Pakistan couple murdered in honour killing case

In yet another case of honour killing, a young woman and her husband have been brutally murdered for marrying against the wishes of her family in Punjab, police said on Sunday.

According to police, Zaheer Iqbal of Ashraf Town Chakwal, some 300 kilometres from here, had an affair with Mariam Bibi of neighbouring town Karar. Both were in their early 20s.

Zaheer’s family sent marriage proposal to her family but they did not agree to it. About two weeks ago Zaheer and Mariam contracted court marriage.

The girl’s family got a kidnapping case registered against Zaheer, his parents and brothers.

A local Urdu daily’s correspondent said that the brothers of girl on Saturday traced the whereabouts of the couple and brought them to their locality. The couple was subjected to severe torture by her brothers -- Yasir and Nasir -- and their accomplices.

“The culprits tied the couple and cut the legs of Zaheer and arms of Mariam with an axe before shooting them down,” he said.

The killers then dumped the bodies in Chak Cocka near Nila police station and fled, he said. Police shifted the bodies to the district headquarters hospital Chakwal for autopsy.

Chakwal District Police Officer Dr Moeen Maqsood said that Mariam Bibi’s brothers along with their accomplices shot the couple dead for going against their wish.

He, however, denied that the accused had cut the legs and arms of Zaheer and Mariam, respectively. “The accused had killed the couple with firearm and did not cut their body parts,” he claimed.

The DPO said the police had arrested two accused in the case so far. “Raids are underway to arrest the remaining accused,” he said.

In May this year, 25-year-old Farzana Parveen was allegedly stoned to death outside the Lahore High Court by more than two dozen people, including her father and brothers, for marrying against her family’s wishes.