GUJRAT: A woman was killed while her husband was injured in firing by her brothers over the marriage of choice in front of a court in Kharian along GT Road on Friday.

Shaista Noreen, a resident of Asmaila Sharif near Dinga, had contracted marriage with Abdul Malik Gujjar of the same village on her own will in December 2016, offending her family.

Her father, Bashir Gujjar, lodged an abduction case against Abdul Malik on Dec 12, 2016. Shaista and Abdul Malik appeared in the court where they registered a court marriage. The abduction case against Malik was quashed in March 2017.

On Friday, the couple appeared before a Kharian court in another case filed by Shaista’s family. As soon as they left the court compound in their car, Shaista’s brothers Nasir and Asim allegedly intercepted the car and opened firing on the couple, leaving both of them injured. The assailants fled the scene.

Shaista succumbed to her injuries after being shifted to the Kharian Civil Hospital; however, Malik’s condition was stated to be out of danger.

Kharian Saddar police have registered a case of honour killing against six people, including two brothers of Shaista, involved in the attack on the report of Abdul Malik.

The incidents of honour killing have been on the rise in the district for the last few months. Three days ago, a 16-year-old girl was killed by her brother in Sada Chak village of Gujrat Saddar police after she was reportedly raped by a man of her own village.

Published in Dawn, June 10th, 2017