“Zeenat wake up daughter it’s getting late, your brother and father are about to awake they’ll immediately ask for breakfast, hurry up or else you’ll be late and all that fuss will be created again.” Safoora mother of zeenat was doing her regular house hold chores, dark was vanishing and sun was rising although there was still a faint light but the omens of morning were clearer, birds were singing morning songs indicating start of a new day, a new hope. Sky was slightly changing its color from black to gray and then further lighting to dull blue shade. The atmosphere of the village was arousing from deep sleep, sound of the ringing of bells tied in the neck of domestic animals like cows, buffalos, bulls and goat, sound of movement of bicycles of those who bring milk on to the doorstep of homes of village residents, smoke rising from houses carrying with itself smell of burning wood and animal debris. Zeenat opened her eyes and with still dizzy head looked at the sky it was getting lighter color, stars were vanishing and so was her hope for a better life, scenes of last night were encircling her mind she still felt pain in her body, last night was repeating like a film in her head, she was just sitting after completing her work on a piece of cloth, she and her mother made hand embroidery on cloths which were provided by the” begum sahib” coming from big city which she then sell on her big shop(boutique), zeenat her mother and other local women do work for that urban lady, the price paid was very low, the lady grabs high profits out of their talent. Her costumers liked hand embroidery very much. Zeenat do the work after completing her house hold chores, her mother joins her but was unable to help her much because of her ever drowning eye sight. She was trying to save some money to get proper dowry so that no one in her in-laws can blame her parents not giving her enough “house hold utensils”. Last night she was exhausted and tired after another back breaking day she had done the work on the cloth provided by that urban lady and was about to go bed, it was late night time when her father and brothers returned from the neighboring village they were gone to take part in cock fighting, a tradition in most of the villages of sindh. They looked very cheer full and were discussing the event with one another, her elder brother’s friend had won the fight and they were going to celebrate it tomorrow night, she was so exhausted that she didn’t have energy to stand up and ask her father and brother about dinner. Her father called her name twice she sat up on the charpai (village version of bed) fighting back the urge to lay down and get lost in the deep sleep.

“zeenat go and get food for us” her father ordered her, she has no other choice but to follow her father’s orders. With half sleep, half conscious she reheated their food and served it on the cloth spread on the charpai, her father jamal was washing his hands and face off of dirt that was stickled on the way back. Her brother take a bite and immediately spit it on the floor, he threw the food away with his hand and looked with severe expressions towards zeenat, her senses were not working properly due to sleep deprivation she felt a wave of terror washing inside her body “what the hell is that, how can any sane human eat this debris of cow you fool” amjad his elder brother was screaming at her. Her body was trembling with fear. ”what happened ada (brother)”  she asked in weak voice. “What happened? You are asking me what happened, who cooked this trash? it is like we are eating poison, it is so spicy that my tongue was burned as soon as I took a bite. Who cooked this garbage” the atmosphere was becoming catastrophe; zeenat was trembling like a weak branch of tree which does not have the strength to hold itself in fast and devastating wind.” Leave it son calm down”, their father interrupted in the mid of the scene, leave that, have your rice with milk and sugar, let her go she is dying due to fear look at her she is looking as pale as a ghost” her father said he was cleaning his face with towel hanging on the string tied in the front yard used to dry the cloths.” Yeah let her go and let her sleep, your beloved daughter” his brother said sarcastically, ”we returned after a long journey so exhausted and dying with hunger just to eat this garbage, what the hell did she do all the day long?” he was again yelling in antagonism. “ada I had cooked the meal, mother and I ate this it was quite good I don’t know what happened to it in a short while” zeenat tried to clear her position but this seemed as putting adverse effect on her brother’s temper, he suddenly rose from charpai and hit her on her face knocking her down on clay floor, she fell down hitting her face with the small stone probably entering the house stickled to the sole of her father’s or brother’s shoes. “Calm down amjad, calm down don’t create any scene this time whole of the village is sleeping,” their father tried to put his temper down. “you” amjad pointed his finger in the direction where his father was standing “you are responsible for all this, your unjust benevolence towards this bitch will give you horrible results, one day when she will run away with her next of kin and will put dust not only in your eyes but also in your turban.” He was trembling with wrath and agony; his eyes were ablaze with fury. Zeenat moved slowly and amjad put an abhorred eye on her, he seemed as he was trying to control his anger and frustration, he hit her hard and stepped in to the toilet built in the corner of vast courtyard. “ come on now get up, I told you earlier don’t mess with him, you are a girl after all it doesn’t suits you to talk to your elder brother like this” his father sympathized her and set down to have his meal scattered on the charpai. There were hundreds of questions storming in the mind and in the heart of zeenat, she wanted to ask her father doesn’t she need equal respect and dignity as her brother, who was exhausted and tired? She who had worked all day long and also support her family financially or he who spend his days with his street roamer friends and spent nights enjoying opium and sheesha at the hotel and watching nude movies. But she kept her lips tight, collected her strength and went inside the room where her mother was sleeping after taking her medicine. She wept silently, after a short while her father came in there was an innocent hope in her mind that he will surely pamper her and will criticize his brother for his harsh behavior but he said nothing except “give us tea” and went away, she fought her tears and immediately went to kitchen as she had no strength to bear another hit.

This flash back aroused feelings of shame and disgust in her heart, shame for herself and disgust for those male of her family. fighting back her tears she get up from the charpai and went to the small kitchen collecting dry wooden branches from the way and throw them in the handmade furnace to set the fire on. She started making meal for her father and brother beginning another hectic day.

amjad was sitting in the hotel with his friends watching nude movie, they were all absorbed in the scene their tea was getting colder with every passing moment but they seemed to take no care of that. Suddenly the atmosphere of the hotel was filled with refreshing fragrance of some kind of imported perfume to which their sense of smell was not used to. A handsome looking boy was standing at the counter chatting with the cashier. although his voice was not audible due to noise created by movie sound, many of the idle people sitting there were staring in his direction, he seemed misfit to the entire set up, he was sophistically dressed, his actions were refined and he wasn’t paying attention to that mind blowing movie. One of the companions sitting by amjad hit his elbow in his ribs and pointed in the direction of that boy, amjad screwed his eyes, he instantly recognized the boy, he was hayyat son of headmaster of the only middle school present in the village. he followed the path shown by his father and was now studying law in the city, he occasionally came to village to meet his father and was always favorite of all of the parents living in napar (village name), even amjad’s father used to give him examples of hayyat’s interest in studies and because of this amjad thinks him as an enemy of his otherwise famous personality, amjad thinks himself as the hero of the village on whose personality every other girl of the village was dying to get a glimpse. Feeling someone ‘s gaze on his back hayyat suddenly turned his face towards the direction where amjad and his friends were sitting, seeing him taking the notice of his glare amjad instinctively turned his eyes towards TV where running names were sticking their tongue out on him, he ordered his allies to follow him and headed out of the hotel, hayyat has had a hint of amjad’s dislike for him, he smiled a wry smile which hit on the nerves of amjad and kicked empty tin of cold drink coming in his way assuming it as the face of hayyat. “Big brother why are you teasing yourself and us like this, just give us a command and then see what we are going to do with this son of bitch.” One of his friends said to him twisting his out grown moustache at the corner.” No hamid no, I’ll deal with him myself, I’ll teach him a lesson he’ll never forget” there was some intrigue and menace flowing out of his eyes. “ok boss do what you please, now come I’ll show you an item” he winked his eyes”what is that” amjad asked with curiosity.” Today on the rear side lake girls are going on an outing, they had made their plans to eat, enjoy and swim. Swim now you understand what I am trying to say” they all laughed in harmony.” You are a real monster and how do you come to know about this?” another asked” well yesterday my sister was asking my father’s permission to go there, I interrupted immediately and refused her, you know our sisters are our honor they should stay at home and do nothing else then our service” all of them were nodding their heads in affirmative. They all headed towards the lake adrenaline was increasing in their blood stream.

amjad was returning to home it was sunset time, birds were arriving back at their nests there was a noise in the air as everyone was winding up their day, he was whistling some famous Indian song and was almost at the highest degree of fun and excitement remembering the pats moments, imagining bathing and playing girls in the lake. Testosterone level was stimulated, he was deep buried in those playful moments, voice of the moazin (the one who calls for prayers) was coming out of the mosque calling for prayer and pay gratitude in front of the God. Suddenly he saw a figure standing on his door, he stopped and tried to sort out who was that tall figure, he instantly recognized zeenat wrapped in her big dupatta she was receiving something from the man, amjad screwed his eyes and then there was a blat in his heart and mind, fire was burning in all his veins, that was hayyat, whom he thought as his worst enemy. He started pacing towards his home, suddenly an idea flashed in his mind, he immediately halted and smiled a wicked smile he returned on his feet and took the wedge from deeno shopkeeper and avoiding his constant yelling he stepped towards his home.

Zeenat was washing her face, arms, feet and her forehead hairline to observe prayer. birds were resting in their nest built on the tree grown in their courtyard, her mother was placing the hen and its chickens back in the wooden cage built under the tree, suddenly someone knocked at the door she leaved the hand pump and put an inquiring glance in the direction of her mother” check out whose there” after getting green signal she turned towards the main door and opened its one half, there was a handsome boy standing in front of her home, his eyes were at first on the floor and then he looked upward, her heart missed a heartbeat, he doesn’t related to the surroundings where he was standing and looked out of place belonging to some other world, alien for her. She backed off a little shyly and hayyat once again dropped his eyes down to the floor. ”bibi is any one there inside the house, I am son of master sahib, I am here to invite your father and brother for my sister’s engagement held tomorrow in the mosque, please call your father or brother” his eyes were still on the floor  ”no they are not back yet, you wait for a moment I’ll call my mother she is here” she completed her talk hidden behind the door.” No there is no need for that, you just give your father this invitation card” he handed her the card and moved backed his steps without putting another glance in her direction. Holding the card in her hands she closed the door and returned to her mother to inform her of the invitation, she was on her way suddenly with a deafening sound the door was hammered again, she felt anxious and looked at her mother, ” stay there I am going to see whose there” she looked worried , placing one hand on her heart she called with aloud voice enough to be heard on the other side of the door ”whose there?” “open the door” she felt a wave of fear, it was amjad and it seems from the sound of his voice that something was wrong, she opened the door, amjad entered aggressively and throw her away sweeping the entire courtyard within an eye, there was she standing near the hand pump wrapped in big shawl, seeing in his direction with wide eyes, wide with fear and terror. She looked like a little help less fish caught in the mouth of a big furious crocodile; he advanced his steps violently towards her, fire was streaming from his eyes. Zeenat started back pacing she was moving in backward direction with her pale and frightened face bewildered and horror struck on her unknown crime which had made her brother so furious. At that instant he reached on her head and caught her from her elbow”you bastard, what did you thought? You will play with our honor and there will be no one to stop you, you’ made our abode a brothel and no one is going to bother you” he blew a fist on her face, their mother run towards her daughter and tried to stop him, he throw her forcefully on the floor, meanwhile zeenat freed her arm from his iron grip and run toward the store room meant to store wheat and rice after reaping season, she was on her way when he got the corner of her shawl and dragged her back on the floor, she fell on the ground with her face facing upward, she felt as something hard has hit her on the back of her head, he kicked her on her face, her shawl and slipper remained there where she fell and he dragged her to handmade pump, she was trying to free herself from his strong grip but was unable to do so, her mother had lost her consciousness she was lying on the floor. Zeenat was asking her brother of her fault, she was constantly begging for forgiveness for her unknown and undone crime, she was begging for mercy, but the only thing in the mind of amjad was to remove hayyat from his life and for that purpose someone has to give the sacrifice and that sacrifice was going to be given by zeenat, so what if she was going to lose her life, sisters do a lot for their brother’s sake in this region of the world. He leaved zeenat on the floor, her clothes were torn and her upper lip was bleeding. Tears were streaming down her face” no please don’t do this, I am your sister ada please leave me alone” she was begging, amjad pulled up the wedge and hit her on her head ”aahhhh..” she growled in pain, she was feeling as a fish out of water, blood was flowing from her head, down her face and body. amjad didn’t stopped he hit her twice and then for the third time. she was now calm, in peace and in silence. Silent forever. The atmosphere was still, as there was no one living on the planet earth, it was now dark stars were glittering, no one has taken even a little concern of the loss of life of an innocent girl, her eyes were open with shock, after slaughtering her younger sister, he took his wedge and got outside in search of the hayyat. The plan formed in his brain was that he was going to kill his sister claiming her involved in adultery with hayyat, and giving them both death penalty, named as “karo-kari” in sindh. ”karo” being thename given to  man and “kari” to women, also known as killing in the name of honor…