Peshawar: Afzal Kohistani, a man at the centre of a campaign to expose one of Pakistan’s most notorious “honour killings” cases has been shot dead in the garrison city of Abbottabad, media reports said Thursday. In 2012, Kohistani emerged as one of the first Pakistanis to violate a local custom in remote northern Kohistan district where matters of family honour are settled in blood. Those perceived to have violated the code are killed with the mutual consent of families involved.
Afzal was shot dead on Wednesday night in a busy commercial area of the north-western city of Abbottabad, police said, quoting witnesses to the killing. He suffered injuries and died on the spot, they said. He was shot by unidentified gunmen who managed to flee. According to Station House Officer Ghafoor, of the Cantt police station, Afzal was accompanied by his nephew at the time of the incident. The nephew shot back at the gunmen and remained unhurt.
