Pakistani Girl was ‘Destined to Die’ in Acid Attack After Looking at Boy, says Mother Zaheen Zafar

A Pakistani woman who is alleged to have killed her daughter by dousing her with acid after looking at a boy said it was the girl's destiny to die that way.

Zaheen Zafar and her husband Mohammad were arrested in Pakistan-administered Kashmir for the 'honour killing' of their 15-year-old daughter Anusha on 29 October. She died two days later in hospital after suffering burns on nearly 70 percent of her body.

Her father told the BBC he warned his daughter not to look at the boy as it would have brought dishonour to the family. Her mother described how her daughter pleaded for forgiveness but it was her "destiny" to be killed.

Mr Zafar said: "There was a boy who came by on a motorcycle. She (Anusha) turned to look at him twice. I told her before not to do that, it's wrong. People talk about us because our older daughter was the same way."

The mother added: "She said, 'I didn't do it on purpose, I won't do it again'.

"By then I had thrown the acid. It was her destiny to die this way."

The Human Rights Commission of Pakistan reported 943 women were killed last year in honour killings, an increase of more than 100 from 2010.

Local police officer Tahir Ayub told AFP the teenager's father was already suspicious about his daughter before she was seen looking at the boy as he rode past their home in Khoi Ratta district, 87 miles north of the state capital, Muzaffarabad.

Ayub said: "Zafar beat her up and then poured acid over her with the help of his wife. She was badly burnt but they did not take her to hospital until the next morning."

"The parents have confessed, saying that they suspected the girl had illicit relations with a boy," Ayub said. "We have registered a murder case against the girl's father and mother."

In March, the government of Kashmir made acid attacks a criminal offence punishable with life imprisonment.