Bid to conceal honour killings | Pakistan Press Foundation (PPF)

Pakistan Press Foundation

Bid to conceal honour killings

KASUR, Dec 23: There are a number of unanswered questions over the reported killing of two sisters by a dacoit and his subsequent lynching by ‘villagers’ in a village in the jurisdiction of Raja Jang police station.

The case which took place on Saturday night in Ram Thaman was carried by newspapers on Sunday in the light of the FIR lodged by the family of slain Savaira and Rehana.

According to some villagers who talked to this correspondent on the condition of anonymity, the `lynched dacoit’ was Hafiz Mubashar, a village schoolteacher.

They claimed that Mubashar had an affair with his student, Savaira, who eloped with him some months ago but returned home only a few days back. Savaira’s family banned Mubashar’s entry in their house. But Mubashar visited here again on Saturday night when Savaira’s family, except her elder sister Rehana, was away from the home.

Someone from the neighbourhood informed Savaira’s brother Naveed, who is a policeman, about Mubashar’s presence in the house. Naveed reached home and found Mubashar there. He opened fire on Savaira and killed her on the spot. Rehana who sustained a bullet injury in a bid to save her sister was taken to Jinnah Hospital, Lahore, where she died the next day.

Savaira’s father Shahabdin, a headmaster at a public school, reached home soon after Naveed had shot his sisters and allegedly asked his son to kill Mubashar too. In the meantime, some of Naveed’s relatives reached there. They tied Mubashar with a tree and clubbed him to death.

Later, a cousin of Mubashar reached the scene and he was also caught by Naveed and his relatives. However, police reached the scene and rescued him.

Later, in an FIR registered with Raja Jang police, Savaira’s family members dubbed the incident as a robbery. They said Mubashar barged in their house for a robbery and held family members hostage. He allegedly killed Savaira and Rehana for resisting the robbery. They said their neighbours caught Mubashar and beat him to death.

Locals, who believed Mubashar was not in Savaira’s house for a robbery, said his motorcycle was also parked inside her house. “How can he park his motorcycle inside her house if he is there for a robbery?” one of them asked.

Police however said the motorcycle was parked outside.

Kasur DPO Rao Abdul Karim told Dawn that it was a case of murder. Some relatives of Mubashar met the DPO on Tuesday who assured them the investigation would be done on merit.

Regarding the registration of a dacoity case, he said that it was the right of Savaira’s family but police would fulfil the demands of justice.
Source: Dawn
Date:12/24/2008