Honour killing: Father-in-law ties woman to tree, sets dogs on her

Couple goes to court over abducted daughter.

SUKKUR: A woman in Sukkur was tied to a tree and her father-in-law and brothers-in-law set the dogs on her over allegations of karo kari or defiled family honour.

According to her husband Sabbir’s father, Ghaman and step-brothers Ali Madad, Meer Hassan and Ali Ganj arrived at his house one day before they attacked his wife. They persuaded Sabbir to let them take with them his seven-year-old daughter Sherbano for a two-day family visit. The next day they returned without Sherbano, accused his young wife Nandhi of karo kari, questioned her character and demanded that they be allowed to punish her. Sabbir refused to hand her over and was allegedly beaten.

They attacked Nandhi with axes and left her tied to a tree, badly injured, and let some dogs loose on her. When the villagers heard their screams and reached the scene the culprits had already left. They also ransacked the couple’s home and took with them two tolas of gold, a cow, a buffalo and three goats.

The incident itself took place six days ago. Sabbir defended his wife, with whom he also has two sons, and claims that the entire series of events are part of a plot to take over his land, about three acres in Saleh Pat near RD 86.

Sabbir says he went to the police, who arrested the men but then released them after a payment of Rs15,000. He complained that the police were being deliberately unhelpful.

The couple went to the Sindh High Court, Sukkur bench, to appeal for help on Tuesday but arrived too late. They are going to try again today. Sherbano is still with her grandfather and uncles, where she is likely to be protected. Part of the problem is that the entire family lives in the same village where people are reportedly afraid of standing up to Sabbir’s father and his step brothers.

Published in The Express Tribune, December 29^th, 2010.