19 years old girl raped at gun point and sentenced to death for adultery
A 19 year old girl has been sentenced to death by the village elders in Pakistan's punjab province for allegedly having an illicit relationship with her cousin after she accused him of raping her at gunpoint.
According to Hindustimes, the incident happened on Friday in Rajanpur, a rural district about 400km from provincial capital Lahore.
Shumaila was said to have escaped from the village after she came to know of panchayat's decision and reported the matter to police. The girl had denied having any illicit relationship with her cousin Khalil Ahmed and alleged that he raped her at gunpoint when she was sleeping at her house.
"I could not raise an alarm as Ahmed was holding a gun. But the panchayat refused to accept her statement and declared that i willfully slept with him" she told the police.
Know what to wear
Know what to wear
She said the panchayat did not take any action on Ahmed. Fearing for her life she approached the police on saturday.
"We have registered a FIR against the panchayat members and will take them into custody for declaring her kaari (liable to death either by stoning or else)" said Hasnain
The SHO of fazilpur police station, Qaisar Hasnain, said Shumaila's father said in statement that he was forced to accept panchayat decision as it was the tradition of the village.
The police have sent Shumaila to a government safe house for women in Rajanpur.
"Honour" killing and death sentences are usually sanctioned through the panchayat system in Pakistani villages, but they have no legal standing.
No comments: