Khyber Agency: Four held for honour killing of teenage girl

Victim’s uncle shoots her dead after being handed over by local jirga

The political administration of Khyber Agency arrested four men accused of killing a teenage girl in the name of honour, it was learnt on Friday.

Naghma, 13, was allegedly shot dead by her uncle, Dadul Shinwari, on June 27 after she was handed over to him in protected custody by members of a local jirga on a surety bond worth Rs1 million.



Belonging to a poor family in the Khogakhel area, the teenager occasionally worked as a conductor with her father, sources told The Express Tribune.

She was reportedly abducted by two young men identified as Shams and Sattar. “The girl’s uncle, his son and the two alleged kidnappers have been arrested,” a source in the political administration told The Express Tribune.

However, local sources claim that the arrested people are the relatives of the accused – Shams and Sattar.

Her body, found at a roadside by Khasadar force in Khyber Agency, had been handed over to the jirga.

Local sources said the jirga has decided to kill the two boys who allegedly kidnapped her.

Meanwhile, human rights advocate Sana Ejaz has sent a request to the authorities concerned, including the National Commission on Human Rights, seeking punishment for the accused.

“Punishment must be given to anyone involved in the ‘murder’,” she told The Express Tribune.

While the reformation process - merging Federally Administered Tribal Areas with Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa (K-P) - will take at least five years, the region is currently governed through the Frontier Crimes Regulations, and most disputes are resolved through local jirgas.



Taking notice, K-P Governor Iqbal Zafar Jhagra ordered an inquiry into the incident.

Through a handout issued by the Governor House, Jhagra condemned the incident and said it was a violation of human rights.

"Such incidents bring bad name to the country," Jhagra was quoted as saying in the handout.

He said it was sheer violation of human rights that the girl had been killed without following legal procedure.