Honour killing: Two gunned down

KOHISTAN:

A woman and a man were gunned down in the name of ‘honour’ in Dasu, Kohistan on Friday. A police official told the media 26-year-old Zainab Bibi was married to Suleman, a resident of Dasu.

“She was Suleman’s second wife,” he said. “Her stepson, Idrees, who was Suleman’s son from his first wife, alleged Zainab Bibi had illicit relations with their neighbour, Israel Khan.” According to the official, when Suleman was out of town, Idrees found Zainab Bibi and Israel together and shot both of them on the spot.

Idrees managed to escape after committing the crime.

A case has been registered against Idrees on the complaint of Inamullah, Zainab Bibi’s brother.

Although a large number of cases have been registered against honour killing in the country, they are seldom pursued further and the culprits are rarely taken to task.

On May 30, 2012 four women and a minor were killed over ‘honour’. The decision was taken on the basis of a jirga’s decree. The women were killed after a mobile phone video became public which showed a group of young women clapping and singing as two men danced during a wedding ceremony.

Published in The Express Tribune, March 12^th, 2016.