212 honour killings in Balochistan since 2019: Aurat Foundation report calls for urgent legal reforms

Balochistan [Pakistan], July 24 : A recent report by Aurat Foundation indicates that from 2019 to 2024, there have been at least 212 documented cases of honour killings in Balochistan, raising significant alarm over gender-based violence and the inadequacies of the justice system in that area, as reported by The Balochistan Post (TBP).

The report offers a detailed annual count of these instances: in 2019, there were 52 killings; in 2020, 51; in 2021, 24; in 2022, 28; in 2023, 24; and in 2024 (up to now), 33 killings, with 19 of the victims being women.

These statistics reflect only the cases that have been officially reported. The Foundation highlights that numerous incidents remain unreported due to social stigma, fear of repercussions, influence from local power holders, or resolution through traditional systems such as jirgas, as stated in the TBP report.

The report indicates that the Naseerabad district had the highest number of reported incidents over these six years, totalling 73 cases, which represents 34 per cent of all recorded honour killings in Balochistan. Other districts with significant numbers include: Jaffarabad with 23 cases, Jhal Magsi and Mastung each with 18 cases, Kachhi with 17 cases, Quetta with 11, Kalat with 7, and both Sohbatpur and Loralai with 6 cases each, and Khuzdar with 5 cases.

Aurat Foundation has raised deep concerns regarding the absence of accountability and the ineffective legal responses across most cases. The report notes that many offenders have yet to be apprehended, and in several cases, legal processes remain incomplete. Delays in court proceedings, lack of police cooperation, as well as political and tribal influences continue to hinder the pursuit of justice, as highlighted in the TBP report.

The organisation has urged the Balochistan government and federal authorities to implement immediate actions, including: reclassifying honour killings as non-bailable offences, providing legal aid and safeguarding for affected families, launching awareness campaigns involving media, educational institutions, and community leaders, and supplying gender-sensitive training to law enforcement agencies.

Activists advocating for women's rights and human rights organisations have described the findings as distressing. They caution that women's safety, dignity, and liberties in Balochistan are under significant threat, and that the circumstances could worsen without prompt legal and social changes, as underscored in the TBP report.

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