A leading minority rights organisation, Voice of Pakistan Minority (VOPM), has strongly condemned the escalating violence against women in Pakistan, pointing to a deeply entrenched culture of victim-blaming, harassment, and so-called 'honour' killings that continues to shield perpetrators while silencing survivors.

Scale of the Crisis

According to VOPM, Pakistan recorded 3,172 cases of gender-based violence in the first six months of 2026 alone. The breakdown is stark: 644 murders, 514 cases of torture, 462 abductions, 363 suicides, 280 rapes, and 132 honour killings. The rights body noted that 74 per cent of reported cases were concentrated in Punjab and 17 per cent in Sindh, with over half occurring within victims' own homes.

Critically, VOPM cautioned that the actual numbers are likely higher. 'Many women do not report violence. Fear, shame, family pressure, and distrust of police silence them,' the organisation stated.

The Culture of Victim-Blaming

VOPM's statement drew sharp attention to the social attitudes that enable such violence to persist. 'In Pakistan, a woman can be raped and still be asked what she did to cause it. She can be harassed over her clothes, location, or character. She can be murdered in the name of honour. Yet people still debate her choices instead of condemning the crime,' the rights body said.

The organisation was unequivocal in rejecting these narratives: 'A woman's clothes do not cause rape. Travelling at night does not justify assault. Trust does not equal consent. Rejecting a man does not give him the right to attack or kill.'

Honour Killings Called Out as Crimes

The rights body specifically denounced so-called 'honour' killings, asserting that these acts stem from control and a sense of entitlement over women's lives rather than any cultural or traditional justification. 'Honour killings are not traditions. They are crimes. They grow from control, entitlement, and the belief that a woman belongs to her family. No father, brother, husband, or relative owns a woman's life. There is no honour in murder,' VOPM declared.

Institutional Failures Under Scrutiny

Beyond social attitudes, VOPM highlighted systemic failures in Pakistan's law enforcement and justice delivery mechanisms. The organisation argued that violence against women extends into institutions themselves, noting that incidents occur 'at home, on the street, or inside a police station.' It called on Pakistani authorities to provide trained police officers, proper investigations, forensic support, safe complaint systems, shelters, and faster trials.

This comes amid longstanding concerns from international human rights observers about the inadequacy of legal protections for women in Pakistan, where conviction rates in gender-based violence cases remain critically low.

Demands for Accountability

VOPM stressed that the burden of safety must shift from women to the state and perpetrators. 'Women's safety is a right. Pakistan must stop teaching women how to survive violence and start teaching men not to commit it. Those who commit violence — and those who protect them — must face justice,' the organisation urged Pakistani authorities.

With nearly half a year's data already revealing over three thousand cases, advocates and rights groups are pushing for urgent legislative and institutional reforms before the numbers climb further.