Violent Consequence: Pakistani Woman's Life Claimed for Pictured Encounter with a Man

Police in Pakistan are investigating the suspected "honour killing" of a young woman whose photo went viral on social media. Authorities in Kohistan believe the 18-year-old girl was murdered by her father and uncle, on the orders of a tribal council known as a jirga. The jirga wanted to kill a man seen in the photo, and he is now in protective custody. Two other individuals also received death threats after their doctored pictures circulated online. Police believe the photos were photoshopped and posted on fake social media accounts and are investigating the culprits. Kohistan is a conservative region where several honour killings have been reported in recent years. These killings are typically carried out by relatives who claim to be defending their family's honour. Human rights groups say honour killings are often motivated by reasons such as refusal to enter an arranged marriage, rape, or perceived inappropriate behaviour. Despite legislative changes in Pakistan, killers are allegedly still evading justice in these cases.