Two men sentenced to death for honor killing in Toba Tek Singh

A court in Toba Tek Singh sentenced two men to death for murdering a woman in their family. The victim, Maria Bibi, was killed by her father, Abdul Sattar, and her brother, Faisal, on March 17, 2024. Maria's body was exhumed for an autopsy after a disturbing video of the murder spread on social media, causing public outrage. Faisal later confessed to the crime, stating that he killed Maria to hide an incestuous relationship. However, a DNA test proved that Maria was neither raped nor pregnant, as previously claimed. The police changed the charges against the accused to include "honour killing". Faisal's brother, Shahbaz, and his wife, Sumaira, were also arrested for allegedly hiding the details of the murder. They claimed Maria had told them about the abuse the day before she was killed. Shahbaz even said he filmed the murder while pretending to talk on the phone. Judge Abdul Hafeez Bhutta announced the verdict, finding Faisal and Abdul Sattar guilty. They received death sentences and were ordered to pay 10 million Pakistani Rupees in compensation to Maria's family. Shahbaz and Sumaira were acquitted due to lack of evidence. The court said the sentence must be confirmed by the Lahore High Court. The convicted men can appeal the decision within 30 days. The Punjab Prosecutor General emphasized the case's importance and stated that the prosecution handled it with urgency and care.