Man kills ‘gay partner' over blackmailing
PHOTO: FILE
Faisalabad Police apprehended a man on Thursday for allegedly killing his 24-year-old lover for blackmailing him and sending the video of their unnatural intimacy to his in-laws-to-be a few days ago.
The suspect Bilal alias Bala, a resident of Rashidabad Sadhupura, killed the victim for making a video of their intimate relationship and sending it to his future in-laws to call off his marriage with a girl.
Police said 24-year-old Atif Younis, a resident of Chak No 123 GB Sadhupura area of Ghulam Muhammadabad, was shot in the head three days ago.
As per the details available with The Express Tribune, both the victim and the suspect were involved in a homosexual relationship.
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The suspect, Bilal, had proposed to Atif to end the relationship to start afresh by marrying a girl, however, Atif refused and started blackmailing him, initial police investigation has revealed.
Bilal told the police that Atif later filmed him while performing homosexual acts while he was under the influence of drugs and sent the video to his future in-laws and his sister’s husband.
In his confession, Bilal said, “I took Atif with me from Saddar Bazaar to our area on the pretext of having dinner.
Later, I took him to the fields of Sadhupura and shot him in the head.”
“I had asked for help from the son of a political figure and had borrowed the pistol from him,” Bilal added.
“I shot him dead to avenge disgrace at his hands,” the suspect told the cops during the investigation.
Police have arrested the suspect for murdering his lover along with the murder weapon.
According to Sadhupura Chowki In-charge Iqbal Farid, the suspect has been presented in court and his physical remand has been obtained.
Reportedly, police also apprehended the son of the political figure for facilitating the murder over which dozens of people surrounded the police station to demand his release.
Cops have released the young man after receiving political pressure based on his father’s affiliations.
It is worth noting that homosexuality is a criminal offence in the country and can result in death penalties for the parties involved in the act.
Penal Code 1860 of the constitution of Pakistan, under section 377 Unnatural Offences, criminalises “carnal intercourse against the order of nature”, with a maximum penalty of life imprisonment.
This provision applies only to sexual acts between men only. Moreover, under section 4 of the Hudood Ordinance 1979, men involved in homosexuality may receive death sentence.
Published in The Express Tribune, February 26th, 2021.