Man kills sister because of "honor" in Karachi

Young woman
born: -
shot to death: May 14, 2023
Residence: Karachi
Origin: Pakistan
Children: -
Perpetrator: her brother

On Sunday morning, May 14, a shocking event took place in Karachi, Pakistan, in which a young woman became the victim of an honor killing. The woman was shot in her head and leg by her brother. She died on the spot.

During the police investigation, the perpetrator initially tried to give the impression that the shooting incident was accidental while he was cleaning his gun, for which he is licensed. However, when detectives confronted him with evidence, he eventually confessed to the murder. He claimed to have shot his sister because of alleged "illicit ties" she had with someone else.

Remarkably, none of the family members wanted to press charges. Therefore, the state decided to file a criminal case against the perpetrator for murder.

What is an honour killing?

An honour killing is a murder in the name of honour. If a brother murders his sister to restore family honour, it is an honour killing. According to activists, the most common reasons for honour killings are as the victim:

refuses to cooperate in an arranged marriage.
wants to end the relationship.
was the victim of rape or sexual assault.
was accused of having a sexual relationship outside of marriage.

Human rights activists believe that 100,000 honour killings are carried out every year, most of which are not reported to the authorities and some are even deliberately covered up by the authorities themselves, for example because the perpetrators are good friends with local policemen, officials or politicians. Violence against girls and women remains a serious problem in Pakistan, India, Afghanistan, Iraq, Syria, Iran, Serbia and Turkey.