Largest Source of Information on Kuwait with Current News from all over the world

KARACHI, September 07 (AFP) - A pregnant Pakistani teenager was mauled by dogs and then shot dead by her inlaws over a property dispute, the girl`s parents and a human rights group said. But 17-year-old Tasleem Solangi`s death was later justified as an honour killing by a local jirga or tribal council over allegations that she had illicit relations with other men, they claimed. The incident, which happened in March but details of which have only emerged, is the latest honour killing that has claimed the lives of more than 150 women this year. Gulsher Solangi, from Khaipur district, 425 kilometres (265 miles) from the southwestern city of Karachi, said his daughter`s new family, who deny any wrongdoing, repeatedly beat her after her marriage and demanded she transfer land and pay money to them. She was then killed when he refused to hand over his property, he added. "I saw my daughter running helplessly trying to save herself from hounding dogs," the 59-year-old farmer said, adding that he was held inside a house as his daughter was thrown to the baying pack. "I would not forget the screams of my daughter for the rest of my life." Gulsher said he had since been threatened and forced to flee with his family from their village .

Tasleem`s mother, Zakira, added that tribal elders later falsely accused her daughter of having illicit relations with other men to justify the killing. One of her alleged suitors was also forced to pay a 400,000 rupees (5,000 dollars) "fine" to the inlaws, she claimed. Tasleem`s father-in-law and Gulsher`s brother, Zamir Solangi, said his family was not involved in her death and his son was innocent. "All such allegations are baseless and concocted," he added. "We were sleeping at our home when about midnight we heard gunshots and came out from our house and saw her dead outside." He said they were "forced" to accept the fine imposed by the jirga because it was a decision of the elders and they have authority in the area. Local police told AFP an investigation had been launched and Tasleem`s husband -- who was her first cousin -- had been arrested and appeared before court. The alleged mauling by dogs was part of the inquiry, he added. The Hong Kong-based Asian Human Rights Commission, corroborating Gulsher`s account and that of his wife, said of Tasleem`s death: "This is yet another example of the use of honour killings in order to settle personal disputes .

" Honour killing of women in conservative Pakistan is a centuries-old practice. Some 159 women died in honour killings in the year to September 30, according to a local women`s rights group, Aurat Foundation. Human rights lawyer Zia Awan said: "Discriminatory customs against women and self-appointed courts` death sentences are the flagrant violation of our laws which is humiliating Pakistan at international level." There have been more than 62,000 cases of women abused in Pakistan since the year 2000, she said. In 2004, the high court of southern Sindh province banned jirgas, deeming them to be a parallel judicial system. But they continue to be held, rights activists say.