True Crime

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...

By Mishal Zia March 7th, 2026 In many parts of Pakistan, a troubling pattern persists. Whenever the Taliban are criticized, a segment of the public quickly rises to defend them. The reasoning is often strikingly simple: the Taliban claim to follow Islam; therefore, they must be righteous. But this raises an uncomfortable question. Can violence, repression and fear truly represent a religion that speaks of justice, mercy and compassion? In deeply religious societies, faith is closely intertwined with identity. In Pakistan, where religion shapes both personal and political narratives, groups that frame themselves as defenders of Islam often receive instinctive sympathy. For some, the Taliban are not merely a political or militant force; they are seen as religious reformers attempting to establish what supporters perceive as an “Islamic system”. This perception persists despite decades of documented brutality. The Taliban’s rule in Afghanistan has been associated with severe restrictions...

By Mishal Zia  January 15, 2026 In the early hours of 12 February 2024, Chaudhary Muhammad Adnan, a seasoned politician and former member of the Punjab Assembly, was fatally shot in broad daylight in Rawalpindi’s Civil Lines neighbourhood. The assassination of the 47‑year‑old, who had served as parliamentary secretary for social welfare and later revenue, sent shockwaves through Pakistan’s political establishment and underscored the fragile security climate for elected figures. Adnan’s death was more than a tragic killing; it was a moment that exposed deep rifts between political rivalries, allegations of vendetta and accusations that quickly enveloped the subsequent investigation. At a traffic signal near the city’s police lines, unidentified assailants riding a motorcycle opened fire, killing Adnan and leaving questions about motive and culpability lingering ever since.  Within days of the murder, Rawalpindi police registered a case of premeditated murder at the Civil Lines ...

By Mishal Zia | December 30, 2025 | Kabul, Afghanistan When the Taliban returned to power in Afghanistan in August 2021, women across the country lost not only their freedoms but also their safety. Resistance came at an unbearable cost for many, as the story of sisters Tamana Piryani and Zarmina Piryani illustrates both the courage of Afghan women and the brutality of the regime that now governs them. Born and raised in Afghanistan, the sisters became involved in peaceful protests against Taliban rule. Their resistance was symbolic and non-violent: they spoke out online, shared messages on social media, and burned a burqa to protest the severe restrictions imposed on women's lives. The act was meant to highlight how women were being erased from public spaces under the Taliban's interpretation of religion. A video of the protest spread rapidly on social media. Soon after, Taliban supporters and armed militants publicly declared that the sisters should be beheaded. According to Z...

By Mishal Zia | June 8, 2025 | Islamabad, Pakistan There is an old saying that if a lion pretends to be a rabbit, that does not mean he will not kill. This seems particularly true in the story of Lal Masjid in 2007, when then-President Pervez Musharraf ordered a military operation to demolish the mosque. The official explanation claimed that the mosque was harboring terrorist groups linked to Afghanistan. Yet, the operation left scores of adults and children dead, and the true story behind this ruthless act remains far different from what was publicly presented. Years of research and firsthand accounts reveal a dark, hidden narrative. According to a senior colleague who witnessed the events, a minor girl from FATA, returning to her school dorm, found the dorm closed and had nowhere to stay. She called a trusted contact, Aunty Shamin, who allowed her in. What followed is chilling: the girl was later trafficked to a politician in Pakistan. When the school and the girl’s parents tried to ...