Honour crime: Woman killed for refusing to divorce husband

A 21-year-old girl was murdered in Khanewal allegedly by her brother.


Rashid Ameer February 23, 2011

KHANEWAL: A 21-year-old girl was murdered in Khanewal on Monday allegedly by her brother because she had refused to give in to her family’s demand to divorce her husband.

Ismat Parveen, a resident of Kot Muhammad Hussain, was killed following her statement before a senior civil judge that she did not want to divorce Javed Ramzan, a neighbour she had wedded in a court a few months ago.

City police have arrested the accused, Nafees.

Parveen’s family had been opposed to the marriage and had earlier filed a kidnapping case against Ramazan with the City police station. SHO Riaz Luther said they had arrested three of Ramazan’s kin but later released them when both families reached a settlement through a panchayat. The panchayat, he said, decided that the girl be handed over to her parents so that the couple could be married ‘properly’.

A family member told The Express Tribune that the girl returned home when she was assured that she would be married to Javed. “When she returned, her  parents pressured her to file a divorce case,” he said. He added that when she stated before the senior civil judge that she did not want a divorce, the family again insisted that she go with them and be married ‘properly’.

SHO Luther said they were committed to investigating the case fairly. He said one of the deceased’s relatives, an assistant sub inspector in Khanewal police, had tried hard to get the suspect released so that he could attend the funeral.

He said the ASI even requested the deputy superintendent of police but he refused to release the accused.

The SHO said he suspected that the family would move to withdraw the case. He said this happened frequently in ‘honour killings’. “They have lost a daughter. Why would they want to lose their son now?” he asked.

Parveen’s father, the complainant, refused to discuss the matter.

The SHO said that one way to ansure prosecution was for Ramazan or one of his family members to come forward and register complaint. He said Ramazan had instead gone into hiding since the murder.

An uncle of Ramazan told the Tribune that he had no knowledge of his whereabouts. On whether the family intended to pursue the case, he said only Ramzan could make a decision in that regard. He said the family had tried to claim the body but were prevented by the girl’s family. The body, he said, remained with the district headquarters (DHQ) hospital till Tuesday when her family finally claimed it and buried it.

Published in The Express Tribune, February 23rd, 2011.

COMMENTS (14)

Grace | 13 years ago | Reply @JM: I think you need to ask yourself why most people in the West are former Christians, secular Christians, Chritians in name only and atheists who no longer believe in the words of Church leaders. The simple reason is that people understand full well that most religion is hypocrisy. Sorry to say it but your explanation for the historical crimes of Christianity smacks of that hypocrisy. Ask the Church in whose name millions of people were exterminated in North America, South America, Africa and Austrailia. Colonialism and all of its evils including wanton killing of natives was often justified by the Church. As for the Crusades, you forget that Pope Urban himself sanactioned it as a way to stop European Kings and Monarchs from killing themselves. Instead he wanted them to kill others in the Middle East. More people have been killed in the name of religion that anything- especially in the name of Jesus and the Christian Church. This is fact. When you look up the Crusades, note how the European Crusaders wiped out every Jew, Christian and Muslim living in Jerusalem because they all looked foreign to them. You really believe that Christians have killed less? They have more people than all other faiths combined in the history of mankind. This is fact.
JM | 13 years ago | Reply Grace, i have to disagree with you. Athiesm has actually killed more people on the earth than any other time, and islam is a close second. Hitler endorsed and practiced eugenics, which is an athiestic science. Millions of people died under him. Then there was Stalin and Mao, both under communism, which declares there is no god...untold millions starved and butchered. Then there's the undocumented cases that probably boost that number higher. It's a fact, more people have died these past few generations then all the other wars combined. Most of which, under brutal athiestic dictators. Now, i want you to look at how many people have died in the passed hundred years due to Islam, and believe me they've been waging Jihad for a very LONG time. Anyone can point to the crusades, but what most people don't know is that it actually started due to muslim expansion! Ever hear of the moors? Ottomans? Muslims invaders :D Now, please compare Christian teachings with Islamic teachings, and tell me what exactly they have in common? You don't see christians going around beheading people, or blowing themselves up. In christianity, there are indeed hypocrits, but that just means they are human. The objective of a christian is to become less and less worldly, and to follow in Jesus teachings...and most importantly, depending on him soley for salvation. I am saddened by your decision to abandon the faith, if you need proof that God exists than merely look at bible prophecy. Doing research is like following the scientific theory. You can't just believe one source. You not only need to look at both sides, but also compare, observe, and take things with a grain of salt. It's called critical thinking. You can follow religion, and try to live by impossible standards, or you can follow jesus christ who saves people despite their lack of religiosity. It seems like maybe you have had a lot of misconception about God. Our personal walk has NOTHING to do with other people, but instead should strengthen our own relationship with the creator.
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