True Crime

Aurat March, an annual march to raise voices, to help silent echoes reach ears, a march that fights for women’s rights, and a march that supports victims. Held every year on 8th March, International Women’s Day, Aurat March highlights issues of discrimination and violence against women in Pakistan. One of the most famous and controversial aspects of this march is its slogans. These slogans often challenge the high-standard values set by Pakistani society for women and question the expectations placed on them to become the “ideal” domestic woman. Polygamy, in different cultures and religious interpretations, is considered a traditional practice. Polygamy is when a man has more than one wife at a time. If a woman has more than one husband at a time, it is called polyandry. However, in Pakistan, polygamy is legal, and it is sometimes used as a tool to suppress women. According to the law, a husband must seek permission from his first wife before marrying again, and if he does not take per...

Suppression of women in Pakistan can be done through various tactics. Some use the word “honor,” some use religion, and some use customs. Some blackmail them; if they go against the values, she would be labelled as characterless, and the term used in Pakistan is “Kari.” “Kari” is an old term used to blame women for adultery, and later such accusations can lead to punishment in the form of so-called honor killings. There is no fixed rate of “Kari” cases in Pakistan, but around 400–500 honor killings are officially reported each year. However, human rights activists estimate the real number may be closer to 1000 deaths per year because many cases are hidden or not reported. The term “Kari” and related acts are most commonly reported in the Sindh province of Pakistan, where each year a number of women are murdered on the accusation of adultery. Around 70 percent of women are victims of “Kari” every year in Sindh. Sometime in 2010, there was a landlord in Sindh, often known as “Sain” or tr...

Over the four decades, Pakistan has witnessed major moral and ethical changes regarding women’s rights. Before the late 1970s, specifically before the era of General Muhammad Zia-ul-Haq, women had greater political influence and more fundamental rights. However, near the end of the 1970s, Pakistan entered a period of military rule that became known for Islamic conservatism. General Zia introduced legislative and social changes in Pakistan. Women were expected to cover themselves with veils, and restrictions were imposed on women working in certain sectors of government. Throughout his rule from 1977 to 1988, the number of female prisoners increased significantly, and many women were accused of adultery. These were the ideological seeds planted into the mindset of Generation X, and their influence can still be seen in Pakistani society today. In June 2002, Mukhtar Mai from Muzaffargarh, Punjab, Pakistan, was gang raped as a punishment imposed by an unofficial tribal tribunal known as a ...

By Mishal Zia | 09 May, 2026 | United Kingdom, Wales, as a crime reporter, journalist, and human rights activist, I have come across many heartbreaking cases in which serious crimes continue to repeat themselves despite devastating consequences. Among the most ignored and underreported crimes is child marriage, a practice that destroys childhoods, damages mental and physical health, and often traps young girls in cycles of abuse and fear for the rest of their lives. In many societies, child marriage is still defended as a “tradition” or “family matter” rather than recognised for what it truly is: a violation of human rights. Across different regions of the world, thousands of girls are forced into marriages before they are emotionally, physically, or mentally prepared for adulthood. Many lose access to education, independence, healthcare, and the right to choose their own future. According to UNICEF⁠, millions of girls worldwide are married before the age of 18 every year. In some coun...