Honor killings

One would've thought in the twenty first century, no one would go berserk and kill his daughter or sister for wanting to marry someone of her choice. Yet it continues happening. The other day, a nine year old girl was reportedly declared "kari" and stoned to death. The word "kari" in Sindhi or Seraiki means "black female" and is used to denote a woman who is loose and immoral.

We remember how Mukhtaran Mai was stripped naked and made to walk in public just because her brother had been suspected of having had sex with the sister or daughter of a powerful feudal lord in the area. Instead of her brother and his girl friend being punished (though that too would have been a crime), it was poor Mukhtaran (who had nothing to do with the affair) who had to pay the penalty. Even a so-called liberal like President Parvez Musharraf had condemned the victim (Mai), saying that she was one of those who wanted to get Canadian citizenship. The brave Mukhtaran Mai (who should have been awarded the Nobel Prize) is now involved in running schools for girls in her area. 

In the instant case too, the victim will be forgotten and more girls will be killed sometimes because their brothers don't want them to have their rightful share in the properties left by their parents, but usually because they want to marry men of their choice. I firmly believe that a mass cleanup is necessary to change the mindsets of those living in rural areas. Even if this requires the hanging of many (something which I have always opposed), I wouldn't object to it if it eliminates honor killing.