British couple in ‘honour killings’

A British couple have been murdered in Pakistan because of a dispute over a wedding, it has been revealed.

Taxi driver Gul Wazir and his wife, named locally as Begum, had reportedly visited the country to resolve the row which is believed to have arisen after a planned marriage between the Birmingham couple’s daughter and a man in Pakistan fell through.

Neighbour May Sparrow, a pensioner who knew Mr Wazir since he was about 18, paid tribute to him as “a proper Brummie” who idolised his family.

She said: “Everyone knew him. He was an ordinary man looking after his family. He was so nice, and a wonderful father. He was full of life, he was delightful. There’s nothing bad you could say about him. He was living a lovely life. His family all idolised him.”

She said she believed he was in his mid-50s, had lived in the Alum Rock area of the city all his life and had a big family.

He had lived in his current house, in Parkfield Road, for the past 15 years or so and worked as a taxi driver, she added.

She went on: “I would imagine he went to Pakistan because he didn’t want his daughter to marry this other person. It sort of fits perfectly that if his daughter didn’t want to marry someone over there he would step in and stop it. But it’s really upset me to think he’s gone over there and got killed like that.”

A West Midlands Police spokeswoman said: “We have been informed of the murder of two people from Birmingham in Pakistan. The murder inquiry is being carried out by the authorities in Pakistan and we will support their investigation as and when required.”

It is understood the couple have already been buried and the Foreign Office said it was providing consular assistance to the family.

One of the couple’s sons was reportedly wounded in the incident and taken to hospital.

Source: Press Association