That’s right: “Honor killing” as a defense, in yet another study in moral standards and priorities.
“Another ‘honor killing’: 17-year-old Pakistani girl murdered,” by Qaiser Felix for AsiaNews, October 2:
Islamabad (AsiaNews) – Another honor killing against a girl in Pakistan: the murder took place in the district of Khairpur, in the southern province of Sindh. It took place last March, although the news has come out only in the past few days.
Tasleem Solangi, a 17-year-old girl, was accused without any proof of “immorality”: the young woman was accused of having an “extramarital” relationship, for which reason she was punished by relatives. From the initial reconstruction, it emerges instead that a land dispute was at the origin of the brutal killing. The girl was murdered solely in order to convince her father to sell.
On March 7, 2008, Tasleem was killed with shocking ferocity: first, dogs were released on her, biting her legs repeatedly, until she fell to the ground. The dogs continued to maul her until her uncle, Zameer Solangi, shot her to death with a pistol. Tasleem’s father had to watch helplessly as the massacre took place. He had been expected to sell some land to the uncle and his associates. The killing was also supported by a tribal judge in the area, Karim Bux, who exerted pressure on law enforcement to keep them from opening an investigation. In May, Karim gathered a jirga – tribal assembly – to judge the case, which “exonerated” the killers and “guaranteed them impunity.”
Gul Sher, the girl’s father, held a press conference in Karachi on Monday, October 27, denouncing the killing and calling for justice: he insisted that problems related to “a land dispute” were at the basis of the action, denying the charge of “immoral behavior” or infidelity on the part of his daughter. He also denounced the “false accusations” made against the young woman. Security forces have arrested her husband, Ibrahim Solangi, who has volunteered to confess to the crime.
More information about the cover-up and disputes about the dog attack (perhaps that would be “going too far”): “President orders re-probe into Tasleem Solangi case,” from GeoTV, October 29:
KHAIRPUR: PPP MNA Nafeesa Shah Tuesday visited Hajan Shah Village near here to conduct probe into allegations that a young married women Tasleem Solangi had been thrown before dogs over a honour killing issue.
Addressing a press conference, here Tuesday, she said she was conducting the probe on the order of President Asif Zaradri, adding the report would be submitted to him in a couple of days.
She said her preliminary findings suggest that Tasleem Solangi was not put before hungry dogs as reported in the Press.
Earlier, a pregnant Pakistani teenager was reportedly mauled by dogs and then shot dead by her in-laws over a property dispute, the girl’s parents and a human rights group said.
But 17-year-old Tasleem Solangi’s death was later justified as an honour killing by a local jirga or tribal council over allegations that she had illicit relations with other men, they claimed.
The incident, which happened on March 08 but details of which have only emerged, is the latest honour killing that has claimed the lives of more than 150 women this year.
Gulsher Solangi, from Khaipur district, 425 kilometres (265 miles) from the southwestern city of Karachi, said his daughter’s new family, who deny any wrongdoing, repeatedly beat her after her marriage and demanded she transfer land and pay money to them.