Teen girl killed in ‘honour killing’ in Islamabad

Islamabad: A teenage girl was shot and killed by her brother early Thursday morning in what police are investigating as a suspected honor killing. The incident occurred in the Shams Colony area of Islamabad.

Police identified the victim as Eisha. Her father, Sarfaraz, is also a prime suspect and is currently on the run. According to a statement given to police, Sarfaraz allegedly told his son, Adil, to kill Eisha before he disappeared from the scene.

The killing took place despite Eisha, resident of Pir Wadhai in Rawalpindi, having filed a formal complaint with the Rawalpindi City Police Officer (CPO) just a few days earlier. In her complaint, Eisha claimed her father and brothers had threatened to kill her in the name of "honor." She stated they had already attempted to kill her on multiple occasions.

CPO Khalid Hamdani referred her case to the Sadar Circle for investigation. A sub-divisional police officer (SDPO) then summoned both Eisha and her family to sign an agreement of peaceful co-existence. The officer reportedly sent Eisha home with her father after he gave his word that he would not harm her. Eisha had named five individuals, including her father and two brothers, as being responsible if she were to be killed.

The victim had reportedly left her home with a man she was in a relationship with 20 days prior, accompanied by her mother. Her family tried to bring them back, and a reconciliation had reportedly taken place just the day before her death. The family had apparently agreed to her marriage on the condition that her partner convert to Islam.