Swat couple stoned for 'honour'

Couple were trying to elope when they were caught by the woman's family

MINGORA, SWAT: Police claimed on Wednesday that a couple had been stoned for "honour" in Shamozo area of Barikot tehsil.

Police said a man and a married woman had been killed by Saleem Khan and Rahim Zada for planning to getting married after eloping. “Both planned to get married and attempted to elope on Tuesday afternoon in a vehicle when the woman's relatives thwarted the attempt," officials said.

Police said the man had succumbed to his injuries before police arrived on the spot. Officials said the woman was taken to a hospital where she had later died.



Police said a case had been registered after the incident transpired and a search had been initiated to nab the culprits. A police official told The Express Tribune on Wednesday that Khan and Zada had been arrested.

The official said the Zada was the father of the deceased woman. He said she was Saleem's sister-in-law. The official said both the men appeared to have attacked the couple for "honour."



Last week, police said a man had killed his wife for “honour” in Karachi’s SITE area. Rahim Dad slit his wife’s throat with a sharp object at Bara Qabristan area of SITE Town over suspicion that Fouzia, mother of his three children, had illicit relations with another man, police told The Express Tribune. The suspect has reportedly confessed to killing his wife for “honour” on Tuesday night after a heated argument broke out between them, police said, adding the object used in the murder has also been recovered.

According to sources, Dad had killed his first wife 15 years ago for the same reason. A case has been registered against him and further investigations are underway.

Incidents of “honour killings” have been on the rise in Pakistan with the government set to pass a bill aimed at curbing such incidents. Rights groups and politicians have been calling for tougher laws to tackle perpetrators of violence against women in the country and the move follows a slew of high-profile killings in the country.