Love marriage: ‘Couple killed by woman’s family’

BAHAWALPUR: A man and woman were allegedly killed by the woman’s family on Wednesday for marrying without the family’s consent. A case was registered on the complaint of the man’s mother, Gul Mai. Police said Zakia Bibi, a resident of Laal Arain village near Zahir Pir, married Wazeer Ahmad seven months ago without her parents’ consent. They said the couple started living in the outskirts of the city. Since the marriage, police said, Zakia Bibi’s family called her several times to reconcile with them. On Wednesday, the couple went to meet the woman’s parents at their house. Police said there, Zakia Bibi’s father Ashiq Hussain, her brother Shahid Hussain, and her uncles Allah Baksh and Ghulam Din, slit her throat and beat Ahmad until he lost consciousness. They had broken his legs and arms and also cut off his nose and lips. The assailants then fled. Some neighbours, who heard the couple shout for help, went inside the house and informed the police.  Ahmad was taken to Sheikh Zayed Hospital, where he died a few hours later. No one has been arrested so far.

Published in The Express Tribune, December 20^th, 2012.