Qalam Kada

15/10/2025

"There is no honor in honor killings — only control.
Dr. Tahira S. Khan, in her talk with the Lyallpur Young Historians Club, sheds light on the painful truths behind this injustice.
🎧 Watch the full interview on YouTube.
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08/10/2025

Honor killings are not acts of honor — they are acts of control.
A snippet of the interview with Lyallpur Young Historians Club, in which Dr. Tahira S. Khan explains the hidden dynamics behind this tragic reality.
🎧 Watch the full discussion on YouTube.
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03/10/2025

🎙️ We’re proud to share that our very own Dr. Tahira S. Khan was invited by the History Lecture Series of for an in-depth talk titled:
“You all kill us whether here or there”: Role of Family and Community in Honor-related Violence in Punjab and the Punjabi Diaspora.

In this powerful session, Dr. Khan drew on her decades of scholarship and lived experiences to shed light on how family and community structures perpetuate honor-related violence, both in Punjab and across the diaspora.

Her groundbreaking work — including her award-winning book Beyond Honour — continues to challenge entrenched systems of power and give voice to women’s lived histories.

We are honored to see her insights reaching wider audiences through such important dialogues. 🌍✨

You can check out the whole interview at: https://www.youtube.com/live/POrr7xyKStM?si=bEM4fnP1SkUV4Pgk

30/09/2025

In many communities, family, community, and religion are not just sources of guidance — they often become tools of control.
The chapter “Society Guards Boundaries” shows how women are socialized to internalize sacrifice: their lives, choices, and voices offered up for the sake of “honour.”

🔴 Male control over resources makes women dependent.
🔴 Religion and tradition are used to justify restrictions on women’s sexuality.
🔴 Families demand obedience, often at the cost of freedom or even life.

This isn’t protection. This isn’t culture.
👉 It is systematic violence disguised as morality.

Every time we stay silent, these boundaries grow stronger.
Every time we speak out, we help dismantle them.

23/09/2025

Though wealth writes and power redraws, every boundary bows to justice — and Allah, in His mercy, makes all things whole.

18/09/2025

Culture is not an excuse for cruelty.
No tradition can justify murder. Women are not property, they are power. They deserve justice, dignity, and the right to live on their own terms

Read the next chapter on our website, link is in the bio!

12/09/2025

In the heart of South Asia, a political storm is brewing. Nepal's recent crisis, sparked by mass protests and culminating in a prime minister's resignation, is more than just a domestic issue—it's a critical moment with a ripple effect across the region. As Kathmandu navigates this turbulent period, it finds itself on a high-stakes geopolitical chessboard, with regional giants India and China watching its every move.

But for Pakistan, the events in Nepal hit particularly close to home. Analysts point out that the accusations of corruption and authoritarianism against Nepal's leaders eerily mirror some of the same challenges our nation has grappled with. It's a powerful reminder that the struggles for political stability and accountability are shared across borders.

This isn't just a news story; it's a reflection. So, we ask you: How can Pakistan learn from these events to build a stronger, more transparent, and more accountable government for our own future? Join the conversation below!

10/09/2025

*Every hand that takes a child’s innocence leaves an indelible scar.
Speak out. Stand strong. Stop the violence*

In the past month alone, Kasur witnessed yet another horrifying incident: a suspect caught on CCTV molesting a 10-year-old girl was critically injured in the ge****ls during an alleged police encounter in Chunian—a disturbing reminder that justice must be swift, but also just .

Just weeks earlier, viral footage exposed another man molesting a child in Shah Inayat Colony. Authorities arrested him after a pistol fired during his attempt to evade arrest, resulting in injury .

This ongoing pattern of abuse echoes the deep trauma of Kasur’s past—from the 2015 child po*******hy ring that involved nearly 300 children , to the 2018 murder of six-year-old Zainab Ansari, a tragedy that catalyzed the landmark Zainab Alert, Response & Recovery Act to create an AMBER-Alert-style system and stronger protections for missing children .

The question that arises is: "How many more scars must our children bear before society truly says: Enough is enough?"

04/09/2025

✨ Speak Up. Break the Silence. ✨

In collaboration with China Newsweek and Dr. Tahira Khan, this feature sheds light on Pakistan’s ongoing battle against “honor killings” — a storm that silences too many voices.

Together, we call for awareness, dialogue, and action. Because speaking up is the first step toward change. Read the full interview at: https://www.inewsweek.cn/world/2025-08-22/26396.shtml

Qalam Kada is a bilingual academic blog and research archive offering critical political analysis, gender and social justice discourse, and unpublished lectures and writings rooted in South Asian thought.

29/08/2025

The real divide isn’t culture—it’s class. Women’s status, roles, and spaces are shaped by inequality, not tradition. 🚫 Honour violence is not heritage, it’s harm. Let’s challenge the myth and stand for justice. ✊

23/08/2025

caption: Honour is never an excuse for violence. 🚫 What’s framed as ‘tradition’ is really about control and power. Let’s break harmful norms, raise our voices, and stand with survivors. 💪

📖 Read the first chapter now on Qalam Kada to explore the roots of honour-related violence and why it’s about power, not tradition.

20/08/2025

✨ Beyond Honour ✨
A groundbreaking exploration of honour-related violence through real-life case studies and critical theory. This book challenges dominant narratives and uncovers the cultural and political structures that sustain such violence.

📖 Available in both English & Urdu
🌐 Learn more at Qalamkada.net

👉 Engage with these urgent issues today and join the conversation for change.