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‘Women aren’t safe anywhere’: Video of man murdering sister in Toba Tek Singh enrages internet

Social media is awash with reactions of disgust and horror.
29 Mar, 2024

A gruesome video of a man killing a woman, Maria, in Toba Tek Singh while another looks on has gone viral on social media, prompting anger online. The man in the video is believed to be her brother Faisal, who is co-accused of her murder, alongside their father Abdul Sattar.

District Police Officer Ibadat Nisar told the media there were suspicions that the victim was raped by her brother Faisal and father Abdul Sattar. The police are awaiting a forensic lab report that will confirm how the victim was murdered and whether or not she was pregnant.

Meanwhile, Faisal’s sister-in-law told officers that he had threatened to kill her and her children if she told anyone about the murder. She also told the police that the victim had told her about the incest.

The incident took place on the night between March 17 and 18 and the family buried the victim in the village graveyard. The police were pushed to action after the video of the crime went viral and was met with public outcry.

Netizens took to X (formerly Twitter) to share their horror, with many questioning if women’s own homes were safe for them.

An X user pointed out that “bad men” are often found within the confines of a woman’s home, despite men telling women to “stay home because of so-called bad men out on the roads”. They emphasised that women were not safe “anywhere”.

Some highlighted the role of the patriarchy in enabling crimes such as this, and said that men who believed they were not like the assailants “must valiantly support every effort to eliminate the structures of power that perpetuate gender-based violence”.

Others maintained that Pakistan’s “toxic patriarchy” would destroy it well before its other ailments.

Another X user voiced her anger against people who label feminist marches ‘indecent’.

People were also enraged as the video showed the victim’s father “casually” handing his son a bottle of water after he murdered the woman. “[The] father…casually gives his son some cold water as if killing someone is some sort of sport. My brain is numb,” one person noted.

Another person underscored that the murder “haunted” the people who watched it only because it was caught on camera, adding that many crimes against women go unreported because “not all murderers record the slaughter they perform”.

Activist Mehrub Awan questioned why there were no safe shelters for women in Pakistan and that landlords are reluctant to rent spaces to single women. She also encouraged conversation on how “unemployment and financial instability are the biggest hurdle to women’s independence”.

In a country where women are often told to stay home to protect themselves, it is horrific to see that even their homes aren’t safe for them.

Comments

Syed Hasni Mar 29, 2024 04:26pm
Honor killings were encouraged in ancient Rome, where male family members who did not take action against the female adulterers in their families were "actively persecuted". The origin of honor killings and the control of women is evidenced throughout history in the cultures and traditions of many regions. The Roman law of pater familias gave complete control to the men of the family over both their children and wives. Under these laws, the lives of children and wives were at the discretion of the men in their families. Ancient Roman Law also justified honor killings by stating that women who were found guilty of adultery could be killed by their husbands. During the Qing dynasty in China, fathers and husbands had the right to kill daughters who were deemed to have dishonored the family. It's not an Islamic tradition , where woman "Paradise lies at the feet of mothers" which means that the woman's role as a mother is a sacred one. Islam has emphasized this fact in great fashion by instructing us to respect and care for our mothers for more than what we do for our fathers.
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Ahmed Mar 29, 2024 05:35pm
How about Moiz start a safe haven for women. It easy to just talk on Twitter. Some people use incidents like these to make themselves relevant.
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Taj Ahmad Mar 29, 2024 06:16pm
As father, brother, husband, we should respect our mother, sister and wife.
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Asam Shazad Mar 29, 2024 06:22pm
This is so sad.
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Nadia Mar 29, 2024 06:39pm
The important thing is that women should be a functioning part of society. Whether they get their education/ training at home or at school or wherever, first is education and skill building and second is making sure everyone is in the loop. In the western world this is done through compulsory education for everyone no child is unaccounted for. Second is changing of mindset. Whether it’s through the imam of masjid or religious people or formal education institutions we need to inculcate respect for women and girl child. And praise them for things such as child bearing and rearing and not some “object” to kick around or some “lesser being”by their crazy male counterparts. And TV can also highlight that women are not just these heavily made up strange psychos chasing men all the time with no other life interests.
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Ali Mar 29, 2024 08:33pm
How about these sweeping statements; “Humans are not save anywhere “ “Villages are not save anywhere” “Uneducated are not save anywhere” “poor are not save anywhere” And many more ….. U don’t need to draw “specific “ conclusions from every story
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Shaista Mar 29, 2024 10:42pm
No words. I agree we have to start again from scratch, from kindy.
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Raja Mar 29, 2024 10:57pm
Millions of women are living safely in their house since long. Such rare incident doesn't mean that all women are not safe.
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NYS Mar 29, 2024 11:34pm
This murder incident gives goose bumps How can these toxic loopholes capped Honour killing by domestic supportive system sad :( What else unfolding Let's see saga is developing and what more horror facts coming
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M. Saeed Mar 29, 2024 11:49pm
....and we blame our politicians! Are we humans?
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HAseeb AHmad Mar 30, 2024 04:40am
Women are free but their freedom is not being digested by illiterate people, who can be their parents, husbands, or seniors in office. The key solution is quality education and free media.
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Tehmina Iqbal Mar 30, 2024 09:09am
How it is highly devastating for those girls who are grown up on the believe that only Father and brothers are best safeguard for them. How people of this era are openly committing such crimes and strongly deteriorating the unique role of women in society. They are vile beasts in the form of humans and will burn in hell. Their audacity in such sins is a trash.
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Robert John Chandran Mar 30, 2024 02:17pm
This is so so sad. The perpetrators deserve the maximum punishment. That should serve as a lesson for other criminal minds. RIP.
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Dr. Salaria, Aamir Ahmad Mar 30, 2024 02:49pm
What a gigantic, gruesome, ghastly, grim, grave, gross and great tragedy? Are we still living in the dark ages? Inna Lilla Hay Waa Inna Illehey Rajayoon.
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hello

Mar 30, 2024 06:47pm
Its so sad
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Sarwat Mar 31, 2024 02:09am
Surprised to read comments of this nature. Education has nothing to do with such cases. I'm sure alot of educated women are facing same issues but are quiet because they have no choice unless they are independent or unless they are believed by the community rather than being a target. Surviving such heinous crimes is worse than dying once
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Kartar Singh Apr 01, 2024 04:22am
So much injustice. First incest and rape then murder . Who gave them the right or authority. Good men should support their sisters, mothers and other women . Be a man , not just in words in deeds too .
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horrorshow Apr 01, 2024 05:50am
It is so depressing…. Animals are better
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Baasit Hussain Apr 01, 2024 08:49am
So will they be swiftly punished by death, or will another drama unfold. Will we even get round know what will happen. As of today, April 1st what is the update on the investigation and legal position. Journalism is certainly not upto the mark and discriminatory
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Nauman Apr 01, 2024 09:03am
Patriarch society of Pakistan. They never consider daughters as their real offspring or descendants.
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Anand Apr 01, 2024 10:47am
Sad state of affairs. Hope Pakistan learn and adhere to equality
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