Pakistan: Man Shoots Niece Dead in Honour Killing for Listening to Loud Music

A Pakistani uncle shot dead his niece in an honour killing because she was listening to loud music.

Muhammad Gullistan, 30, shot his niece with a pistol at her home in Chakwal on Sunday, after she refused to turn down her music and in doing so defied his demands.

"Muhammad Gullistan visited the house while [the victim's] family was away," police officer Qaisar Abbas told Reuters.

"He asked her to turn the music down but she refused and they had an argument. He shot her with a 33-bore pistol."

The uncle might never be punished for the killing because, according to Pakistani law, a woman's next of kin can forgive her murderers.

The loophole means thousands of murderers in the Muslim country escape punishment.

Honour killings are frequent in Pakistan and are meted out when a woman is perceived to have slighted traditional beliefs.