POLICE in Pakistan were investigating the murder of two Pakistani-Spanish sisters as an "honour killing", a brutal patriarchal practice that sees women put to death for bringing "shame" on their families.
In deeply conservative Pakistan women have been shot, stabbed, stoned, set alight and strangled for the charge of tainting their family's "honour".
Such women are often slain by their own relatives, acting outside the law to uphold their family reputation according to ancient tribal mores.
Police in the eastern city of Gujrat said on Saturday (21) that they are investigating the murder of Aneesa Abbas, 24, and Arooj Abbas, 21, as the latest in a grim litany of honour killings.
A spokesman said both were seeking separation from their Pakistani husbands and were lured back from Spain to Gujrat where they were strangled and shot on Friday (20) night.
"The family created a story to convince them to come to Pakistan for a couple of days," said Gujrat police spokesman Nauman Hassan.
"Preliminary investigations show this is a case of honour killing, but it is still developing and the investigation is ongoing," he added.
Police also said the women were being "pressurised" by their spouses -- who were also their cousins -- to aid their emigration to Spain.
Seven members of the sisters' family are currently wanted for murder.
The Spanish embassy in Pakistan could not be reached for comment.
Swathes of Pakistani society still operate according to strict codes of "honour" that radically undermine women's rights.
Entitlements to education, reproductive rights and the choice of who to wed are all curtailed by the practice.
There were more than 450 honour killings last year, according to the Human Rights Commission of Pakistan.
Men are sometimes targeted but the majority of victims are women and it is suspected that many cases go unreported.
(AFP)
Clifford had previously pleaded guilty to the murders of BBC sports commentator John Hunt’s wife and two daughters at their home in northwest of London, in July 2024. (Photo: Hertfordshire Police /Handout via REUTERS)
Crossbow murderer found guilty of raping ex-girlfriend
A 26-YEAR-OLD man who murdered three women in a crossbow and stabbing attack has been found guilty of raping one of them, his ex-girlfriend, a British court ruled on Thursday.
Kyle Clifford had previously pleaded guilty to the murders of BBC sports commentator John Hunt’s wife and two daughters at their home in Bushey, northwest of London, in July 2024.
The attack led to a manhunt before Clifford was found injured hours later in a north London cemetery.
A jury at Cambridge Crown Court on Thursday convicted Clifford of raping 25-year-old Louise Hunt before killing her.
His sentencing for all the crimes is scheduled for Tuesday.
Clifford had admitted to murdering Carol Hunt, 61, and her daughters Louise and Hannah, 28. He had also pleaded guilty to charges of false imprisonment and possessing offensive weapons but denied raping Louise.
During the trial, the court heard that after killing Carol Hunt, Clifford waited for an hour before attacking Louise, tying her up, raping her, and then killing her with a crossbow. He later killed Hannah when she returned home from work.
The prosecution described Clifford, a former soldier, as committing a "violent, sexual act of spite" and said he was "enraged" after Louise ended their 18-month relationship. They told the court that he had "carefully planned" the attack.
Less than 24 hours before the killings, Clifford had searched for a podcast by social media influencer Andrew Tate, according to the prosecution. They argued that the murders were driven by the "violent misogyny promoted" by Tate.
Justice Joel Bennathan called Clifford’s crimes "dreadful" and "almost unspeakable".
(With inputs from AFP)