Islamabad, July 28 (NationPress) The Human Rights Commission of Pakistan (HRCP) has documented a staggering total of 405 honour killings throughout the South Asian nation in 2024, predominantly involving women who were tragically murdered by their own relatives under the guise of defending family honour, as reported by local media on Monday.

In a chilling incident last month, a couple fell victim to an honour killing ordered by a local tribal council in Balochistan after they married against their families' wishes.

Pakistan's Defence Minister Khawaja Asif faced intense backlash for his insensitive remarks regarding the Baloch community following the circulation of a video depicting the horrifying act on social media.

Asif shifted the blame onto the Baloch people, asserting that "the ones responsible for this oppression are your own brothers."

Baloch activists condemned Asif’s comments as a matter of "regret and shame," emphasizing that instead of acknowledging the Sharif government's failure to address the incident, he attempted to deflect responsibility onto others.

On Saturday, numerous civil society members and rights activists organized a protest in Quetta, demanding justice and an end to the dual justice systems prevalent in the country.

Another tragic case involved Sana Yousuf, a popular Pakistani social media influencer, who was shot dead at her home in Islamabad by a relative. This incident ignited widespread outrage and renewed attention on the ongoing epidemic of honour killings in Pakistan.

Reports indicate that the beloved content creator, originally from Upper Chitral, was shot at close range by a male relative who later fled the scene. Sana, who had amassed over 400,000 followers across her social media profiles, was struck by two bullets and died instantly.

In a disturbing earlier incident this year, a man murdered his teenage daughter over her TikTok activity. The family had recently relocated from the United States to Pakistan, and the father initially attempted to mislead investigators by claiming unknown assailants were responsible before confessing.

The Pakistani government had prohibited honour killings in 2016 following the murder of social media star Qandeel Baloch, effectively closing a loophole that previously allowed perpetrators to evade justice if forgiven by family members. However, enforcement remains weak, especially in rural areas where tribal councils retain significant influence.

Asad Rahim Khan, a constitutional lawyer, expressed concern that instead of enforcing the law, the Pakistani government has spent the past year undermining the judiciary and even contemplating the revival of jirgas in former tribal regions.

"It's executive inaction, most shamefully toward women in Balochistan," Khan was quoted as saying by the Express Tribune.