Pakistan, July 23 -- Whenever a woman is killed in the name of "honour" in Pakistan, our hearts shudder for a moment-social media flares with outrage. Headlines scream in the newspapers. And then - everything returns to normal, as if nothing ever happened. Honour killings in Pakistan are not a new affliction. According to the Human Rights Commission of Pakistan (HRCP), 590 such cases were reported in 2022, 490 in 2023, and at least 346 by mid-2024 - with most of the victims being women. In 2024 alone, 392 women were reportedly murdered. Disturbingly, 185 men also lost their lives in similar incidents. And since most cases go unreported, the real figures are likely far worse.

From the infamous 2012 and 2019 Kohistan cases - where girls we...