Accessibility links

Breaking News

Pakistan Police Charge Six Men From One Family With Killing Two Sisters In Suspected 'Honor Killings'


The two women were tortured and shot dead in the Gujrat district of Punjab Province on May 20, police said. (illustrative photo)
The two women were tortured and shot dead in the Gujrat district of Punjab Province on May 20, police said. (illustrative photo)

Police in Pakistan have arrested six men from one family on charges of murdering two sisters in another suspected case of “honor killing” in the country.

Police on May 22 said the men are accused of killing the two sisters, who were from the same village but also had Spanish citizenship.

Police allege that Urooj Abbas, 21, and Anisa Abbas, 23, were killed for refusing to take their Pakistani husbands -- cousins from forced marriages -- to Spain and to sponsor their immigration in the EU country.

The women were tortured and shot dead in the Gujrat district of Punjab Province on May 20, authorities said.

Police said the victims’ brother, a paternal uncle, both husbands, a cousin, and both fathers-in-law were charged with murder.

Two other suspects and another relative were also charged in the murder but were not yet in custody.

A police spokesman told AFP that both women were seeking separations from their Pakistani husbands and had been lured back from Spain to Gujrat.

“The family created a story to persuade them to come to Pakistan for a couple of days,” Gujrat police spokesman Nauman Hassan said.

“Preliminary investigations show this is a case of honor killing, but it is still developing and the investigation is ongoing,” he added.

Hundreds of women in Pakistan are killed each year by male relatives in so-called honor killings for violating conservative norms and supposedly bringing shame to the reputation of their families.

According to Human Rights Watch, “violence against women and girls -- including rape, murder, acid attacks, domestic violence, and forced marriage -- remains a serious problem” across Pakistan.

Based on reporting by AP and AFP

RFE/RL has been declared an "undesirable organization" by the Russian government.

If you are in Russia or the Russia-controlled parts of Ukraine and hold a Russian passport or are a stateless person residing permanently in Russia or the Russia-controlled parts of Ukraine, please note that you could face fines or imprisonment for sharing, liking, commenting on, or saving our content, or for contacting us.

To find out more, click here.

XS
SM
MD
LG