In Pakistan’s Pashtun Communities, Honor Killings Persist Without Consequence

22-year-old Aneela Fazal’s dream was simple: graduate from university, become a doctor, and — despite her family’s wishes — marry her college boyfriend.

But in Pakistan’s Swat district, where Pashtun customs hold that marriage is a family decision, a daughter choosing for herself is not just disobedience; it is shame. And in a culture where shame must be erased, Aneela’s defiance ultimately cost her her life.

On September 17, 2024, Aneela was brutally murdered. Today, Shazia Fazal, Aneela’s sister, believes their parents and brothers murdered Aneela in what’s known as an "honor killing,” a practice that claims hundreds of lives in Pakistan each year. Shazia’s family members claim that Aneela died of a heart attack. No charge was ever made against her brothers or father for Aneela’s murder. 

“We haven't received justice for my sister yet,” Shazia told More to Her Story. 

Honor killings, a global issue, are especially prevalent in Pakistan. These crimes typically involve loved ones or family members murdering women for ‘dishonoring’ the family through the woman’s personal choices about marriage or lifestyle. Though widespread, honor killings often go unreported and are notoriously difficult to prosecute, as families may cover up the crimes or pressure witnesses to stay silent.

In Swat district, where the Fazal sisters are from, honor killings are disturbingly common, with 99 women killed over the last five years alone, according to data shared with More to Her Story from The Awakening, a human rights organization tracking these crimes. These numbers paint a darker picture than official police statistics, which recorded only 56 cases in Swat during the same period. Nationwide, the Human Rights Commission of Pakistan reports that honor killings are on the rise, with 588 killings recorded in 2024 — up from 490 in 2023.

“Most alleged perpetrators are acquitted in court, and many cases are dismissed entirely, highlighting the persistent challenges in prosecuting these crimes,” said Erfaan Hussein Babak, Executive Director of The Awakening.

When victims’ families file a First Information Report (FIR) against those responsible for the crime, it often results in further harassment. The police typically fail to prioritize these cases, leading to weak investigations and, ultimately, the dismissal of cases by the courts. According to Babak, murder cases that clearly appear to be honor killings are frequently disguised as suicides or fatal medical emergencies.

Investigative Officer of District Swat, Bacha Hazrat Khan, told More to Her Story that Pakistan’s efforts to prevent honor killings are constrained by the limits of the law. While he asserted that police respond swiftly to most cases, he admitted that investigations are often hampered by a lack of credible evidence.

“People don’t report the facts on the ground,” Khan said. “No one is willing to come forward.” As a result, investigators struggle to build cases, leaving many honor killings unresolved.

“Unfortunately, families frequently hinder the provision of evidence,” he continued. “If affected families take a keen interest in these cases and pursue them seriously, I believe we can eventually eradicate honor killings from our country.”

Rights advocates argue that the large discrepancy between police data and the data collected by The Awakening is because local police districts only record cases where a First Information Report (FIR) is registered, typically when victims or their families personally visit the police station. 

“Our organization has an extensive network of team members and sources across various areas of Swat. These sources inform us about incidents, visit the scenes, collect data, and guide families to register FIRs for justice. Consequently, our data is more comprehensive and higher than police data, as we report every incident occurring in Swat district,” said Babak.

He joins other advocates in emphasizing the need for collective action: “The police and government must take a keen interest in addressing honor killings. As an organization working tirelessly on these cases, we believe that if the authorities collaborate with us, we can resolve these issues and bring perpetrators to justice.”

Some advocates, like Babak, refuse to back down. Rights activist Sonia Ejaz points out that Pakistan has plenty of laws protecting women—but enforcement is the real battle. In Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, where men hold nearly all the power, women are seen as weak, their worth diminished from childhood. Boys are given attention; girls are taught to shrink. The result? A system where inequality isn’t just tolerated—it’s ingrained.

To combat this injustice, Ejaz believes that government institutions, men, and women must work together to bring about change. She highlighted the importance of organizations addressing honor killings and the need for people to be aware of these organizations and their work. But real justice, she says, depends on enforcement. If Pakistan properly applied PPC Section 311, more women might finally see the justice they’ve long been denied.