Sadaf Dilawar

In the name of honour how many more lives will be taken? How long will we continue to stand like silent vultures, watching the blood of others as if it were a spectacle? With every moment of silence, we nurture this vulture culture. Demanding justice only after a murder has been committed is like asking for life to return on the Day of Judgement, when it is already too late.

The recent incident in Degaari, Quetta, is a horrifying example. On 4 June 2025, a young couple, Bano Bibi and Ehsaan Ullah, were shot dead in broad daylight. Bano was shot seven times and Ehsaan nine. Their only “crime” was choosing to marry each other with mutual consent. Her last words, spoken while holding the Quran, “Nikah kiya tha, zina nahi” were a desperate plea for justice that was never heard and was buried with her. Yet after the video of their killing went viral, some shamelessly alleged they were in an “illegal relationship.” But even if that were true, who gave anyone the right to kill them? This was not just the murder of two individuals, it was the murder of humanity itself.

As mentioned in Surah Al-Ma’idah (5:32):

“مَنْ قَتَلَ نَفْسًا بِغَيْرِ نَفْسٍ أَوْ فَسَادٍ فِي الْأَرْضِ فَكَأَنَّمَا قَتَلَ النَّاسَ جَمِيعًا ۖ وَمَنْ أَحْيَاهَا فَكَأَنَّمَا أَحْيَا النَّاسَ جَمِيعًا”

“Whoever kills a soul, unless for a soul or for corruption in the land, it is as if he had killed all mankind. And whoever saves one, it is as if he had saved all mankind.”

Yet today, we arrogantly take the charge of human life into our own hands as if we are above divine law.

In Baloch and Sindhi cultures, such killings are often justified under a cruel tribal custom called “Karo Kari”. It is a barbaric tradition in which a man or woman is killed in the name of “honour,” most often by their own family members. But this has no justification in any religion, and Islam has absolutely nothing to do with it.

This is not an isolated case. Farzana Parveen, a pregnant woman, was stoned to death by her father outside the Lahore High Court for marrying by choice. Qandeel Baloch, Pakistan’s social media star, was strangled by her own brother in the name of honour. In Quetta, 15-year-old US-born Hira Anwar was killed by her father over TikTok videos. These are just a few examples. Many rape cases are also turned into so-called “honour killings.” According to the Human Rights Commission of Pakistan, 520 honour killings were reported in 2022 and 405 in 2024, but the actual number is estimated to be close to 1,000 annually, most of which go unreported due to fear and tribal influence.

And what have we, as a society, done? We watched the video, we shared it, we gossiped about the victims’ character. We acted no better than vultures circling dying prey, feeding on tragedy but doing nothing to condemn it. This is the vulture culture we nurture: a culture where silence, gossip, and curiosity replace compassion, action, and humanity.

The real tragedy is that this brutal incident took place just three days before Eid, yet none of the spectators dared to condemn it. Action was taken only after the video went viral and the case became a high-profile issue and even that action seemed merely for show, destined to fade once social media outrage dies down.

Honour killings stem from deep-rooted patriarchy and a false sense of control over women’s  lives in the name of tribal honour. To end this brutality, we must enforce strict criminal laws without loopholes, educate people about Islamic injunctions and women’s rights, challenge outdated customs through media, and empower women economically. But above all, we must change our mind-set. There is no honour in “honour killing”.

Justice delayed is justice denied. Real change will begin when we raise our voices, report crimes without fear, and stand with victims instead of judging them. Our justice system must deliver swift, uncompromising punishments, but society, too, must refuse to protect murderers in the name of family or tribal ties. Honour can never be built on blood, it lives in protecting life and dignity.

The writer is Gold Medallist in Theology from GCU Lahore, currently pursuing MS in Islamic Thought and Civilization from Sialkot. She can be reached at [email protected]