Monday, July 21, 2025

The Paradox of Honour: Unpacking the Ironies of Balochistan’s Tribal Traditions

WhatsApp Image 2025 07 21 at 19.08.07 a2295c43

In the rugged landscape of Balochistan, a province rich in natural resources yet poor in development, a tale of two honours unfolds. On one hand, the honour of the Baloch people cries out for justice, as they demand an end to state atrocities, enforced disappearances, and torture. The courageous voices of young women like Mahrang Baloch and Bebo echo through the valleys, refusing to be silenced.

On the other hand, a more sinister honour rears its head, one that condones the brutal murder of a woman and her husband in broad daylight. The gruesome video, circulating on social media, shows tribal leaders meting out a deadly sentence in the name of honour. The couple’s crime? They dared to marry for love, defying the tribal norms that dictate a woman’s choices.

As we grapple with the horrors of this incident, a glaring paradox emerges. Why do the Baloch people, who pride themselves on their honour and traditions, remain silent in the face of state-sponsored atrocities? Why do they not rise up to demand justice for their daughters, who are subjected to torture, arrest, and incarceration? Is their honour not appealed to, not provoked, by the subjugation and humiliation of their own flesh and blood?

The answer, perhaps, lies in the deeply ingrained patriarchy that permeates Baloch society. Honour, it seems, is solely associated with women, their bodies, and their choices. Men, on the other hand, are free to indulge in adultery, marry women of their choice, and escape unpunished. This twisted logic perpetuates a cycle of violence and oppression, where women are treated as mere commodities, their lives worth less than the honour of their families.

But what if we were to turn this twisted logic on its head? What if we were to start killing men in the name of honour, for their transgressions and indiscretions? Would there be anyone left to carry on the tribe’s traditions? The very thought is absurd, yet it highlights the inherent hypocrisy of a system that values honour above human life.

As we mourn the loss of the young couple, brutally murdered in the name of honour, we must also confront the darker aspects of our own society. We must question the traditions that perpetuate violence and oppression, and work towards creating a more just and equitable world, where honour is not a euphemism for brutality, but a beacon of hope and humanity.

It is not the honour of the Baloch people that needs to be defended, but their humanity. It is time for us to reclaim our honour, to redefine it in terms of justice, compassion, and equality. Only then can we hope to build a brighter future, one where women and men can live with dignity, free from the shackles of oppression and violence.

By: Inam Ullah
The writer is a Lecturer in IR at NUML (Peshawar)

Related Articles

LEAVE A REPLY

Please enter your comment!
Please enter your name here

Latest Articles