Pakistan’s Supreme Court has upheld the conviction of Khursheed Ahmad for the killing of his wife, Gulshan Bibi, shedding light on the normalization of domestic violence in the country. The court’s verdict highlighted how societal norms often trap women in abusive environments described as “living hell.” Gulshan Bibi, who had left her husband due to repeated abuse, tragically lost her life after pressure from family members led to reconciliation attempts, driven by social stigma and notions of family honor. This tragic pattern is not isolated to one household, as families frequently prioritize marital continuity over the safety of women, perpetuating cycles of abuse.
According to reports, families in Pakistan often perpetuate abuse by pressuring women to remain in harmful relationships, while law enforcement sometimes dismisses domestic violence as a private matter. Urgent policy reforms are needed in Pakistan to address domestic violence effectively, including the enforcement of existing laws, police training to identify abuse patterns, and the serious consideration of violence history in trial courts. Additionally, providing women with alternative options such as shelters, legal aid, and financial support is crucial to ensure that decisions regarding reconciliation are voluntary rather than coerced.
In a concerning trend, data from an organization monitoring gender-based violence revealed a significant increase in crimes against women in Pakistan during the first 11 months of 2025. The report, based on data from national newspapers across various regions, indicated a 25% rise in reported incidents compared to the previous year. The documented cases included various forms of violence, such as murder, abduction, physical assault, suicide, and rape, with perpetrators known to the survivors in a significant percentage of rape cases. Notably, husbands were implicated in 12% of the reported cases, highlighting the prevalence of domestic violence within intimate relationships.
