Arrests in Pakistan after 'honour killing' of two Spanish sisters

Police in Pakistan have arrested several suspects after two Pakistani-Spanish sisters were lured to visit their home town and were then killed by their family in the belief they had shamed the family.

A brother and an uncle of the women were among at least seven suspects who had been arrested in the central province of Punjab, local police chief Atta-ur-Rehman said.

"We are conducting raids in search of two more suspects," Rehman said.

Aneesa Abbas, 24, and Arooj Abbas, 21, residents of Tarrasa (Barcelona), were married to their cousins in their home town of Gujrat, but were seeking a divorce to marry the men of their choice in Spain.

Their marriages to cousins back in Pakistan appeared to be the result of pressure from the family, said Rehman.

Killed by the family

The family lured the sisters to visit Gujrat. They arrived in Pakistan on May 19 and were killed next day by the family, the officer added.

The case came to light on Sunday when a relative filed a complaints with the police, Rehman added.

Around 1,000 women and young girls are killed by their relatives every year in the name of preserving family honour, according to the Human Rights Commission of Pakistan.

In 2018, an Italian woman of Pakistani origin died while visiting her home town in Punjab and an investigation later found she was killed by her close relative in the name of honour.