Naila Ganj Baloch
The barbaric practice of so-called “honour killings” in some sections of the Baloch society has been continuing for decades without pause and remains a hidden story in our lives. Leaving aside other incidents, let us take the example of a tragic incident reported on Friday 12 March 2022, when a Baloch girl in Awaran was gunned down in the name of honour. The victim’s crime was that she married a man of her choice. What happened to the man? Nothing. It begs the question: What about the other cases which are not being reported or being swept under the carpet?
Awaran is vomiting fresh blood in the name of honour killings. From 2019 onwards four adult girls were killed by their parents and family members in the name of honour killings, where the parents perceived the marriage of a girl to a man as a dishonour without the consent of parents. They also took the advantage of silenced law authority, which ultimately manifests the inability of law enforcement agencies. In all these cases, neither the local administration has taken any action, nor has there been any talk of them on social media or national media.
In all these four cases, the family members killed the girls in the name of honour because they wanted to marry some of their own choices. In the first case, the girl was forcibly married to a man in April 2019 in Awaran Labach. The girl was 16 years old and was a higher secondary school student when she was forced by her family to marry a man who was not of her choice.
The second incident took place in June 2020 in Siya Gazi Awaran when the girl’s family refused to accept a forced relationship, the man stabbed the girl to death and instantly killed her. The girl was 17 years old at that time. The man was arrested for murder but acquitted a few months later.
The third incident took place in April 2021 in Awaran Kalro when a 20 years old girl eloped with a man she liked and married him but unfortunately, three months later her brother found her whereabouts and killed her with an axe.
The fourth heartbreaking incident took place in Awaran Labach Dansar, where the girl eloped with a man of her choice and married him in 2022, however, her family members forcibly broke her marriage. Her husband had lodged an FIR and the court had ordered that the girl be produced in court on Saturday but the girl was praying on Friday evening when her uncle shot and killed her. The girl was 19 years old. The administration didn’t take any action in this regard. Labbach Danser is only 16 km away from the headquarters of the Awaran district, according to the locals, Mahzeb Khzur Baksh eloped with a man of her choice and took refuge at a local Mothabar/notable house under Balochi custom in Dandar area of district Kech.
The four murderers of the girls are known to the public in the main town of Awaran and they are freely roaming in the town whilst the local authority is totally purposefully oblivious of its lawful duty.
Given the security concerns, the name of the families and the girls have been omitted in this report.
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