Around 1,000 females are killed every year in the name of honor.
By Sreekanth A. Nair
Pakistan police have arrested 14 men from a local tribal jirga (council) for allegedly killing a 15-year-old girl for helping her friend elope.
Ambreen Riasat, a teenager from Makol village near Abbottabad, was killed following the decision of a local tribal council. The council drugged and strangled her, and her body was set on fire on a van, reported The Hindustan Times.
The incident took place on April 29 after the tribal council decided to punish Ambreen Riasat for helping her friend Saima elope. Saima was in a relationship with a man called Musa and they managed to escape from the village and get married with the help of Riasat.
When the incident came to light, the tribal council convened a meeting and decided to give Riasat death punishment. Her family members were also present at the meeting.
After the meeting, the council members dragged the girl out of her house and strangled her. Then her body was set on fire on the van that Saima and Musa used to escape. The council also punished the driver of the van.
During the initial investigation, the police couldn’t find any evidence as the villagers kept the incident away from the police. It was only after the arrest of the van driver that the police realized what really happened.
“The parents of Ambreen have also been arrested as they did not come forward to register the crime,†Local police chief Khurram Rasheed was quoted as saying by Hindustan Times.
Pakistan People’s Party chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari has asked the people to stand against such brutalities of tribal councils. Killing women, who do not abide by the tribal rules, for defending the honor of the tribe and their family is very common among some communities in Pakistan. Almost 1000 women are killed every year in the name of honor.