Business Recorder
EDITORIAL: The brutal killing of a 19-year-old woman in a Khairpur village is an indictment of a society that continues to tolerate barbarity under the guise of family “honour.” The vile custom of ‘karo-kari’, still prevalent in parts of rural Sindh, has claimed countless lives—mostly women—reducing them to expendable symbols of patriarchal control. This latest incident, carried out brazenly in front of police personnel and at least 18 onlookers, exposes not only the cruelty of the perpetrators but also the alarming erosion of the rule of law. According to the FIR, the young woman—Khalida, also known as Rubina—was summarily declared “kari” and executed on the spot at the command of an armed man. The chilling aspect is not only the swiftness with which her fate was sealed, but also the setting: under the dim light of a mobile phone, with witnesses present, including a police patrol that failed to prevent the murder. The four suspects, undeterred by police warnings, opened fire and fled into the darkness. Such audacity underscores a dangerous truth: those who commit killings in the name of “honour” often do so with the confidence that they will evade meaningful consequences. Equally disturbing is the delayed response of law enforcement. It was only after a viral video sparked public outrage, and judicial intervention through a suo motu notice by District and Sessions Judge Sukkur, Manoo Mal Khagaija, that an FIR was registered. Allegations that the victim’s parents had to contend with demands for a bribe to register FIR, if proven, would point to a deeply troubling yet familiar nexus of apathy and corruption. The fact that only two arrests have been confirmed out of eleven suspects further raises questions about the seriousness and pace of the investigation. The so-called ‘honour killings’—in reality, premeditated murders—are often cloaked in cultural justification to evade moral and legal accountability. The law, on paper, criminalises such acts. Yet weak enforcement, societal complicity, and legal loopholes—such as forgiveness provisions—have allowed perpetrators to walk free or receive lenient treatment. This case illustrates, once again, how legal safeguards mean little without institutional resolve and a clear public rejection of such practices. There is an urgent need for a multipronged response. Law enforcement agencies must be held accountable for negligence and corruption, and all those involved, directly or indirectly, must be apprehended without delay. The district judiciary’s proactive stance in this case is commendable, but systemic change requires sustained oversight. More importantly, there must be a broader societal reckoning. Community leaders, educators, and the media must challenge—clearly and consistently—the toxic norms that enable such violence. The murder in Khairpur is not an isolated tragedy; it is part of a larger pattern of injustice that demands collective outrage and action. Silence and indifference only embolden perpetrators. Unless the state and society respond decisively, the cycle of violence will persist, claiming more innocent lives in the name of a false and deadly notion of honour. Copyright Business Recorder, 2026
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