Man Murders Sister for 'Honour' on Order of Illegal Court in Pakistan

Afghan refugee
Age: -
Shot dead: 28 June 2023
Residence: reception camp Girdi Jangal, Pakistan
Origin: Afghanistan
Children: none
Perpetrator: brother Syed Mohammad

In an Afghan refugee camp near the Chagai district, along the Afghanistan-Balochistan border, an Afghan refugee was accused of having an extramarital affair with a man.

An illegal court called a jirga, headed by Afghan refugee Ahmad Shah, imposed a fine of 2 million rupees (about 22,500 euros) on the alleged lover, while the woman was sentenced to death. After the verdict, the police took the woman into protective custody, but eventually returned her to her family.

On 28 June, the woman was presented to the illegal court by her family and shot dead by her brother there.

The police have arrested Syed Mohammad and say action will also be taken against the leaders of the jirga involved in extrajudicially imposing the death sentence on the victim.

Ahmad Shah fled Pakistan to seek protection in Afghanistan from a terror group supporting him. All others who were part of the jirga are yet to be arrested by the police.

What is an honour killing?

An honour killing is a murder in the name of honour. If a brother murders his sister to restore family honour, it is an honour killing. According to activists, the most common reasons for honour killings are as the victim:

refuses to cooperate in an arranged marriage.
wants to end the relationship.
was the victim of rape or sexual assault.
was accused of having a sexual relationship outside of marriage.

Human rights activists believe that 100,000 honour killings are carried out every year, most of which are not reported to the authorities and some are even deliberately covered up by the authorities themselves, for example because the perpetrators are good friends with local policemen, officials or politicians. Violence against girls and women remains a serious problem in Pakistan, India, Afghanistan, Iraq, Syria, Iran, Serbia and Turkey.