By: Shabana Ayaz
The word mother instantly evokes images of love, sacrifice, and boundless compassion. Nature has entrusted women with the sacred role of nurturing and protecting life, raising children, and guiding them on the path of existence. In Islam, a mother has been described as the key to Paradise, where the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) said: “Paradise lies beneath the feet of mothers.” Yet tragically, in today’s world, we are increasingly confronted with horrifying incidents where mothers take the lives of their own children. These acts shake not only households but also the moral and psychological foundations of entire societies.
Across the globe, filicide—the killing of children by their parents—has emerged as a disturbing phenomenon. When this act is carried out by mothers, it defies both natural instinct and social expectation. United Nations reports highlight that millions of children worldwide are subjected to violence each year, and a significant portion die at the hands of their own parents. Studies in the U.S. from 1976 to 2004 revealed that nearly 30% of young child homicide cases involved mothers as perpetrators. Pakistan too has seen a rise in such cases, pointing toward a mix of poverty, psychological crises, and declining social values.
Our objective here is not merely to recount events but to awaken society to the urgent need to prevent such tragedies. Saving motherhood from turning into monstrosity is a collective responsibility.
In recent years, Pakistan has witnessed numerous incidents where mothers killed their children. These cases not only break hearts but also expose underlying social, psychological, and moral crises. Estimates suggest that in the past five years, more than 50 such cases have been officially reported—likely a fraction of the true number, as many incidents go unrecorded.
On August 14, 2025, in DHA, Karachi, a 37-year-old woman, Adeeba, slit the throats of her two children—seven-year-old Zarrar and four-year-old Samia—with a sharp weapon. After killing them in the bathroom, she sent pictures of their bodies to her ex-husband. Investigation revealed she had divorced in September 2024, with custody awarded to the father. Struggling with depression, she reportedly said: “They were sweet, but their suffering was unbearable. Death was better for them.” This case was categorized as an altruistic filicide—a distorted belief that killing the children was an act of mercy.
In July 2025, a mother in Daska, Punjab, killed her children—six-year-old Umm Kulthoom and three-year-old Waris—with the help of her lover, fearing exposure of their illicit relationship. The children were bludgeoned with bricks and dumped in a graveyard. This was a case of self-serving filicide, where protecting personal secrets took precedence over maternal instinct.
In 2023, a mother poisoned her three children to escape poverty and domestic violence. Two died, while one survived. She later attempted suicide, stating: “I wanted to save them from hunger and pain.” This highlighted the intersection of poverty, despair, and psychological breakdown.
A stepmother killed her husband’s children out of revenge, leading to her conviction and life imprisonment. This reflected spousal revenge filicide, where marital disputes turn deadly for innocent children.
These cases show that filicide in Pakistan stems from multiple causes—depression, poverty, broken families, moral collapse—but all highlight gaps in prevention and support.
Filicide is not unique to Pakistan; it is a global crisis. In the U.S., nearly 500 cases occur annually. UNICEF reports that in nearly 40% of child homicides, mothers are responsible.
United States (2001): Andrea Yates Case – Suffering from postpartum psychosis, Andrea drowned her five children in a bathtub, convinced she was saving them from Satan. Her case reshaped debates on mental illness and culpability.
India (2022–2024): Uttar Pradesh – Several mothers killed their children due to poverty or domestic strife. In one 2024 case, a mother drowned her three children and was sentenced to death.
Kenya (2023–2024) – Mothers killed children amid famine and illness, with some committing suicide afterward. Poverty and lack of healthcare were key drivers.
Europe – Studies in Finland revealed frequent mother-child murder-suicides linked to depression, while in the UK, psychiatric disorders dominate such cases.
Clearly, this is not a cultural anomaly but a universal issue tied to fragile mental health systems and weakening family structures.
Why Do Mothers Commit Filicide?
Scholars identify several categories:
1. Altruistic Filicide – Belief that death spares children suffering.
2. Psychotic Filicide – Severe mental illness, hallucinations, or delusions.
3. Unwanted Child – Child seen as a burden.
4. Accidental – Abuse or neglect gone too far.
5. Spousal Revenge – Retaliation against a partner.
Religious and Moral Erosion
Islam strictly forbids child-killing: “Do not kill your children for fear of poverty. We provide for them and for you.” (Qur’an 17:31). Historically, Islam abolished the pre-Islamic practice of burying infant girls alive. When faith weakens, so does patience, morality, and reverence for life.
Psychological Illness
Postpartum depression affects between 10–50% of mothers in Pakistan. Studies from PIMS report that up to 25% of women suffer from severe depression, with 37% experiencing heightened distress after childbirth. Without diagnosis and treatment, these conditions can spiral into filicide.
Poverty and Domestic Violence
With poverty rates at 40.5% in 2024, economic strain fuels despair. Coupled with abusive marriages, many mothers come to believe that death is a release for their children.
The Shadow of “Women’s Liberation”
One cannot ignore the ideological dimensions. The “freedom of women” narrative, imported from Western societies, is reshaping family life in Pakistan.
In the West, women are increasingly evaluated solely as individuals, detached from family roles. Marriage has weakened, divorce rates have skyrocketed, and millions of children are raised in single-parent homes. Feminist movements, media, and NGOs in Pakistan propagate similar ideas—arguing that marriage and motherhood obstruct women’s progress. The unintended outcome? Broken families, neglected children, and mothers who begin to see children as burdens rather than blessings.
1. Rising Divorce Rates – In 2023, Lahore courts alone recorded over 20,000 divorce cases.
2. Psychological Deprivation in Children – Single-parent homes leave children vulnerable to insecurity and trauma.
3. Weakening Motherhood – Women pressured to view motherhood as an obstacle to success.
4. Collapse of Family Values – The family unit—the foundation of society—erodes.Thus, the feminist narrative, far from liberating women, often distances them from their natural identity, intensifying crises like filicide.
Under Section 302 of the Pakistan Penal Code, murder—including of one’s own children—carries the death penalty or life imprisonment. The Child Protection Act (2016) in provinces like Balochistan criminalizes child abuse and homicide as non-bailable offenses. While the laws exist, enforcement remains weak, and prevention mechanisms inadequate.
The only lasting solution lies in reviving Islam’s balanced family model. Islam grants women dignity and rights while anchoring their primary honor in motherhood. It does not forbid education or work but insists that raising families is a sacred duty, not a burden.
Media and education systems must reinforce family values rather than glorify Western individualism. Women must be reminded that their greatest strength lies in shaping generations, not in imitating Western ideals.
Why do mothers kill their children? The answers lie in a mix of spiritual emptiness, mental illness, poverty, illicit relationships, domestic violence, and the corrosive influence of Western feminist propaganda. Above all, it stems from drifting away from faith.
Unless society re-centers on Islamic values and strengthens family systems, these tragedies will only multiply. It is a wake-up call for communities, policymakers, and religious leaders to unite—so that mothers may once again embody mercy, not wrath.
shabanaayazpak@gmail.com
