SAHIWAL: Another girl fell victim to honour killing, but this time in village 95/9-L, Yousawala, on Thursday night.

Allah Mafi was strangled to death by her two elder brothers and the brother-in-law for marrying a person of her choice.

Yousafwal Station House Officer Qalbe Abbas told Dawn a raid was conducted at the house of Allah Mafi’s parents to rescue her on the information of her husband, but she had been taken to some other place.

The SHO said by the time the police tracked down her whereabouts, the news of her killing had spread in the village.

Reports said 21-year-old Allah Mafi, who belonged to the Dhakoo family, fell in love with a Baloch youth, Anser, of her own village. Both of them ran from their houses and contracted a court marriage in Sahiwal about six months back.

The couple returned to their village after one month and started living with the parents of Anser.

Villagers said a dialogue started between Anser and her wife families in the presence of village elders, but Anser did not allow her wife to visit her parents’ house.

Anser had informed Dawn on May 4 that his wife’s elder brothers -- Muzzamil and Haroon -- along with their brother-in-law Jahangir visited his house in his absence and took Mafi to her parents’ house after convincing his mother.

Anser said he rushed to the house of his wife’s parents, but he was not welcomed there at all and he immediately reported the matter to police. SHO Qalbe Abbas confirmed the same day that the police had registered a kidnap case on the complaint of Anser.

It is learnt that Allah Mafi was taken to the farmhouse of her brother-in-law from where her body was found the next day.

Yousafwala police have registered a murder case against absconding accused Muzzamil, Haroon and Jahangir on the complaint of Anser.

The post-mortem report confirmed that Allah Mafi was strangled to death.

LOADSHEDDING: The unscheduled loadshedding has increased in Sahiwal with the rise in mercury.

The seven-eight hours of loadshedding schedule has gone up to 13-15 hours a day.

Khawar Farid, a primary schoolteacher of village 57/GD, said 16-18 hours of loadshedding were being observed in rural areas.

A Mepco official, requesting anonymity, confirmed there was a disparity in loadshedding hours between rural and urban areas of Sahiwal district.

Published in Dawn, June 7th, 2014