Daily US Times: Pakistani police said the man who filmed himself kissing two girls who were later murdered in a so-called “honour killing” has been arrested.

According to the police statement, the 28-year-old Umar Ayaz is charged with making the video.

Police arrested the father of one of the girls and another three of their relatives for failing to report the killings and concealing evidence.

It is believed that the man carried out the murders.

Police say they are looking for a man named Mohammad Aslam, and have also arrested another man on whose phone the footage was shot and he has been also charged with sharing the video.

The teenage girls are cousins, aged 18 and 16, are said to have been shot dead by the suspected killer last week in the village of Shaam Plain Garyom on the border of North and South Waziristan tribal districts in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province.

Local police officer Shafiullah Gandapur told that they initially heard reports of the killings through social media.

The police officers who travelled to the village “found traces of blood, as well as blood-stained fabric”.

The girls’ murder appears to be related to the video which was leaked on social media platforms. The video shows a young man recording himself with three teenage girls in a secluded area outdoors.

It appeared that video was recorded nearly a year ago but went viral on social media a few weeks ago.

Police are now looking for the third girl shown in the footage. She was not kissed by Mr Ayaz and she is the wife of the alleged killer. Police believed that the girl is hiding and they are looking for her because her life may still be at risk.

Human Rights Watch says that violence against girls and women remains a serious problem in Pakistan.

Activists believed that in Pakistan, about 1,000 such ‘honour killing’ murders are carried out every year.

Many such murders go unreported. Social media star Qandeel Baloch was killed in 2016, whose life and death caused a sensation in socially-conservative Pakistan, led to the government tightening the laws.

What is an ‘honour killing’?

‘Honour Killing’ is the killing of a family member who is perceived to have brought dishonour upon relatives.

Human Rights Watch says the most common reasons are that the victim:

• refused to accept and arrange marriage proposal.
• was the victim of rape or sexual assault
• had sexual relations outside of marriage, even if only alleged.