Pregnant Woman Stoned to Death by Family for Marrying Against Their Wishes

Farzana Parveen, who was three months pregnant, was stoned to death by her own family in front of a high court in Pakistan for getting married without their consent, to the man of her choosing. Several members of Farzana's family, including her father and brothers, attacked her with batons and bricks in broad daylight and they killed her before a crowd of onlookers.

Mohammad Iqbal, right, husband of Farzana Parveen, 25, sits in an ambulance next to the body of his pregnant wife who was stoned to death by her own family, in Lahore, Pakistan (AP Photo/K.M. Chaudary)

According to BBC News;

Police said 30-year old Farzana Bibi died on the spot after being attacked with bricks and sticks. Her father handed himself in, but police say her brothers and former fiance, who also took part in the attack, were still free.

Correspondents say hundreds of girls and women in Pakistan are killed every year by family members.

However, many more killings are believed to go unreported.

Farzana Bibi's parents accused her husband, Muhammad Iqbal, of kidnapping her, and had filed a case against him at the High Court.

However, she testified to police that she had married him of her own accord. Police said the couple had been engaged for a number of years.

As she arrived at the court building for a hearing, police said about a dozen family members pulled her aside and began to attack her and her husband, who managed to escape.

Police official Umer Cheema told Reuters that all the family members escaped after the killing, apart from her father, who has admitted his role in her death.

The BBC's Shumaila Jaffery says marriage against the wishes of relatives is culturally unacceptable in some parts of Pakistan.

Under Pakistani law, the victim's family is allowed to forgive the killer. However, in many cases family members are themselves responsible for the killing.