Sahira had just stepped out of the court’s premises when her husband and his brother opened fire.
PHOTO: FILE
In what is being called an ‘honour’ killing, a woman was gunned down by her husband and his brother in front of Nowshera court near the Railway Phattak on Saturday.
Nowshera Cantonment police official Ishaq Khan told The Express Tribune he heard gunshots outside the court around 11:30am. Ishaq added he rushed towards the Railway Phattak where he was informed two men shot a woman dead and escaped. Following a police chase, the accused were arrested and taken to the police station for interrogation.
The official said the accused, Sher Rahman, killed his wife with the help of his brother, Habibur Rahman. Ishaq further said Sher was married to Sahira for three years. After the first year of marriage, Sahira allegedly eloped with their neighbour Shah Bacha, a resident of Mali Khel in Akora Khattak. Later, she filed for divorce in a Nowshera family court.
“I had left her, but when she dragged me to court I had had enough,” Sher told police.
Ishaq explained Sahira and Bacha had come to court for the hearing where Sher was also due to appear. After the hearing, as Sahira and Bacha left the court premises, Sher and Habib opened fire at them. Bacha narrowly escaped, but his wife was killed.
Both the accused told police they would kill Bacha once they were released. A case has been filed while Sahira’s body was shifted to her hometown in Mardan for burial.
Published in The Express Tribune, May 26th, 2013.
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Please call this anything but honour killing!
A wife can file for divorce, but it is upto the husband to decide whether to accept her demand or reject it.
In an Islamic System of justice, which has nothing to do with democracy, in which the Khalifa is at the top and then others subordinate to him in governance. The system in which The Khalifa is not duty-bound to go with any one group or individual's advice. Such a system is given the right to over-rule a husband's stance if he should be against accepting his wife's petition.
Since this system is not in place in any Muslim country, the husband has more right to decide for himself what might affect him and his family the most.
Besides, it would appear that the murderers have NO honour, as they wish to keep a woman who is interested in other men than her husband. If they had the least honour, she would not have to petition for divorce, rather she would be given it.
All honour killings are in fact a proof that the aggressors are a low bunch of individuals, who have no shame in plastering the family name all over newspapers. An honourable family would wish to seal any publicity of its PRIVATE matters!!!