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Afghanistan/South Asia

Through the eyes of an honour killer

2005-02-27

LAHORE: In Sanda police station, Muhammad Azam — a man who has confessed to the murder of his sister — awaits his verdict with little repentance or remorse. His reasons for killing the divorced mother of four — to defend family honour. Azam, a milkman by tradition who is soon to be transferred to Camp Jail, slaughtered 32-year-old Shahnaz at her house in Abu Bakar Colony, Bund Road on February 23 after suspecting her of having illicit relations. After the murder, Azam did not flee, instead he waited out patiently for the police to reach the crime scene and arrest him. "Our society leaves men like me with few options. I had to kill her to get my peace of mind," Azam told Daily Times from behind lockup.

Shahnaz married Zafar Ali after divorcing husband Allah Dita, from whom she had four children — Khurram Shahzad 14, Muhammad Amir, 12, Shan, 9 and Muzamil Abbas, 6. Ali is currently serving a sentence in Sheikhupura Jail for attempted murder while the kids are in the custody of their grandfather Malik Ali. "Since her husband went to jail, she started going out with other men," said a teary-eyed Azam, adding, "For two years I kept asking her to mend ways. I literally begged her to stop her antics because the children were being neglected. Everyone laughed at me. I couldn't take it anymore."

When asked whether being sentenced to death was worth it, he said, "In our society, a poor man has little dignity, and he cannot bear to part with it. My friends used to humiliate me. I decided to end my ordeal and face what may come." Sanda station house officer Muhammad Ishtiaq said that every individual held different views. "Most people in Punjab would rather face death, than let female family members dishonour the family name by having illicit relations," he stated.

Posted by:Fred

#9 Maybe you'd be better off getting talkingfrog.com?

Posted by: Phil Fraering 2005-02-27 3:03:00 PM

#8 LOL - but would die from lack of traffic...

Posted by: Frank G 2005-02-27 12:47:07 PM

#7 Frank! you're in luck. EngineerSex.com is avilable!

Posted by: Shipman 2005-02-27 12:45:02 PM

#6 agreed SW and SPOD - shoot him in the streets and leave his body for the birds.

BTW - that gauge is uh...IMHO... reminiscent of something

Posted by: Frank G 2005-02-27 12:20:01 PM

#5 Remember how the British handled the 'widow burning' situation in Bombay. Seems like we need another, more current, example.

Posted by: Steve White 2005-02-27 12:11:28 PM

#4 Or, you could just shoot him.

Posted by: Shipman 2005-02-27 8:27:23 AM

#3 SPoD, I think you dishonor the man.

I do not agree with what he did. But it seems that his motivations were in line with what his upbringing taught him.

It does seem that he knows what he did was wrong and he is willing to face up to it, although he did not have the strength to change his internal motivations. That he knew it was wrong and he stayed to meet the police is a hopeful sign that those within such a culture have the realization tha this is wrong, even though they have not come up with the strength to change.

Posted by: Jame Retief 2005-02-27 8:07:29 AM

#2 SPD:
An emotional response is rarely the best,

generally speaking, attacking a culture's practitioners for it's practices just creates a "us vs them" situation.. which of course increases the importance of their culture and re-affirms it's existence, reversing your intended effect

of course the run and gun method CAN work, but you have to kill damn near everybody before they get the hint, most westner cultures don't have will to do that sort of thing these days

but, even assuming the shoot'em method was used and it worked. What have you done? You've effected a hostile change in culture, which has it's own interesting side effects. But regardless, the effect is a change in culture.

This of course indicates that a change in culture is the true goal, it's hard to effectively argue that using threats of lethal force is most effective long term choice for changing their culture.

What needs to be done is improve freedom, create systems of equal rights, reduce corruption, and limit the ability of the present culture to spread.. more or less what is already being done now...

Posted by: Dcreeper 2005-02-27 6:56:07 AM

#1 I would personally rather shoot all you misogynistic retards that think killing, maiming and mutilating you mother, sisters and daughters is some kind of God given right. I think your lack of honor and manhood is the problem. You are the persons who need to be offed. You are the problem. Your total lack of manhood is what is dishonorable. I am just hoping we can kill more of you before you breed and pass this evil on to another generation.

Posted by: Sock Puppet of Doom 2005-02-27 2:35:56 AM

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