Mediacom world news portal
Two Pakistani teenagers who eloped were murdered by their own families through electrocution for the purpose of salvaging their tribe’s honor. The families, who are members of the Pashtun ethnic group in Karachi, asked their “jirga” or tribal council to punish the couple after they left without permission.
The two decided to return after the man’s family promised him that they would be married. However, instead of a celebration, they were tied to a bed where they met their deaths through powerful electric shocks. According to the New York Post, an influential elder decided that the girl, 15, must be killed first by her father and uncle. The killing of the boy, 18, took place a day after. Both families tried to conceal their deaths by burying the two secretly.
Jirgas are typically tasked to resolve disputes in the community and while their rulings are not based on the law, members of the group honor their decisions which are influenced by centuries-old traditions.