In the majority of cases of the so-called honour killing, the murderers are often close relatives of the victim. This means that even when cases are reported, the families involved often reach out-of-court settlements allowing the killer to walk free.

Barrister Syeda Jugnu Kazmi, who works on gender based violence, said this during a discussion with Aaj News host Sidra Iqbal on her morning show Friday.

At least 1,100 women were killed in the name of honour between 2014 and 2016, according to the Human Rights Commission of Pakistan. New York headquartered Human Rights Watch say at least 1,000 women are murdered for 'honour' in Pakistan every year.

“Since honor killings are largely a family affair, most cases go unreported so police rarely make arrests,” said Barrister Kazmi. “Even in the reported cases the families involved often reach an out-of-court settlement and the alleged killers walk free."

In the overwhelming majority of cases, the killers are often close relatives, a brother, father, maternal or paternal uncle. "Societal norms and legal loopholes allowed perpetrators to be forgiven by the victim’s family, making possible for honor killing to persist," said the legal expert.

“Most of the cases we usually follow lack the basic element of ‘honour’,” said rights activists Marwi Awan. Most killings take place over property or by a jilted lover angry over a spurned proposal.

The 'honour killing' of Qandeel Baloch in July 2016 made international headlines and refocused attention on this issue. A few months later, the country passed the much-awaited anti-honour killing bill.

“We have laws and anti-honor killing bill but still this crime is prevalent,” Syeda Jugnu said.