'Honour Killings' in Pakistan and Compliance of ... - Aurat Foundation

mindset and existing confining social set up. For example, traditional
customs, such as child marriages and watta satta (exchange of women in
marriage between two families) have resulted in women attempting to
escape their circumstances and consequentially being murdered. Women
who try to enter into a marriage of their own choice can face the same
situation.
An interesting fact that surfaced across the country was that there is an
increase in the number of honour killings at the time of the ripening of the
crop, i.e. when the agricultural community is at its most affluent. Because
of this potential murderers feel that they can afford to enter into another
marriage. They can also claim a large sum of money from their enemies
by blaming them.
Another contributory factor brought forward by different members of the
community was the role of the vadera/zamindar (landowner) and the
jirgas and panchayats (council of elders in a village or community). Both
are powerful within the community, and therefore hold the clout to deal
with community issues. They act as judges and decide issues facing the
community. These systems are routinely used to prove the guilt of the
intended victim.
With regard to the vadera, the decision takes place at the home of the
landowner. It is now reported to have almost become a business, where
the landlord takes a commission for his personal expenditure and reserves
the right to sell off the woman or keep her at his house. Or he decides that
that a large amount of money has to be paid by the offending party as
khoon baha (blood money), or that a girl (chatti) has to be given as
badal/aiwaz (compensation).
These feudal landlords and tribal chiefs are active in some way or another
in the commission or covering up of honour killings and crimes. These
same people are also sitting in the legislatures and they actively oppose
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