Pakistan, June 16 -- Another couple is dead, shot down in cold blood in Mardan because they chose love over lineage. Zafar Iqbal and Farzana had lived quietly for 17 years after marrying of their own will, yet in Pakistan's twisted honour code, forgiveness is never permanent, and vengeance is never too late.

Despite the 2016 legislation that sought to close legal loopholes in honour killing cases, these crimes continue unabated. The Human Rights Commission of Pakistan (HRCP) documented hundreds of such murders in the past year alone. The Sindh and Punjab governments have launched awareness campaigns, yet in many parts of the country, tribal and patriarchal codes continue to supersede law and justice. In rural Pakistan, honour is still of...