ISLAMABAD: The National Commission on Human Rights (NCHR) has directed the capital police to incorporate honour killing sections in an FIR registered against a man for opening fire on his teenage cousin in the Nilore village in order to prevent the chance of pardon or settlement within the family.

The Human Rights Commission of Pakistan (HRCP) on June 14 drew attention of the NCHR towards the attempted honour killing.

A letter sent by the HRCP to the NCHR stated that on June 9 a girl, aged between 16 and 17, was shot thrice allegedly by her cousin in the Nilore village.

It said seven months ago the father of the girl, who belonged to Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and was settled in Nilore, decided to marry her off to a man much older than her.

However, the girl left her home with a boy belonging to a local community.

Four days later, the couple was caught at Khanna Pul and brought back home.

The girl was beaten and locked up inside the home. On June 9, the letter claimed, the girl’s cousin shot her and fled.

National Commission on Human Rights (NCHR) issues direction to prevent chances of pardon or settlement within family

Her father filed an FIR with the Nilore police the same day but the accused could not be arrested.

The victim is under treatment at the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) of Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences (Pims).

On June 15, she was operated upon and a bullet which had pierced into her throat was removed successfully. She has now started communicating with her family through writing and also recorded her statement with the police.

On Thursday, NCHR Chairman retired Justice Ali Nawaz Chowhan along with members from Islamabad, KP and Balochistan heard the case at its head office. Police officers and doctors from Pims briefed the commission about the case.

Pims medico-legal officer Dr Naseema said when the victim was brought to the hospital she was in a very critical condition but now she was a bit stable and her condition improving.

Justice Chowhan said honour killing was totally against human rights and freedom and liberty of a person and such acts should be condemned by the public at large and there should be strict punishments for the offenders.

He directed the police to add the specific sections of the law relating to honour killing to the FIR to prevent the chances of pardon or settlement within the family.

The police assured the meeting that the sections would be added and added that efforts were being made to arrest the suspect.

Raja Qaiser Ghaffar, the chairman of Union Council 7 (Pind Begwal), told Dawn that three bullets were shot at the girl: one entered her throat, the second hit her chest and the third pierced her ribs.

“It seemed a pre-planned attempt of murder because after the incident efforts were made to hush up the incident. On the other hand, police were also not pressed to arrest the suspect,” he said.

On the other hand, he added, the girl in her written statement claimed that her cousin tried to kill her and she did not want to forgive him, he said.

“I am against underage marriages. The girl was only 16 and was being married to a man as old as her father. I believe that no girl should be married against her will. Moreover, girls less than 18 years of age should not be allowed to get married,” he said.

“In the rural areas around Islamabad, honour killings or attempted honour killings are not infrequent. Something needs to be done about this.

“Whenever such an incident takes place, the state should intervene and the victim should be placed under the state guardianship. This is the only way to prevent inter-family and inter-community compromises in which the victim is simply disregarded,” Mr Ghaffar said.

Inayatullah, an official of the Nilore police, told Dawn that though the incident had taken place in the heat of the moment police had decided to take strict action against the suspect.

“The father of the suspect was called to the police station on Thursday and he promised to produce the suspect after Eidul Fitr. However, it is a family issue and sooner or later it will be settled,” he said.

Published in Dawn, June 24th, 2017