Daily Times

LAHORE: A security guard gunned down his daughter, son-in-law and her brother-in-law in the name of “honour” at Kahna on Friday.

As many as 10 people, including eight women, have been murdered by their parents or relatives in the name of honour during the current year in the provincial metropolis.

The deceased, identified as Saba, was a mother of two-month old child, wife of deceased Karamat and sister-in-law of deceased Akram. Saba, who was daughter of Ashraf, did court marriage with Karamat, a resident of Ichra, one and a half year ago with the help of Akram.

According to details, Saba along with her husband, son and brother-in-law came to meet her parents. Ashraf returned back home from job and got infuriated after seeing the couple in his house. He fired straight shots at Karamat and his daughter, who was trying to save her husband, both dying on the spot. Upon this, Akram intervened to control the situation but an enraged Ashraf did not spare him either and killed him on the spot as well.

The accused was arrested shortly after committing the crime. Ashraf, in his confession statement, said that he first took the life of his daughter and son-in-law, as she betrayed him by marrying someone of her own choice, and then went on to claim the life of Akram, who was assisting them. Police has registered a case against the arrested person and moved the dead bodies to city mortuary for autopsy.

It is pertinent to mention that a similar incident took place on Wednesday in the Factory Area when Zeenat Bibi was set on fire for marrying 20-year-old motorcycle mechanic Hasan Khan against the wishes of her family. Her mother, Perveen Bibi, has admitted to the killing. Hasan filed the case against Zeenat’s mother, who was also in the custody of police.

On February 5, a man shot dead his wife Saima in the name of honour in Iqbal Town. On February 19, a man gunned down his sister Iqra in the name of honour in Kahna area. On March 1, a father shot dead his 18-year-old daughter, Komal Bibi, in Burki police limits after she couldn’t clarify where she had been for five hours. On March 16, a man killed his daughter named Rimsha in Shahdra police limits in the name of honour while a man killed his sister in the name of honour in Nishter Colony on March 23.

Hundreds of women are killed in Pakistan each year for so-called “honour”, but it is rare to hear of such atrocities being carried out by women.

Last week 19-year-old Maria Sadaqat was tortured then burned alive for refusing a marriage proposal from a school principal s son in hilly Murree.

Before that a young woman was strangled and her body then set ablaze because she helped a friend elope in Muzaffargarh area.

Human Rights Provincial Minister Khalil Tahir Sindhu has said that honour killing is the worst example of brutality and bestiality, our society doesn’t allow anyone to undertake such a brutal act. The murder of a daughter by her own mother is a desecration of the sacred bond of motherhood, he added.

He said that Punjab government has taken various initiatives to protect women’s rights and as a result honour killings have decreased compared to the past. Civil society and women’s rights organisations should play an active role in spreading awareness in this regard, he concluded.