Heinous crime: Young man falls prey to honour killing

Hassan’s parents deny accusations, claim his innocence

MULTAN: A twenty-year-old man has been killed in the name of honour in Haroonabad, Bahawalnagar District on Wednesday.

A police official told The Express Tribune that on March 27, Hassan Ali, a resident of village 22-3R, went to a workshop to get his motorcycle repaired. He added, “When the victim did not return home after a few hours, his family got worried and started searching for him.” However, he said “All efforts to find Hassan went in vain.”

The official maintained, “Later on March 29, victim’s tortured body was recovered from a stream.”

Victim’s father Maqbool Ahmad told the police, “When Hassan did not come home after six hours I got worried and asked my wife Sakeena Bibi about his whereabouts.” He added, “She said Hassan told her that he would be back in an hour. But when he did not return, we submitted an application at Haroonabad police station regarding his disappearance.”

A police official, requesting anonymity, told The Express Tribune, “Soon after the incident, the police started investigation and during the course, we rounded up two suspects identified as Abdul Hameed and Umar Farooq.”  He pointed out during interrogation, accused Umar confessed to killing Hassan. Umar told the police, “I murdered Hassan on suspicion of having illicit relations with my sister.” He said, “Hassan also asked my sister to marry him even if their families are not happy with the marriage.”

Meanwhile, parents of the victim denied the accusations against their son and said Hassan was innocent and already engaged with a girl in the family.

The police have registered the case and started investigation.

Earlier on March 28, 2017, a woman was stabbed to death by her in-laws for ‘honour’ in Lahore. Farzana, 25, a mother of one, had been running a beauty salon in Main Bazaar Colony, Chungi Amar Sadhu, for some time and her in-laws were annoyed with her about her business. Later, victim’s father-in-law Mian Khan and brother-in-law Jibran went to the salon and exchanged harsh words with her. The woman asked her in-laws to leave the salon to which they got enraged and stabbed her with knives. The suspects also slit the throat of the woman and managed their escape.

Published in The Express Tribune, March 30^th, 2017.