Gujranwala, Pakistan – Another incident of so-called honor killing was attempted in close proximity to the recent killing in Lahore of a woman in front of the superior court. This time around, the intended victim survived the attack. 19-year-old Saba Maqsood married her next door neighbor without the consent of her family. The ceremony was held in private, but eventually her family became aware of the marriage and expressed their disapproval to her down the barrel of a gun. She was beaten badly and shot twice at the hands of her own father, uncle, and brother. These are the men one would expect to honor and defend her instead of inflicting grave bodily injury to her.
Thankfully, she survived the attack. Police, which are under increased scrutiny to protect women from this form of violence, are now conducting a search for the relatives responsible for the attempt on her life. It is curious to see how manly the perps are when beating up a woman in the name of family honor only to flee like cowards before police. Saba’s family first assaulted her after which time they shot her twice and discarded what they believed was her lifeless body inside a sack in a nearby canal. Dr. Shiraz Farooqi, the hospital physician attending to Saba’s medical needs, stated she is recovering from her wounds.
Hopefully, the international pressure will bring an end to this socially acceptable form of violence in this key Muslim nation. Last year, 869 women lost their lives at the hands of family members in honor killings. In most cases, the murderers are not prosecuted at all. In the few instances where they face justice, their sentences are lenient. Despite the recent high-profile honor killing in Lahore, it isn’t clear if police have been able to round up everyone responsible.
A link to the article can be found here.
17
Jun
posted in IN THE NEWS by
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