By Umar Bacha
Shock and tragedy hit a village in Shangla after a young woman was killed by her uncle over a domestic issue.
Locals of the Shumbar village spent the day in deep distress, as they got to know about the blatant murder of the young woman, Nasru Bibi. The local police from Chakesar station arrived to see the body of 22-year-old Nasru Bibi lying in a pool of blood.
According to the police, Nasru Bibi had been married to her cousin, but the marriage had been troubled and was not able to continue for more than a year. The girl took divorce from her husband and returned to her father’s house.
Meanwhile, the girl’s paternal uncle Akram Khan was also living in the house at the time she arrived.
“When we interrogated Akram Khan, he was in complete control of his senses,” said Pir Said, DSP Bisham Area, Chakesar Circle. “He told us that Nasru Bibi had been married off a couple of years ago to Said Alam, who was also Akram’s nephew. After Nasru got a divorce and returned home, Akram tried to convince her to get married, and the topic was often discussed in the family. But Nasru Bibi refused each time.”
The cop said that Akram told them during interrogation that he became suspicious of why she was constantly refusing and said that he doubted the ‘moral character’ of the woman. Things became sour between them, and on April 16, he brought a gun with him and shot her.
But the culprit was unfazed.
“He openly admitted to the crime, and even gave us the weapon,” said Pir Said. “It was a 12 bore gun.”
Nasru Bibi did not have any children from her marriage, informed the police.
“I was trying to convince her to get married as she had been living in the house for three or four months now,” said the suspect Akram, who was under police custody. “When she kept on refusing, I shot her with a gun.”
Chakesar police SHO Habib Shah Khan said that the police got to know about the murder after local people informed him. He confirmed that the body had been instantly taken to the Chakesar Rural Health Centre (RHC) for autopsy.
The police are currently investigating the case further, while an FIR has already been lodged against the suspect who has been given one day remand.
Such incidents of honor killing are not common in the area. Locals are shocked by the incident and have expressed their concern.
“In our society, only women are considered guilty and targeted for self-proclaimed honor leading to such incidents,” says Haider Ali, a human rights activist from Chakesar, Shangla. “But these incidents in this particular belt are not that common; it has been the first time, an innocent woman was killed for honor. We as locals strongly condemn it.”
