Honor Killings and the Fight for Women's Freedom in Pakistan

How you can say no to me? You don't have the right to stay alive then

The story of that 17-year-old social media influencer ended in the name of honor killing. It wasn't the first case of this type; each day, from any sector of life, from any area of the country, women are being harassed or even killed by men.

The honor of the house story

This doesn't happen only in Pakistan. The same situation is reported across borders too. But why is she not allowed to live her life according to her own will? How has this honor killing become the headache of this misogynistic society? The story begins back in partition time when women were so much highlighted as the only ones responsible for the honor of the home. Males, no matter what they do outside the home, but the lady will be countable for sustaining the honor. This ideology keeps flourishing in individuals' minds, and even after so many years, they can't accept the women. They can't see her getting superiority in any field because their male ego would be hurt too. People will ask them, "Ohhh, so you bread and butter on her earnings? Argh, his wife's salary is more than him, how inferior he is!" These stereotypes don't allow her to do anything in her life.

Lack of education or humanity

Now coming to the root of this crime of taking someone's life just because you can't tolerate her dominance. Those who commit this crime are not educated? Nope, this isn't the fact in all the cases. So who are they? Are they villagers? If we say that honor killing happens only in rural areas, forced marriages take place in sectors where there is a lack of education. In multiple cases, even literate people commit the same thing in the name of harassment. Even the educated lads demand less age to become her bride. They pay a heavy amount to poor people if they get to know that this person can be purchased.

Men are frightened of men

The question is, why are girls restricted from living their own life when even religion and law give them freedom? It's the narrow mind of parents? Who doesn't allow their girls to get education? A big no for this. Why? Because they do educate them, but when it comes to giving them freedom, they become frightened. What they do is the implementation of their own wisdom on her life. For example, if a father admits a master's level graduate girl to a stitching center just because he doesn't want her to become a victim of men's harassment if she would be allowed to do a job. Now who wins here? Fear, and it's not always fear; it's reality too. Even the gadgets are lethal too. Why? Because women are not safe anywhere. She can get harassed while using social media platforms too. So why does she have to live such a prisoner's life when her indoor and outdoor life is surrounded by animals?

Do justice with her

In Pakistan, the literacy rate is 27% in comparison to males who are 48% literate. Why is there so much decline? Because parents are fearful that education will take her life too. If she can safely fly from university to office, another hell would get opened on her too. Maybe they see their princess falling victim to men's harassment in the office. So now, who is responsible for this?

Suppose if she doesn't face the situation of forced marriage, will she be happy in her life too? Will she be secure from domestic violence? Will she be able to live her life instead of just surviving?

And if she does anything on her own will, for example, she gets married to a person of her choice, will the hounds of wolves give her the chance to do it? Might be she becomes a victim of honor killing too.

Let her come forward

If we say we want to take our country to the prosperity side, we have to bring her in all fields. She isn't only made to cook food and produce babies; she isn't a machine in any case. If she can get education, it's her right to perform her duties in the professional field too. She doesn't deserve to exit the job scenario just because of harassment. If she has talent, she must showcase it on digital media too; the comment section shouldn't be filled with filthy cheap comments. If it's her age and it's time for marriage, she must be asked her choice or will too. Tell the groom that we are not going to sell our girl or it's not a burden. If you would try to oppress her, courts would take no time to make her free from this toxic relationship. And if she wants to get married of her own choice, no one would take her life as this right is being given to her by everyone.

Change yourself

It's you who is reading this; it's in your hand to give her life, the life which she wants to live, not to survive only. If you can change your psyche and actions, others will allow her to coordinate in making a clean and healthy society. While viewing things, do remember: if she doesn't come from your home, one day your dignity would face the same bad gaze too. Consider her as human.

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