A brutal way to protect family honour

Published
0

GHAZNI, Jan 6: An Afghan teenager is in serious condition after her mother and brother allegedly sliced open her belly to remove a five-month-old foetus from a rape, officials said on Tuesday.

The girl’s relatives, who are farmers, had apparently decided to remove the unborn child to protect the family honour, a governor told AFP, with rape and pregnancy outside of marriage a disgrace in the conservative society.

She had not told her family she was pregnant, said Habiba Sarabi, governor of Bamiyan.

“When the family realised two days ago that she was pregnant, the mother and brother tied up her hands and legs and took her to a stable where they sliced open her belly with a blade and took the foetus away,” she said.

Opinion

Editorial

Trump’s choice
Updated 08 Nov, 2026

Trump’s choice

In order to prevent a new military and economic crisis, the US leadership must prioritise diplomacy over war.
Bilawal’s advice
08 Nov, 2026

Bilawal’s advice

PPP CHAIRPERSON Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari has given sound advice to the government to stop “fighting everyone”. And...
Cashless ambition
08 Nov, 2026

Cashless ambition

THE prime minister’s call for a time-bound roadmap to make all payments digital has given the government’s...
The debt burden
Updated 07 Nov, 2026

The debt burden

The government borrows to cover consumption, budget deficits, and external payments — not to build anything that pays for itself.
Expendable LGs
07 Nov, 2026

Expendable LGs

POLITICAL parties frequently appear reluctant to hold regular local bodies elections on one pretext or another. This...
Scam centres
07 Nov, 2026

Scam centres

THE recent raid by the National Cyber Crime Investigation Agency on a dubious call centre in Karachi shows how...