Killed ‘for honour’: Man guns down niece in Manga Mandi

Police say Saba was at her home when her uncle barged inside and after exchanging some hot words opened fire at her

LAHORE: A man gunned down his niece apparently on allegations of dishonouring the family in Manga Mandi on Thursday, adding another name to the never-ending list of honour killing victims in Pakistan. Police said the victim, Saba, was at her home in Qila Saman when her uncle identified as Wazir Ali barged inside and after exchanging some hot words with the woman, opened fire at her. The woman suffered multiple bullet wounds and was shifted to a nearby hospital, where doctors pronounced her dead on arrival. A case has been registered against the suspect. Initial investigations suggested the victim was killed because her uncle doubted her character, police said. Despite pro-women legislation by government, violence against women is a norm in Lahore, where no week passes by when a woman falls prey to the chauvinist mentality. Aurat Foundation’s report claims over 3,000 women have died in Lahore in the past two years over similar allegations.

Published in The Express Tribune, March 24^th, 2017.