Hina Shahnawaz’s murder sparks outrage on social media

Killer still at large; 27-year-old NGO
worker was lone breadwinner for family

KOHAT: The social media in the country has been outraged by the murder of Hina Shahnawaz, a young woman from Kohat who was the lifeline for her family and was murdered only because her paternal cousin did not approve of her work at a non-governmental organization (NGO). 

The police on Thursday booked two men in connection with the murder that according to Kohat district police officer took place on Sunday. 

Superintendent of Police (Investigation) Sanaullah confirmed to The News that the killer’s father and brother had been taken into custody. However, Mehboob who shot the victim four times and killed her was still absconding. 

Hina Shahnawaz, 27, had done her Masters in Philosophy and was the lone breadwinner for her family. It was a responsibility she took on more out of necessity than by choice during her father’s final years as he battled cancer.

A few months after she took on the responsibility, her father passed away. If the burden on her shoulders wasn’t heavy enough, her brother was murdered after a petty squabble and his widow and children also became Hina’s responsibility.

“And if that wasn’t enough, her sister’s husband committed suicide,” SP Investigation Sanaullah told The News. He added that Hina was further burdened by the need to take care of her sister and her family. 

Some sources here claimed the murder took place because Hina’s family and the conservative society she lived in frowned upon her working for an NGO. But SP Sanaullah said Hina’s paternal cousin, who allegedly murdered her, wanted to marry her. This was a match unacceptable to Hina as the proposer was only a matriculate while she was highly educated. 

Whatever the actual reason for her murder, Hina in her life was no less than a heroine as she supported her entire family until the day she was brutally killed. Her death is being mourned on the social media. The bloggers are outraged that a young woman trying to earn a decent livelihood for her family has been murdered. They want the government to get hold of the killers and award them exemplary punishment. They also want the government to prevent such horrible crimes, especially against women.