Alum Rock couple shot dead for cancelling daughter's arranged marriage

Aug 8 2010 Exclusive by Ben Goldby and Jeanette Oldham

A BIRMINGHAM mum and dad have been shot dead in Pakistan in a suspected honour killing after calling off their daughter’s arranged marriage.

Taxi driver Gul Wazir and wife Bagum were brutally gunned down in the village of Salehana in the remote and dangerous Nowshera province.

One of their sons is also believed to have been shot, but survived the attack. He is now in a stable condition in a hospital in North Western Pakistan.

The couple are understood to have travelled to the village from their Alum Rock home to settle a dispute over the marriage of their daughter, according to a family friend.

“The husband and wife had already promised their daughter to a man. When that arrangement ended he was not happy,’’ he said.

“Gul and his wife went to Pakistan to try to sort it out, but this man went crazy and shot them for breaking off the engagement.

‘‘This is a tragedy. They were honest, decent people”.

The murders took place on Monday, but details only emerged last night as the country is still in chaos after being hit by deadly floods.

Another of Mr and Mrs Wazir’s son’s, Umar, was organising a memorial for them at an Islamic centre in Bordesley Green yesterday.