Warning: This story contains descriptions of violence against women.
In a shocking incident that has shocked the nation, the body of 20-year-old Sayeeda Sania Zehra, a mother of two, was found hanged at her Multan home two days ago.
The victim's father registered an FIR at New Multan Police Station under sections 302 (intentional murder), 148 (rioting with deadly weapon) and 149 (unlawful assembly) of the Pakistan Penal Code.
According to the FIR, the victim was 5 to 6 months pregnant at the time of her death and the main culprit, her husband, fled the scene without informing the victim's family about her death.
According to the complainant, the suspect lied to the victim's family about the marriage and was already married to another woman. The family filed a case against the suspect in family court, but the case was eventually dropped.
The husband repeatedly threatened his wife and pressured her to sell the house they owned, the FIR said.
The brutal murder, which comes on the heels of several other cases of domestic violence, sparked an intense debate on social media, with Pakistani celebrities also expressing their outrage on Instagram stories and calling for justice for Sania Zehra.
Azfar Rehman called for not only the killer but also those involved in his upbringing to be punished.
In X, Ushna Shah admitted that she was wrong to expect sympathy from people on the internet for the families of her abusers.
Minal Khan deplored the repeated instances of violence against women and expressed shame at the failure of society.
Ahsan Khan stressed that the consequences of the violence must not be forgotten and called for collective action to stop it.
Rubia Chowdhury demanded that the perpetrators be given severe punishment to prevent such incidents from happening in future.
Hasan Rahim simply reflected on the humanity lost, while Maria Unela highlighted the current situation in which women are no longer safe in their own homes.
In another article, Unela lamented that the problem is not just with the law but with society.
Maryam Nafees described the incident as horrific and pointed to flaws in a system that allows abusers to move around freely.
Mansha Pasha has drawn attention to the men's mental health crisis that often leads to such tragic outcomes.
Dananeel Mobeen stressed the importance of activism and awareness to combat such violence.
Talha Anjum expressed grief and prayed for the repose of Zehra's soul, while Aiman Khan criticised the justice system and expressed her grief as a mother.
Maanu criticised those who still question the legitimacy of the Aurat March and asked why women are marching.
Sania Zehra's death comes close on the heels of the murder of a woman by her in-laws for not preparing her food fast enough, and news anchor Aisha Jahanzeb filing an FIR alleging regular abuse and threats to her life by her husband.
Addressing the issue of violence against women in Pakistan will require a huge effort and a joint effort from all of us. We need reforms to our laws, reforms to our police procedures, and most importantly, social reforms to ensure that this never happens again. What we need most of all is outrage. Outrage over these acts of violence should never subside.
