The parents of an English schoolgirl of Pakistani descent, who went missing eight years ago have appeared in court charged with her murder.

Seventeen-year-old Shafilea Ahmed, who vanished from her home in Cheshire in September 2003, is the suspected victim of an "honour killing."

Her decomposing remains were found by workmen on the banks of the River Kent in Cumbria in February 2004. Ahmed was identified by her jewellery and dental records.

Her parents, Iftikhar and Farzana - who have always denied being involved in her death - appeared in Halton Magistrate's Court overnight, according to The Daily Mail.

The Ahmeds were arrested in December 2003 on suspicion of abducting Shafilea, but were released without charge in June 2004 as a result of insufficient evidence.

An inquest in 2008 heard that Shafilea disappeared shortly after a trip to Pakistan during which she was introduced to potential suitors for marraige.

The coroner for south and east Cumbria, Ian Smith, said at the time: "Shafilea was the victim of a very vile murder and there's no evidence before the court as to who did it. There are things people knew that have not been told to this court."

"Her ambition was to live her own life in her own way: to study, to follow a career in the law and to do what she wanted to do. These are just basic fundamental rights and they were denied to her," Smith said.

Pathologists said Shafilea was probably smothered or strangled to death. Smith said he believed she was likely murdered.

Her parents have been remanded to custody and will appear for a bail hearing at Manchester Crown Court on Friday.

Honour Killing

An honour killing is the killing of a member of a family or social group by other members, due to the belief of the perpetrators that the victim has brought dishonour upon the family or community. Honour killings are directed mostly against women and girls, but have been extended to men.

Whilst prevalent throughout Jordan, Turkey, Syria, Saudi Arabia, Lebanon, Morocco and Egypt, it should be noted that honour killing does not have any basis in Islam or its religious texts. Such an act is a cultural practice.

Sharif Kanaana, professor of anthropology at Birzeit University on the West Bank, said honor killing is "a complicated issue that cuts deep into the history of Arab society. .. What the men of the family, clan or tribe seek control of in a patrileneal society is reproductive power. Women for the tribe were considered a factory for making men. The honour killing is not a means to control sexual power or behavior. What's behind it is the issue of fertility or reproductive power."

Amnesty International said: "The regime of honor is unforgiving: women on whom suspicion has fallen are not given an opportunity to defend themselves, and family members have no socially acceptable alternative but to remove the stain on their honor by attacking the woman."