MURDER IN THE NAME OF HONOUR: HONOUR-BASED VIOLENCE IN PAKISTAN – CASE STUDY OF SINDH PROVINCE

Abstract

Honour-based violence (HBV) and its local manifestation “karo kari” are among the most deeply rooted types of gender-based violence in Pakistan’s Sindh province. While legislation passed in 2016 to criminalize honour killings, making them a non-compoundable crime, continues to be largely ineffective, with conviction rates in Sindh remaining virtually nil. With the use of police statistics, human rights reports, parliamentary resolutions, judicial verdicts and scholarly literature, this paper offers a detailed examination of the nature, patterns, socio-economic factors, and legal measures associated with HBV in Sindh. It highlights how patriarchal culture, feudalism, jirga courts, and poor law enforcement contribute to the prevailing culture of impunity. Legal measures alone are not enough; what is required is a holistic approach to tackling the problem from all fronts.