Teenager killed for honour in Mohmand

Mohmand administration says they have arrested one and are on the lookout for others involved

SHABQADAR: A teenager was killed by her in-laws apparently over honour after she failed to bear her husband a child.

According to details, 17- year-old Sadia had been married to 50-year-old Kamil Khan in Pandyali, Mohmand Agency over a year ago.

Lateef, a daily wager and father of Sadia, told The Express Tribune that he had agreed to marry his daughter to someone more than twice her age since he had seven daughters and was too poor to care for all of them. On the other hand, Kamil wanted to marry the girl because his other wife had not borne him a male heir.

A resident of Aqrab Dag, located on the outskirts of Shabqadar, said that the couple was initially happy. However, as time passed, their relation spiralled. When things took a turn for the worse, Lateef said his daughter came to live with him.

However, in view of cultural norms, he convinced her to return to her husband’s home.



Last Friday, Lateef said Sadia called to tell him that Kamil had divorced her and had been evicted from her home and that she was returning on foot. On the way, she took shelter at a place where her father retrieved her.

As they were returning home, Kamil and his family intercepted them near Aqrab Dag and forcibly took Sadia away.

Lateef said that he asked other villagers for help but when they reached her daughter was abducted and was taken back to her in-laws home at Pandyali Mohmand agency.



After Lateef approached him, Malak Sahib Shah, who is the Aqrab Dag village elder, immediately informed the Mohmand political administration of the matter and sought help to rescue the girl.

But before the authorities could reach Kamil’s house in Pandyali, the girl had been killed. The family claimed to have killed the girl for honour for seeking help from a driver who took her home in his car and later left her alone due to fear of being targeted.

Lateef said that they had approached the Mohmand political administration as well as Shabqadar police over the murder.

The police refused to get involved or even register an FIR, claiming that the area fell outside their jurisdiction, while the Mohmand political administration has arrested one culprit.

Published in The Express Tribune, May 31^st, 2018.