Women escapes abuse after being labeled as 'Kari'

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 treated as a godly figure. The poor people of the area were expected to obey these “Sains.” The landlord accused his sister of adultery and declared her “Kari,” after which he shot her. This incident was never reported because they were elite, and they allegedly paid authorities and police to cover up the case. In many rural areas, such power structures make it difficult for justice to be delivered, especially when influential families are involved.


In 2025, Bano Bibi and Ehsanullah were killed by Bano’s father and brothers. A total of 11 suspects were arrested after a video went viral showing the couple being shot dead. The reason for the crime was that Bano refused to marry according to her family’s choice and instead married Ehsan after eloping. The family tracked her down and killed her. The disturbing footage of the killing caused an uproar among feminist and human rights activists in Pakistan, who demanded justice for this act of femicide and called for an end to honor killings, where families kill women for not following customs, values, traditions, or religion. These incidents show how deeply rooted control over women’s choices can become, especially in matters of marriage and personal freedom.


“I know I will be killed,” a woman said during an interview. This case is from Sukkur, Pakistan. Gulshan Bharo was a mother of two from Goth Shah Baksh Bharo, Sukkur. She left her violent husband and had been living with her father for two to three years. She had not filed for khula (an Islamic divorce initiated by the woman). Her husband declared her “Kari,” saying, “She deserved to be killed.” The woman ran and escaped to the jungle. After going through a life-and-death situation, she finally reached Gulam Bund police station. The police there acted against the law and took her in and filed a case the next day. The court ordered her to be transferred to a women’s shelter known as “Darul Aman.” There, her father came and convinced her to return home, and so did her mother. She agreed to go back. But before leaving, she made a video recording saying, “I know I will be killed. I am a mother of two children, but for the sake of my father’s dignity, I will sacrifice myself and go back to live with them.” On May 2, 2026, her husband Sikki Lagau and his uncle Maula Bakhsh broke into her home and shot her. Her story reflects the fear many women live with, where even protection systems sometimes fail them, and pressure from family can override personal safety.


Meanwhile, anyone can declare a woman a “Kari” and kill her. It is a pity that some women in Pakistan support this act. It is a pity that every year more than 1000 women are being killed, and there are no proper laws against these traditions. It is a pity that women are being treated as objects, and when a woman speaks for her rights, she is silenced by different means. It is a pity that many women silently die, and many are being killed right at the moment you are reading this article and I am writing about this. These patterns show how social pressure, fear of dishonor, and lack of accountability combine to silence victims. Until these systems change, many women will continue to live under constant threat, where their choices are controlled and their voices are ignored.


Banners and debates, or protests cannot bring those lives back, if there are proper laws about these traditions then it could be prevented before happening. Women like Bano, Baksh, Qandeel, and there are many unknown who were murdered by their families and cases were never reported for them. It is a poor thing even in an advanced era, and with new technologies women are being treated like property and are being murdered just because they hurt male ego. Is this the social law or human right? Kari is a shameful act done by some patriarchy communities to show their power on 'weaker bodies'. And it only is not happening with women even the men are victims of this tradition as well for example Bhano's husband Ehsanulla, he could be clearly seen in disturbing viral video being shot. Their only fault was getting married of their choice. It is the 21st century but some communities are still living with the mindset of cave.


If we compare such cases in different areas of Pakistan, we will get to know that Sindh is the most prominent area where such cases could be observed. With the power of money, status and glory these criminals escape even after taking lives. Police do not even file these cases, instead they hide the crime after being bribed. Most of these cases involve the ego of male of such communities. Even rules and regulations can't do anything because the cases are not being reported and women most are scared to report if they survive. It's a pity that Women escape abuse after being labeled as 'Kari'.