Father of girl killed for ‘honour’ arrested

Court hands over Arsala to police on seven-day physical remand; three accomplices also apprehended

Peshawar Police in Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa (K-P) on Tuesday arrested the father of the girl who was allegedly killed in the name of “honour” in Kohistan, officials said. The suspect Arsala was presented before a local court which granted a seven-day physical remand. Three suspected accomplices, believed to have aided and advised the accused, have also been taken into custody.

On Sunday, a young girl was murdered and another rescued by the police in a case involving a viral video in which both the girls could be seen dancing with local boys.

The girl was killed in the Barsharyal village of Kohistan's Palas — 150km northwest of Mansehra — allegedly by her own family members on orders issued by a local jirga. The boys featured in the video, which went viral on social media around four days ago, had gone into hiding.

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According to details, in the case registered under sections 114, 15AA, 302/311/109/34 PPC at Palas police station on November 28, 2023, the arrested suspect, Arsala, son of Mohsin, belonging to the Barsharyal tribe, was presented before the senior sessions judge/ Palas Assistant Commissioner.

The police had requested a 10-day physical remand for further investigation, but the judge approved a seven-day remand. The accused will be interrogated further in connection with the case.Three other alleged accomplices in this gruesome murder have also been arrested.

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Among them, one is Arsala's brother, one is his uncle's son, and the third is a close relative. They have been apprehended on charges of abetment and will be presented before the court for physical remand.Meanwhile, the boy, identified as Rahmat Shah, who featured in the viral images, has been rescued safely by the local police from Barsharyal.

The police had recorded his statement, and he will be presented in court for further legal proceedings.Police teams are actively present in Barsharyal, conducting a thorough investigation into the matter.