A golden ticket to green pastures in Europe is a dream shared by many from humble backgrounds. But what to do when the cash cow refuses to take one in its embrace and stands in the way of much-sought-after nationalities? While rejection pain may cut pretty deep, it can, under no circumstances, condone cold-blooded murders. Aneesa (24) and Arooj (21) would never have (even in their wildest dreams) foreseen their husbands, uncle and most of all, their brother to all join arms in silencing them. Because the society they grew up in had a very different set of priorities altogether. There, human lives did not rank second to self-heralded ideals of families and social relationships. Further, male egos were strong enough to sustain a clear brush-off and ergo, far few guns pointed to heads. But while the local authorities are actively pursuing a case, it would be phenomenally historic to see them get their hands on justice. Hundreds of thousands of women get murdered by family members all across Pakistan but only a handful of them manage to get the attention of the press. International uproar over the likes of the sensational Qandeel Baloch murder or the grisly stoning of Farzana Parveen even draw condemnation from chief ministers or the prime minister but the rolling stone stops at an investigation or more rarely, a verdict. According to a report released early this year, as many as 176 people were killed on the pretext of honour in Sindh last year. This does not include the countless horror stories that were brushed under the rugs in all other provinces. The low conviction rate and widespread prevalence of blood money laws allow the sick-minded to roam free; crushing victim after victim under the weight of unadulterated hatred for womankind. Ours is a misogynistic society. Regrettably, no mentions of female prime ministers, religiously mandated location of heaven (under mother’s feet) or the constitutional injunctions of equality (regardless of gender) can change the status quo unless the general mindset is miraculously transformed. At best, women are treated as second-class citizens that have only been created to carry every whim of the supernatural men acting as their guardians. The worst instances however see them as liabilities that should be obliterated to protect the divinely family honour. *