Mother sentenced to death for daughter's 'honour killing' in Lahore

LAHORE: A mother who murdered her own daughter and set her alight for marrying the man of her choice has been sentenced to death, officials said on Tuesday.

Zeenat Bibi, aged 16, was doused with kerosene and set alight in June last year in Lahore, a little over a week after she wed 20-year-old motorcycle mechanic Hasan Khan against her family’s wishes.

A judge in an Anti-Terrorist Court sentenced her mother Perveen Bibi to death on murder and terrorism charges, said prosecutor Mian Mohammad Tufail.

She was charged under the terrorism laws rather than newly-reformed criminal legislation against honour killings because of the use of kerosene in the murder, Tufail said.

Bibi also received a 14-year jail term and was fined one million rupees under separate counts related to the killing. Her son Mohammad Anees was jailed for life and fined 1.5 million rupees for his role in the killing, Tufail said.

Bibi’s son-in-law, the husband of another daughter, was acquitted, he said.

Zeenat’s vicious murder sent shockwaves across Pakistan and triggered fresh calls for action against so-called “honour killings”.

Hundreds of women are killed by their relatives each year after allegedly bringing shame on their families.  Under previous legislation the culprits could get away with the killings after being pardoned by members of their own family.

In October parliament passed a law aimed at removing the ability to forgive “honour” killers. But critics contend some loopholes still exist.

In the latest incident of honour killing, police have arrested a man for electrocuting his sister to death after she married according to her own choice.

The incident occurred on Monday in a remote village of Lodhran district, in central Punjab. Rana Mushtaq, a police official in the area said the woman was first tortured by her brother and then tied with electric wires and electrocuted.

Mushtaq said the suspect was arrested after villagers informed police. “The brother has been arrested and he has confessed that he was not happy with his sister’s decision to marry the person of her choice,” said Mushtaq.