Pakistan, Oct. 20 -- In 2008, five women were buried alive in Jaffarabad, Balochistan - their only crime was allegedly dishonoring their tribe. A senator justified their murder as "centuries-old tradition." No repercussions followed. Over a decade later, the story hasn't changed much. In 2024 alone, more than 400 women were killed for "honor," according to the Human Rights Commission of Pakistan. The real number, of course, is far higher - buried beneath silence and shame.

Despite the 2016 legal reform that made "honor killings" non-compoundable - meaning families can no longer forgive the murderer - justice remains a mirage. Implementation is feeble, investigations half-hearted, and courts still swayed by cultural bias. The reform exist...