Islamabad, Jan 22 (NationPress) The ruling by the Supreme Court of Pakistan affirming the conviction of Khursheed Ahmad for the murder of his wife, Gulshan Bibi, serves as a stark reflection of how domestic violence is ingrained and perpetuated within the nation. The court's decision indicated that societal expectations compel women to return to environments that can be described as a “living hell,” according to a report.

After enduring repeated physical abuse, Gulshan Bibi left her husband, only to be persuaded by her family to reconcile. This choice, influenced by societal pressure, stigma, and misguided concepts of familial honor, tragically culminated in her death, as reported by Pakistan's prominent daily, Dawn. This troubling trend extends beyond individual families.

As noted by Dawn, many families inadvertently become agents of abuse, favoring the preservation of marriages over the safety of women. Additionally, law enforcement often regards incidents of domestic violence as private affairs.

There is an urgent need for Pakistan to adopt effective policy reforms, enforce domestic violence laws, and provide training for police to identify abusive patterns. Furthermore, judicial systems must take the history of violence seriously. Women should be presented with alternatives to returning to abusive situations, such as access to shelters, legal aid, and financial support to ensure that any reconciliation is genuinely voluntary.

In December, the organization Sahil, which monitors gender-based violence, reported a significant increase in crimes against women during the first 11 months of 2025, as reported by local media.

The report compiled data from 81 national newspapers across all four provinces, the Islamabad Capital Territory, Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK), and Gilgit-Baltistan (PoGB). It revealed that there were 6,543 reported incidents in 2025, up from 5,253 cases in 2024, marking a nearly 25% increase year-on-year, according to another leading daily, The Express Tribune.

Between January and November 2025, the incidents included 1,414 murders, 1,144 abductions, 1,060 physical assaults, 649 suicides, and 585 rapes. The report indicated that in 32% of the rape cases, the assailants were known to the victims, while 17% involved strangers. Husbands were implicated in 12% of these cases.

In 21% of the cases, the identities of the perpetrators remained undisclosed. Importantly, it was noted that most instances of gender-based violence occurred within the victims' homes, accounting for 60% of all recorded cases, while 13% took place at the assailants' residences.