When Saying “No” Costs Women Their Lives: The Murder of Constable Soman and the Culture of Violence in Pakistan


By Mishal Zia | September 18, 2024 | Shahdra, Pakistan

A shocking act of violence has once again exposed the deep-rooted dangers women face in Pakistan simply for exercising their rights. On September, 2024, Constable Soman, a lady police officer stationed in Shahdra, was brutally shot in the head three times by a fellow officer, Muhammad Farooq, after she refused his marriage proposal. The attacker fled the scene immediately, leaving the victim lifeless. Police later arrived, recovered her body, and transferred it to the hospital for autopsy. The accused has now been arrested.

This tragic case is not isolated. It echoes a horrifying incident in 2016 when 19-year-old Maria Sadqat was burned alive in her own home after rejecting a marriage proposal. Maria, who was teaching at a local school, had refused to marry the son of the school owner, citing that he was already married and twice her age. The assailants beat her, doused her with petrol, and set her on fire, ultimately causing her death due to 85 percent burns. Maria’s family reported that she had been repeatedly harassed and pressured, and when she exercised her right to refuse, the perpetrators took lethal revenge.

These cases raise urgent questions about the culture of entitlement and violence against women in Pakistan. Why does a woman’s refusal of a proposal become a threat to some men’s pride? Why is asserting basic rights, like choosing whom to marry, treated as a crime worthy of murder, acid attacks, sexual assault, or harassment?

Experts and activists argue that these tragedies reflect systemic failures. Social norms, patriarchal mindsets, and a lack of strict legal enforcement allow such crimes to occur with alarming frequency. Women are expected to comply with male desires, and when they do not, the consequences can be deadly.

The murders of Constable Soman and Maria Sadqat are stark reminders that women in Pakistan continue to live under constant threat for simply exercising autonomy over their own lives. Justice, protection, and societal accountability must be enforced urgently to prevent further tragedies. Until attitudes toward women change and laws are applied effectively, the country will continue to witness the unnecessary loss of innocent lives.

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