Shame: Woman killed, sister injured over ‘honour’

BAHALWALPUR: A woman was shot dead and her sister was injured by her uncle and his three accomplices on Saturday night, apparently for helping their step sister elope, police told journalists on Sunday.

Yazman Saddar SHO said Muhammad Sadiq*, a resident of Chak 42/DB, filed a complaint with the police saying that his uncle Muhammad Ansar and his friends had shot his sister Saima, 22, dead and had injured his sister Hira. He said his father Muhammad Akhtar, who was an employee at a local petrol station, had married twice. Around four months ago, his step sister Ayesha had eloped with a man from the area but she had returned home later and matters had settled for some time, Sadiq said in his statement to the police.

On Saturday night, Ansar and three of his accomplices barged into Akhtar’s house accusing Ayesha of bringing ‘shame’ to the family and his sisters of helping her elope, Sadiq told the police.  Several people were present at their house when Javed forced entry into their house, Sadiq said. Ansar shot Saima and Hira and fled.

Sadiq said that his father and uncle had had an argument after he arranged for Saima to be engaged to someone his uncle did not approve of. Sadiq said this had infuriated his uncle who had wanted his sister to get married elsewhere. He said that he believed that was the heart of the matter.

A team from the Saddar police station arrived at the house and took the body. Hira was taken to Bahawal Victoria Hospital for treatment. Doctors treating her said that her condition was critical.

The Saddar police registered an FIR against six people including Javed and his accomplices Muhammad Aslam and Muhammad Zahid.

*Names have been changed to protect identity

Published in The Express Tribune, May 9^th, 2016.