Horror Killing: Husband Burns Wife Alive in Pakistan's Punjab Province

Lahore: A newly-wed 19-year-old woman was allegedly burnt alive by her husband in the name of honour in Pakistan's Punjab province, police said on Wednesday. Ali Raza, the husband of victim Saba Iqbal, killed her in Bahawalnagar, some 400 kilometres from Lahore, on July 28 as he suspected that his wife was having an affair.

According to police, Saba and Raza contracted a court marriage about eight months ago. "Soon after the marriage, Raza started suspecting that Saba was in a relationship with someone else," police said.

Muhammad Iqbal, the father of the girl, said Raza told him over the phone on July 28 that Saba had left home after a quarrel and that she had been missing since then.

Iqbal said he and other family members rushed to Raza's house and launched a search to find her. Saba’s burnt body was found in the field the next day, the girl's father said. Police said they arrested Raza who confessed to his crime.

The police said Raza brutally tortured Saba on the day of the incident before burning her alive and then dumping her charred body in the field.

"In his confession, Raza said he killed Saba after knowing that she had relations with someone else outside his locality," police said. A murder case has been registered against Raza and two unidentified suspects.

Human Rights activists estimate that around 1,000 women are murdered annually in Pakistan for honour.