Abbottabad, Pakistan: The body of a 16-year-old girl was found in a torched van in the town of Donga Gali. The girl was later identified as Ambreen, a labourer's daughter. The honor-killing sentence was handed down and carried by the local tribal council. Her only crime was helping her friend from a nearby village elope.

“The body was tied to the seat of the vehicle, which was parked at a bus stop in Makol village of Donga Gali,” said the police.

Ambreen’s mother and brother were present during the meeting where she was sentenced to death, and agreed with the council’s decision. The council justified the sentence saying that the girl had violated cultural norms and had caused irreparable damage to the reputation of the village.

According to Saeed Wazir, the district police chief, the elders “took her to an abandoned place outside the village and made her unconscious by injecting her with some drugs. Then they seated the girl in a van in which the couple had escaped. They tied her hands to the seats and then poured petrol on her and the vehicle.” The vehicle was then set on fire. The honor killing happened at around three in the morning.

Although the tribal councils have no legal power in Pakistan, they are called in often to resolve disputes, especially in the Northwestern areas.

The police arrested 15 members of the tribal council, including Ambreen’s mother and brother.

Photo Credits: RT.com