The Other Side of the Coin: Honour Killing in Tribal Areas of Pakistan

Abstract

This paper examinesreligious perspective regarding honour killing in tribal areas of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan. The required for the completion of this research project data was collected through in-depth interviews from 45participants consisting upon tribal lawyers, religious clerics and administrative officials of district Kurram erstwhile Kurram Agency. The study concluded that religion occupied a significant position in the lives of tribal people in terms of religious practices.But they are completely alienated from religious injections in case of honour related matters, and in this respect cultural values always dominate religious teachings. Although, Islam strictly condemn honour killing in all forms and manifestations both at individual and collective levels, however; both religious sects i.e. Shia and Sunni residing in the area equally observed the norms related honour and honour killing. Such observance of honour norms is mainly the outcome of an absence of factual religious knowledge and weak role of the religious clerics in the prevention of honour based murders. Understanding of women rights as per the yardstick of Islam, initiations of awareness campaigns regarding honour killing and inclusion of reading materials in syllabus were forwarded some of the recommendations.