A
mother who murdered her own daughter and set her alight for marrying
the man of her choice has been sentenced to death, officials said
Tuesday, in a case that had revolted many in Pakistan.
Zeenat
Bibi, aged 16, was doused with kerosene and set alight in June last
year in Pakistan's teeming cultural capital Lahore, a little over a week
after she wed 20-year-old motorcycle mechanic Hasan Khan against her
family's wishes.
A
judge in an anti-terror court in Lahore sentenced her mother Perveen
Bibi to death on murder and terrorism charges, prosecutor Mian Mohammad
Tufail told AFP.
She
was charged under Pakistan's terrorism laws rather than newly-reformed
criminal legislation against honour killings because of the use of
kerosene in the murder, Tufail said.
Bibi
also received a 14-year jail term and was fined one million rupees
($9,300) under separate counts related to the killing. Her son Mohammad
Anees was jailed for life and fined 1.5 million rupees for his role in
the killing, Tufail said.
Bibi's son-in-law, the husband of another daughter, was acquitted, he said.
Zeenat's
vicious murder sent shockwaves across Pakistan and triggered fresh
calls for action against so-called "honour killings".
Hundreds
of women are killed by their relatives each year after allegedly
bringing shame on their families in the deeply conservative Muslim
country.
Under
previous legislation the culprits -- usually men -- could get away with
the killings after being pardoned by members of their own family.
But
in July last year the high-profile murder of social media star Qandeel
Baloch, whose brother confessed to the killing, reignited calls for
reform.
In
October parliament passed a law aimed at removing the ability to
forgive "honour" killers. But critics contend some loopholes still
exist.
Khurram Khan, chief prosecutor, confirmed the sentences.-AFP
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