THE MENACE OF HONOUR KILLING THAT STIGMATISES PAKISTAN BEING A MUSLIM STATE

Abstract

On 4^th June 2025, another couple fell victim of honour killing in Pakistan. Ehsanullah Samalani and Bano Satakzai were killed in the cold-blooded manner in the Sanjidi, Degari area of Balochistan on orders of the chief of Satakzai Tribe. However, the news of this double-murder; a heinous act especially according to the Quranic teachings, but staunchly defended by oligarchs as their tribal tradition, did not appear in the supposedly complicit state media. The incident occurred before Eid-ul-Azha but it went viral through social media in late July 2025 (after more than a month).  This tragedy has ensued an unending debate augmented by sparking national outrage, thus converting a crystal-clear condemnable act into a chaotic issue, exactly like 405 honour killings which plagued Pakistan in 2024 among whom majority comprised of female category, often killed by blood or close relatives to protect the family honour. Once again, an indiscriminate killing of Bano Satakzai and Ehsanullah Samalani has exposed the colluded helplessness of all tiers of the state machinery in executing national law which is based on the Quran and Sunnah.This research article encompasses two distinct parts; the first is to deliberate on the peculiar aspect of socio-political structure of Pakistani society under which the heinous crimes like honour killings in some way or the other, are determinedly protected and defended by oligarchs aimed at maintaining their political grip over masses while the second is to highlight causes of inability to implement law of the state which contains the Quranic and Sunnah provisions to ensure requisite freedom, protection and security to every citizen sans any category and status.