Woman killed for ‘honour’ in Kohistan

In Upper Kohistan's Dasu area, a woman allegedly lost her life in a case of honor-related violence, according to police reports on Tuesday. The upper Kohistan district police officer, Tahir Iqbal, stated that the local police had suspected the married woman's death was due to honor, but her family lodged a false injury claim, alleging she was struck by a stray bullet.

The deceased's father reported in the false injury report that she had been accidentally shot by her brother, and subsequently passed away from her injuries. The DPO confirmed that the suspect had been apprehended, but also emphasized the need to investigate the true cause of her death, as the family's account alone cannot be trusted.

The officer noted that under the local tradition called Chor, a family that kills a woman in the name of honor sends a message to the man's family demanding his death or suffering consequences. Due to the fear of retaliation, few people in Kohistan come forward to file an FIR when a woman is killed under such traditions. The DPO further revealed that police were partnering with clerics and elders to eradicate this custom.

In July of the same year, a police constable from Kohistan, who had settled in Mansehra's Baffa area, was killed alongside a woman in the name of honor in Dasu, the district headquarters of Upper Kohistan.