SAHIWAL: A youth shot dead a man on the district court premises in the name of honour for contracting a love marriage with his sister here on Saturday.

Zeeshan, son of Aslam Masih, killed Tanooq when he was going to the family court along with his wife, the suspect’s sister, to confirm his pre-arrest bail. Tanooq was shot in the head and died on the spot. Zeeshan was about to shoot his sister, Muafia, as well when he was overpowered by policemen. He was shifted to the Civil Line Police Station.

District Police Officer Rana Tariq and City DSP Zafar rushed to the district court premises, adjacent to the District Police Office, and supervised the forensic analysis of the crime scene.

Gospel Mission Bishop Ibrahim Danial also visited the place.

According to the reports, Tanooq, 27, a resident of Usman Block, Chak 92/6-R, tehsil Sahiwal, was a farm worker. His family was friends with Aslam Masih’s family of the same village and profession. Tanooq used to visit Aslam’s house where he developed a relationship with his daughter, Muafia, who also worked as an agricultural worker.

On Jan 9, Muafia escaped from home with Tanooq in a car and the next day, they got married in Mian Channu, district Khanewal. Their marriage was registered with Episcopal Church, Pakistan, under the Christian Marriage Act 1872, on Jan 10. The couple started living together at an undisclosed location.

Muafia’s family claimed that she was a ‘minor’ at the time of marriage as her Nadra B-Form showed her date of birth as July 25, 2007. Eight days later, Aslam Masih filed a kidnap case against Tanooq, his sister ‘S’, and their father Gulzar with the Farid Town Police Station.

Police found that Muafia was living with Tanooq of her own choice and that they were married. Tanooq, through his lawyer, filed a plea for the pre-arrest bail in the family court.

On Saturday morning, he, along with his father, sister and wife, arrived at the district courts for the hearing of the case. Zeeshan reportedly followed them and shot Tanooq in front of the family court judge’s chamber. Civil Line Police booked Zeeshan in a murder case and handed over Tanooq’s body to his family after an autopsy.

The incident has raised questions about a significant security lapse as none of the walk-through gates at the courts are functional.

Published in Dawn, March 2nd, 2025