GUJRAT: A youth was shot dead allegedly for contracting love marriage at Bhagowal village in Tanda police precincts late on Sunday night.

Police said Zaheer Butt (28), son of Liaqat Butt, a local trader, had contracted love marriage with a girl of the same village. The girl’s family was against the marriage and had been nurturing a grudge against Zaheer.

As Zaheer was returning home after closing his shop late on Sunday, Asjad Nawaz, a relative of the girl, along with his four accomplices opened fire on him. The attackers fled the scene, leaving Zaheer dead on the spot.

The police on being informed of the murder, arrived at the spot and shifted the body to the Aziz Bhatti Shaheed Teaching Hospital for an autopsy, following which it was handed over to the victim’s family on Monday.

Police registered a case against the five nominated suspects under sections 302 and 109 of the Pakistan Penal Code (PPC) on the report of Anwar Butt, an uncle of the deceased and started investigation. No arrest could be made so far.

Zaheer is the second man allegedly murder for honour during the last three weeks in the district, where 17 women have been killed over honour-related issues during the past two months.

Published in Dawn, May 2nd, 2017