Teenage Boys Kill Mother and Stepsisters in Pakistan for “Honor”

Two weeks ago, Pakistan was assigned second to last place on the global gender gap. Last Tuesday, the neglect and injustice towards women was further highlighted in an honor killing.

On November 11th, 2014 two Pakistani teenagers in Lahore confessed to murdering their fifty year old mother and two stepsisters in the name of “honor.” Their bodies were immediately moved to the Jinnah Hospital mortuary upon discovery.

The brothers, Shehzad and Asif, used a dagger to slit the throats of their mother Sughra Bibi, and their teenage stepsisters, Muqaddas and Amna, while they were fast asleep.

“We have restored the honor of our family,” one of them reported.

“Honor” Killing

Honor killings occur when a family member takes the life of another to restore the family reputation after being disgraced. Honor killings are often “justified” for reasons such as adultery, refusal of an arranged marriage, being in a relationship that is looked down upon by the family, and perhaps most terrifyingly, for falling victim to rape.

The killings originate from Pakistani tribal traditions and often times, are considered strictly family matters. As a result, tribal killings can occur under the watch of bystanders, and even police, with no action being taken.

According to Amy Logan, a respected author and researcher on honor killings: "Honor violence is first and foremost about cultures who view and treat women as property or inferior. This is a human rights issue -- women's rights are human rights. Culture is no excuse for abuse. It's time for all communities in which honor violence occurs, regardless of religion, to start having an honest conversation about it."

The United Nations reported that 5,000 honor killings take place every year. It is suspected this number may be even higher due to underreporting.

While the honor killings are certainly not isolated to Pakistan, the frequency and cruelty that has been perpetuated by Pakistan’s culture of honor killings has drawn widespread criticism.

An Endless Flow of Murder

The act on Tuesday is neither a rare or isolated incident. Earlier this month on November 9, a man had killed his sister and her former husband in Batala Colony area for eloping. On October 18, a man axed to death his daughter and injured his wife and brother in People’s Colony after accusing the women of having “loose morals.”

And, on June 29th, a pair of Pakistani newlyweds were decapitated by the bride’s male family members after they wed against the approval of the bride’s family.

Can Pakistan’s Honor Culture Be Changed?

According to investigators, the brothers believed that their mother and stepsisters had engaged in disgraceful acts, including adultery and prostitution. They suspected that the stepsisters were involved in prostitution with the support of their mother.

“We have no regrets because we killed them in the name of honour,” one of the brothers said.

Pakistan has a long way to go before it can create a safe and just environment for its citizens. This hostile environment of intimidation, discrimination, sexism, and  extreme cruelty needs to stop. Pakistani extremism and human rights need to be addressed before it becomes too late to do anything.