Child Labor and Education: Over 5 million children, particularly girls, are out of school due to poverty, child labor, and lack of infrastructure. Child sexual abuse is rampant, with over 10 cases reported daily, yet perpetrators often go unpunished.
Extrajudicial Killings and Enforced Disappearances: Marginalized groups, such as the Pashtun Tahhaffuz Movement (PTM) and Baloch dissidents, face extrajudicial killings and enforced disappearances. In 2023, PTM leader Ali Wazir was repeatedly detained under vague charges, reflecting state crackdowns on dissent.
Systemic Failures and International Obligations
Pakistan’s government has failed to uphold its international human rights obligations, including those under CEDAW and the Convention Against Torture. The state’s inaction in curbing jirgas, enforcing anti-honor killing laws, and protecting minorities reflects a broader failure to address systemic discrimination. Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch have called for legal reforms, victim-centric investigations, and the establishment of protection centers for potential victims of honor killings.
The European Union, Pakistan’s largest trading partner, has urged Pakistan to comply with human rights obligations to maintain its GSP+ trade status. However, resistance from religious hardliners and the CII continues to hinder progress, as seen in the rejection of bills to criminalize domestic violence and raise the marriage age.
Hope for Change
Despite these challenges, there are signs of progress. Activists like Khalida Brohi and journalists like Sharmeen Obaid-Chinoy have raised global awareness about honor killings, with documentaries like A Girl in the River prompting legislative reforms. Urban centers like Karachi and Islamabad have seen reduced honor killings due to education and protests. Younger generations, supported by social media, are challenging patriarchal norms, as noted by lawyer Salman Akram Raja.
Recommendations
To address these human rights violations, Pakistan must:
Abolish Qisas and Diyat Loopholes: Remove provisions allowing family pardons in murder cases to ensure perpetrators face justice.
Strengthen Law Enforcement: Train police and judiciary in gender-sensitive and victim-centric approaches to investigations.
Dismantle Jirgas: Enforce the Supreme Court’s 2019 ruling to eliminate tribal councils and their influence.
Protect Minorities: Repeal discriminatory blasphemy laws and ensure protection for religious minorities.
Promote Education and Awareness: Launch campaigns to redefine cultural notions of “honor” and empower women and marginalized groups.
Establish Protection Centers: Create accessible shelters and helplines for potential victims of honor killings and gender-based violence.
Conclusion
The murder of Zark and Sheetal is a harrowing reminder of Pakistan’s struggle with lawlessness, religious bigotry, and gender and class discrimination. These systemic issues perpetuate human rights violations against the weakest sections of society—women, religious minorities, and the poor. While legislative reforms and international pressure offer hope, meaningful change requires dismantling patriarchal and tribal systems, enforcing laws, and fostering societal shifts toward equality and justice.
No comments:
Post a Comment