Daily Times

Another woman in Pakistan has been brutally silenced-this time in Karachi, where a man allegedly set his wife on fire over accusations of infidelity. But she is not alone. The Human Rights Commission of Pakistan estimates that nearly 90% of women in the country experience some form of domestic violence in their lifetime. Surveys indicate that at least one in three married women has endured physical or emotional abuse at the hands of their husbands. Yet only 34% of these women ever seek help, fearing retaliation or distrusting law enforcement. Even more alarming is a report from the Aurat Foundation, which found that 80% of domestic violence cases go unreported, perpetuating an endless cycle of silence and suffering.

This crisis persists because it is deeply embedded in a patriarchal society where violence against women is normalized. Cultural norms dictate that a woman’s suffering within marriage is a private affair rather than a matter of justice. Many police officers dismiss domestic violence complaints as mere “family disputes,” reflecting an institutional reluctance to intervene. The judiciary offers little relief: cases drag on for years, often forcing women back into the very homes where they were brutalized. The Punjab Gender Parity Report 2022 found that domestic violence cases surged by 300% during the COVID-19 pandemic, exposing the state’s continued failure to protect its most vulnerable.

Pakistan does have legal provisions meant to safeguard women, but enforcement remains abysmal. The Domestic Violence (Prevention and Protection) Act, 2020, which criminalizes physical, emotional, and economic abuse, is inconsistently applied across provinces. Khyber Pakhtunkhwa remains a glaring outlier due to bureaucratic and legislative roadblocks. The Pakistan Penal Code still lacks a dedicated clause addressing domestic violence, forcing cases to be filed under general assault provisions that fail to reflect the complexities of intimate partner violence. The implications of this legal vacuum are dire. Without stringent enforcement, abusers continue to operate without fear of consequence. Without judicial reforms, cases will continue to be stuck in limbo. Without specialized law enforcement training, women will continue to be dismissed when they seek help. And without meaningful intervention, the next case of domestic violence (just as horrific as this one) will not be a question of if, but when.

The persistence of domestic violence in Pakistan reflects not just a failure of law but a failure of society itself. The silence surrounding abuse must be shattered, and the state must be forced to act; not with empty rhetoric but tangible legal and social reforms. A woman burned alive in her home should shake the nation’s conscience. Yet, if history is any indication, it will not. *