In the name of the family’s honor, last week, Pakistani model, Qandeel Baloch was strangled to death by her own brother Muhammad Waseem.
After being arrested, Waseem told the media that he had “no regrets about killing” her sister and said that she had brought dishonor and shame upon their family’s name by posting “raunchy selfies.”
However, in one-of-its-kind case, the Pakistan Government has barred Muhammad Waseem’s family from legally “forgiving” their son, according to the sources.
As per the police officials, the Punjab Government in Pakistan has made it impossible for the family to forgive their son for murdering their daughter. BTW, forgiveness by the parents in cases of honor killings is the most exploited legal loophole due to which hundreds of culprits are not punished and have to be set free in Pakistan.
“It was done on the instructions of the government. But it happens rarely,” said the Punjab police official.
Though, Qandeel’s father, Muhammad Azeem, had filed a police complaint against Waseem and another of his sons for their role in his daughter’s murder, this step by the government is to ensure that the parents don’t get the legal right to “forgive” Waseem.
The fate of Waseem and other murderers, if any, will be decided by the Court but, Punjab authorities’ act of barring the parents to influence the whole case is impartial and just.
It should not be a rare case where the family is barred from deciding the fate of the murderers in the name of honor killing. I believe, it should become a legal norm.
Agree?