Pakistani Man Kills His Fiancee And Nine Family Members
A man in Northwestern Pakistan shot and killed his fiancee and nine members of her family, six months after killing both of his parents and two brothers for refusing to pay his dowry. Mir Ahmad Shah, the 25-year-old suspect, fled after attacking his fiancee and her family with an AK-47 assault rifle. The assault occured in the Charsadda District in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province of Pakistan. Shah himself was a second cousin of his fiancee.
“He stormed the house and killed all 10 family members while they were asleep,” district police chief Shafiullah Khan said. Two children and four women were among the dead. Khan said Shah had been sought as a fugitive related to the murder of his parents and two elder brothers last year. It is believed that Shah murdered his parents and brothers since they refused to grant the request of his fiancee’s father to buy a house as the dowry.
Police have done extensive searches and also raided three buildings suspected to be Shah’s hideouts. Security was tightened at a number of entry points to neighboring tribal areas where police believe he may have been trying to seek refuge.
Marriages in Pakistan are usually arranged and often occur between cousins. The bride’s family sometimes demands a hefty dowry as a form of insurance if the marriage ends in divorce. In the region, the groom or his family usually pays the dowry to the bride at the time of marriage. The form can be either cash or prizes.
