Honor Killing in Pakistan: Victim's Father Among Those Arrested

Lahore, Jul 29 (AP) The father and ex-husband of a young female victim of an alleged honor killing are among nine individuals detained in eastern Pakistan in connection with her murder. Police reported that Sidra Bibi, 18 years old, fell victim to an honor killing in Rawalpindi, a garrison city, after she married a man of her choosing. Aftab Hussain, a police official, stated that her relatives allegedly buried her body and flattened the ground to conceal any trace of a grave. The victim was suffocated with a pillow, he noted. The autopsy, conducted after her body was exhumed, confirmed that she endured torture before her death. This incident has sparked widespread condemnation in Pakistan, where honor killings remain prevalent. The Human Rights Commission of Pakistan, an independent organization, reported 405 women were victims of such killings in 2024, up from 226 in 2023. Sadia Bukhari, a member of the commission's council, commented, “The actual number is believed to be higher due to underreporting.” Family-driven honor killings, often triggered by actions deemed shameful, such as choosing one's spouse, have surged in recent years. Earlier this month, 11 suspects were arrested in Balochistan province after a video went viral showing a young couple being shot dead for marrying without consent from their families. Authorities confirmed the video’s authenticity, stating the killings took place in Balochistan’s Deghari district. In another case from January, a Pakistani man was detained on suspicion of murdering his 15-year-old daughter, a US-born teen, for refusing to cease her activity on TikTok, which boasts more than 54 million users in the country. “These so-called honor killings expose a deeply ingrained belief system that objectifies women as the property of men,” Bukhari remarked. She added, “Most women in Pakistan face discrimination from childhood through adulthood.” (AP) SCY SCY

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