From the Associated Press – no commentary on my part necessary:

Pakistani Describes Killing of Daughters

The 40-year old laborer, speaking to The Associated Press in police detention as he was being shifted to prison, confessed to just one regret —” that he didn’t murder the stepsister’s alleged lover too.

Ahmed’s killing spree —” witnessed by his wife Rehmat Bibi as she cradled their 3 month-old baby son —” happened Friday night at their home in the cotton-growing village of Gago Mandi in eastern Punjab province.

It is the latest of more than 260 such honor killings documented by the rights commission, mostly from media reports, during the first 11 months of 2005.

Bibi recounted how she was woken by a shriek as Ahmed put his hand to the mouth of his stepdaughter Muqadas and cut her throat with a machete. Bibi looked helplessly on from the corner of the room as he then killed the three girls —” Bano, 8, Sumaira, 7, and Humaira, 4 —” pausing between the slayings to brandish the bloodstained knife at his wife, warning her not to intervene or raise alarm.

…

Despite Ahmed’s contention that Muqadas had committed adultery —” a claim made by her husband —” the rights commission reported that according to local people, Muqadas had fled her husband because he had abused her and forced her to work in a brick-making factory.

Police have said they do not know the identity or whereabouts of Muqadas’ alleged lover.

Muqadas was Bibi’s daughter by her first marriage to Ahmed’s brother, who died 14 years ago. Ahmed married his brother’s widow, as is customary under Islamic tradition.

“Women are treated as property and those committing crimes against them do not get punished,” said the rights commission’s director, Kamla Hyat. “The steps taken by our government have made no real difference.”