ISLAMABAD: The Human Rights Commission of Pakistan (HRCP) on Wednesday drew the attention of National Commission on Human Rights (NCHR) towards an attempted honour killing case in the federal capital.

The teenaged victim is in a coma at the Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences (Pims) and doctors are not optimistic about her chances. Meanwhile, the suspected attacker is yet to be arrested and the NCHR has directed the inspector general of the police (IGP) to submit a report on the case.

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

Seven months ago, the father of the girl, who belongs to Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and is settled in the Nilore village, 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 says, while the girl was reading the Quran at home, her cousin shot her and fled.

National Commission on Human Rights seeks report from IGP on arrest of suspect who allegedly tried to kill the girl for honour

“Her father filed an FIR with the Nilore police the same day and is not ready to reach any compromise with his nephew though the family pressure might force him to do so.”

Shahla Rafi, a social worker and a resident of the same locality, told Dawn that she reported the case to the HRCP as most of the honour killings cases were never reported or not pursued by families.

“Though the father had earlier beaten his daughter, I believe that he did not want to kill her. The cousin of the girl, who was allegedly drunk, shot her three times and fled.”

The girl wanted to marry a local person but her family was against it, Ms Shahla said.

Human Rights Commissioner for Islamabad Chaudhry Mohammad Shafique told Dawn that the HRCP approached him on Wednesday.

“I immediately contacted the IGP and directed him to submit a report about the incident and the progress on the arrest of the suspect,” he said.

“Moreover, as such victims don’t get proper care at hospitals I have also sought a report from Pims regarding treatment being provided to the girl and her condition.”

Mr Shafique said though the father of the girl had lodged an FIR against the suspect, in a number of cases cousins or brothers killed women and in the end the fathers forgave them in the courts.

“So it will be very important to record the statement of the girl and in case she does not survive the statement of her mother will be very important,” he said.

A political figure of the area, requesting anonymity, said efforts were underway to hush up the case. NCHR Chairman retired Justice Ali Nawaz Chohan told

Dawn that normally the commission does not interfere in the investigation of the police but when it is learnt that the investigation has been stopped or slowed down the rights watchdog seeks a report from the police.

“We will definitely look into the issue so that the girl gets justice. We did the same in the Tayyaba Bibi torture case and questioned the police,” he said.

Published in Dawn, June 15th, 2017