Lahore, May 28: In a gruesome incident, a 20-year-old woman was burnt alive in the name of 'honour' in Pakistan's Punjab province, police said on Sunday. The incident took place in Garh Maharaja, Jhang district, some 200 kms from Lahore, on Friday.

Investigation officer Muhammad Azam told PTI on Sunday that Rajab Ali, along with his sons Jabbar and Aamir and some other family members severely tortured his young daughter before setting her ablaze at their house on May 26. Honour Killing: Pakistani Man Shots Dead 21-Year-Old Sister for Dancing and Modelling.

The police officer said that the woman wanted to marry a man of her choice. "A day before, she had left the home and reportedly spent some time with him before returning," he said. Upon her return, her father, two brother and some family women tied her with a rope and severely tortured the woman before setting her on fire, Azam said.

The victim was shifted to hospital where she succumbed to her burns. "Before her death, she told police about those who set her on fire," he said. Police have arrested the father, two brothers and a sister of the victim. A murder case has been registered against the suspects. Pakistan Shocker: 7-Year-Old Girl Raped and Murdered in Karachi.

The officer said the arrested suspects offered no remorse for their act saying the girl had disgraced the family's honour and deserved this fate. Hundreds of women are killed every year in different parts of Pakistan in the name of honour.

The Human Rights Commission of Pakistan (HRCP) has reported an average of 650 honour killings annually over the past decade. But since most go unreported, the real number is likely to be much higher.

(The above story is verified and authored by Press Trust of India (PTI) staff. PTI, India’s premier news agency, employs more than 400 journalists and 500 stringers to cover almost every district and small town in India.. The views appearing in the above post do not reflect the opinions of LatestLY)