Pakistani woman hanged to death by brothers in honour killing

Ayla wanted to marry Ejaz but the family was against her choice. However, she had contracted court marriage after eloping

In yet another honour killing incident in Pakistan, a young woman was hanged to death by her two brothers for marrying the man of her choice in Punjab province.

Aslam and Waqas kidnapped their sister Ayla last week from her home at Bhowana in Chiniot district, 250 km from Lahore, and hanged her to death at a deserted place before dumping the body in a canal, according to an FIR filed by Ayla’s husband Ejaz Ahmad.

The body of the woman was found in a canal near Chak—144—JB.

Ayla wanted to marry Ejaz but the family was against her choice. However, she had contracted court marriage after eloping with him sometimes ago, said Investigation Officer Faisal Majid.

“Her family then swore to kill her for preserving its honour,” Mr. Majid said, adding that the couple had left their locality after marriage and remained in hiding.

Last week Ayla’s family got information of her whereabouts and her brothers kidnapped her. They also wanted to kill Ejaz but he was not present in the house when they arrived there, he said.

Police have arrested both the brothers and registered a murder case against them.

The accused told the police that they had taken their sister to a deserted place and hanged her from a tree till death before dumping the body in the canal.

They said they had no regret for killing their sister as she ‘dishonoured’ her family.

A 25-year-old pregnant woman was brutally beaten and stoned to death outside the high court in Lahore by her father and brothers for marrying the man of her choice last year.

Some 760 women were killed in Pakistan last year in honour killing incidents.