Man kills family on spiritual healer’s advice

Police have arrested the culprit and confiscated the murder weapon

KHANEWAL: A man killed his wife and two children on the advice of a “spiritual healer” in Kabirwala tehsil, Khanewal on Monday.

Police said Shaukat Ali, a resident of Mahni Sial Village, went to spiritual healer Jabir Shah in Multan to find a solution of his problems. After listening to his grievances, the accused faith healer told him that his wife and daughter were allegedly involved in immoral activities and he should murder them.

On the day of the incident, the accused slit the throat of his 55-year-old wife Parveen Bibi while she was asleep. The suspect also killed his nine-year-old son Abdul Rehman and 17-year old daughter Maryam who were sleeping next to her bed.  However, his 11-year-old son Yaqoob woke up due to the noise and fled the scene.

Soon after the incident, police reached the spot and arrested Shaukat. The police also seized the weapon used in the murders.

During interrogation, the accused told the police that his spiritual healer, Jabir Shah, had told him to kill his wife and daughter for the sake of honour. He added that acting on his orders, he decided to murder his entire family, but his 11-year old son escaped.

Meanwhile, the Saddar police have registered a case against the suspect and started investigations.

Earlier, four members of a family were killed in the name of honour in Hafizabad District. A man murdered his daughter, son-in-law and two grandchildren in the village of Nasoowal in Pindi Bhitiyan after his daughter ran away from home to marry a man of her choice. The accused, Gulzar, attacked the family at night.