Three awarded life imprisonment in Kohistan honour killing case

SHANGLA, Kohistan (92 News) – An additional sessions judge on Thursday awarded life imprisonment to three accused in Kohistan honour killing case and acquitted five others, giving them the benefit of doubt. The court has convicted Omar, Sabeer and Tahir. In 2012, five girls were murdered by the people of their tribe after a video of their dancing and clapping had surfaced during wedding ceremony. The girls were murdered on the order of a local jirga. A year later, the three brothers seen in the video were also shot dead. The murder case was registered on the orders of the Supreme Court. Afzal Kohistani, who leaked the video, was murdered in Abbottabad in March this year. Bin Yasir, Kohistani’s brother, said that he is satisfied with the court’s order. “It took so long, but finally we have some kind of justice,” he said. Yasir has been single-handily pursuing the case since Kohistani was murdered. Since 2012, his family has been either killed or displaced. “At least 40 people were involved in the killing of my brothers and the women,” he adds, “I am upset that five people have been acquitted. More people should have been convicted, including the jirga elder who passed the order to kill the women,” he said.