For all those defenders of patriarchy that routinely slam Pakistan’s dismal ranking in gender indicators (just below war-ravaged Afghanistan, Yemen and Iraq) as nothing but Western propaganda, the horrific murder of a young girl in Sahiwal should be a great wake-up call. Little had she known that refusing to give in to her so-called guardian’s petty demand would cost her her life, that too in a blood-curdling manner. But unfortunately for her, her countrymen and countrywomen are ar too busy perpetuating their own misogynistic stereotypes to bring about a change. As is the norm, some hashtags on Twitter and tickers on news channels would be thought of as an appropriate response. After all, what transpired was nothing out of ordinary in a nation that routinely learns of grisly acts against girls and women, expresses great horror and outrage, and learns to move on after one news cycle. Such has become our appetite for violence that no account of rape and honour killings forces us to take a peek within and try to tackle the pervasive monster. Despite the legislative tools present in comprehensive forms, all the king’s horses and all the king’s men do not wish to poke the bear. Instead, they choose the easiest way out and rely on the age-old demeaning technique of blaming the victim. Doused in acid? Must have provoked the accused. Kidnapped and subjected to forced marriage? Must have provoked the accused. No matter what broken shards pierce Pakistani women, the fact that they were born inferior puts the target on their backs. Sprinkling a few national favourite religious buzzwords adds the much-needed authenticity to these smear campaigns and the crime itself conveniently gets brushed under the rug. Femicide is well on its way to becoming a national favourite and the butcher’s knife does not differentiate between Noor, from an affluent neighbourhood in the heart of the country, and Qandeel, who dared rise above her small-town life. That they are women and, in turn, licensed property of the men in their lives singlehandedly paves the ground for any and all miseries awaiting them. The writing on the wall could not be any clearer for them: shut their mouths and dance to the puppeteer tunes. *