Honour killing: Ramsha’s murderer surrenders to police

KARACHI: The main accused in the murder of Ramsha Wassan, a minor girl of 13 years said to have been killed in the name of ‘honour’, surrendered to the Khairpur police on Wednesday. A comprehensive campaign was launched against the brutal incident on social media by civil society members and political workers.

According to local sources, Ramsha was the daughter of Haji Nawab Wassan and wanted to marry a boy from another village. Her act of free will allegedly went against the “rules of local tribal lords”. As a result, local notorious criminal Zulfiqar Wassan aka Zulfo Wassan killed the girl by firing nine bullets at her.

According to police record, Zulfiqar Wassan was a notorious criminal of the area and had absconded for many years in 20 plus criminal cases, including three murders, kidnapping for ransom and others but was never arrested by the police.

Khairpur SSP Umer Tufail confirmed the news about the surrender of Zulfiqar. “We have arrested him and started an inquiry into Ramsha’s murder,” said SSP Tufail. The police, in its press release, stated that the victim was killed in the name of ‘honour’ and the main accused had previously committed three ‘honour’ killings but was never arrested and “was a symbol of terror in the area”.

The police did not elaborate why Zulfiqar was not arrested for murders committed earlier. “The FIR was registered on behalf of the state in order to avert pressure and threats to the victim’s family for withdrawing the case later on,” added the statement.

Sources privy to the development said that Zulfiqar surrendered because of pressure. Though the opposition was not allowed in the Sindh Assembly to discuss the said shocking issue or to bring a resolution for the arrest of accused, however, Sindh Chief Minister Murad Ali Shah had taken notice of the issue and ordered the police to arrest the accused.