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While Pakistan often claims itself at international levels as a country committed to women’s protection and equality, the dire reality within the country speaks volumes to the contrary. Much as political speeches are made on the progress achieved, millions of women still suffer violence, discrimination, and systemic neglect that render their lives unsafe daily. The gap between official claims and lived realities is alarming.
Women in POK (Pakistan Occupied Kashmir) face extreme levels of structural discrimination, limited legal recourse, and severe restrictions on their ability to move freely; therefore, they are incredibly vulnerable to domestic abuses, as well as honour‐based violence. Local rights organisations repeatedly indicate that incidents of harassment, forced marriages and assaults go unreported because of political interference, with victims fearing retaliation if they report incidents.
The lack of effective policing, coupled with an overwhelming military presence, causes many victims of violence to either stay silent or be discouraged from reporting crimes to local law enforcement. Women in POK thus carry a double load of patriarchal abuse, as well as a severely diminished means of holding perpetrators accountable.
A recent annual report issued by a prominent monitoring organization shows that crimes against women throughout the country have increased by 25% in the first eleven months of 2025. The report depicts rising cases of rape, domestic violence, abduction, and honour-related crimes at alarming levels. The statistics obtained portend a deteriorating scenario rather than an improvement in the security of women. This is increasing domestic abuse and gender-based violence, pointing to deep-seated patriarchal structures and systemic failures throughout the region.
Domestic violence is one of the most pervasive and distressing forms of abuse. On average, 85 women are victims of violence daily in Pakistan, with most attacks coming from a husband or other family members. The home, rather than being the place of safety, has become the place of dread and harassment. This persistence of such incidents highlights the wide-ranging impunity granted to the perpetrators and the failure of State and societal mechanisms in safeguarding women adequately.
Much of this crisis is a product of deeply entrenched patriarchal norms. From strict expectations regarding a woman’s role to limitations in movement and constant family pressures regarding behaviour, honour, and marriage, patriarchy dictates women’s lives from an early childhood. Girls are socialized tsocialisedo prioritize obedience, silence, and family reputation above their dreams and safety. They are expected not to play freely, to choose their education, or to express themselves publicly. As they grow older, these restrictions are heightened, as are curfews, and their aspirations are dismissed as secondary to household responsibilities or early marriage. By adulthood, many women have internalized these limitations, leading to a society in which autonomy is viewed as a rebellion and an assertion of personal choice is met with hostility.
The results of these norms are horrific. Young women who choose their own partners, pursue careers, or seek divorce face threats, harassment, and even murder at the hands of family members. Honour-based violence continues to claim lives across the country. One such incident involved a father axing his daughter for seeking a lawful separation from her husband. Similarly, women who continue to maintain a social-media presence or visibility online are emerging as particularly vulnerable, as was seen in the recent murder of 17-year-old influencer Sana Yousaf in Islamabad, who became a target of obsession and violence at her very doorstep.
Yet, despite decades of activism, legal reforms have had very limited effects. Pakistan has laws on domestic violence, harassment, rape, and honour killings, but the enforcement is weak, conviction rates low, and survivors often encounter hostility from law enforcement officials, social stigma, and family pressure. Many cases never enter the courtroom, and those that do often get dismissed for lack of investigations. This impunity cycle emboldens not only the criminal but also reinforces a culture in which the lives and rights of women are devalued.
This is a glaring contradiction between Pakistan’s global claims and domestic reality. The country speaks loudly of progress and women’s empowerment, while daughters, mothers, and women everywhere in Pakistan remain unsafe. In a world seeing a rising tide of activism for gender equality, women in Pakistan still struggle to achieve the most fundamental right-the right to live free of fear. Women’s rights are human rights, and until they are treated as such, the country’s claims ring hollow.
International frameworks provide guidance and accountability. Commitments made on the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, the Beijing Platform for Action, among other global mechanisms, are to protect women and uphold their dignity. Yet, without proper implementation, these agreements remain symbolic. Conferences and treaties cannot save women from violence if laws are not enforced and societal tolerance of abuse prevails.
Meaningful change cannot be achieved by mere awareness campaigns. Pakistan needs to break down the structural patriarchy that perpetuates violence, strengthen legal protection, and ensure that perpetrators are brought to justice. Education should aim at dismantling harmful gender norms and communities should stand in support when women assert their autonomy rather than punish them for it. Women need to be regarded as human beings first right to safety, respect, and equality. Only then can society uphold the moral and legal imperative.
The stakes are indeed high. Till genuine reforms are carried out, millions of women in Pakistan and POK will remain under daily threats to their lives, dignity, and freedom. The promise of safety and equality has to shift from rhetoric to reality. Stopping violence against women is not just a binding legal obligation; it is also a humanitarian necessity and a test of Pakistan’s commitment to justice and human rights.
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