A 19-year-old woman was allegedly shot dead by her uncle and cousin in Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa's Lower Dir district after she was seen talking to a neighbour outside her home, police said on Wednesday. The incident took place on June 26 in the mountainous village of Kharkai, within the jurisdiction of Khar Police Station. The victim was the only child of her parents. Her father had travelled abroad for work, while her mother died during childbirth last year. Following her mother's death, she had been living with her uncle.
Honour Killing Alleged
According to the police, she was allegedly killed in the name of "honour". Superintendent of Police (Investigation) Rashid Khan, who is leading the investigation, told The Express Tribune that a first information report (FIR) was registered in the case. He said the victim was killed with Kalashnikov fire and that spent bullet casings had been recovered from the crime scene. According to the investigating officer, two suspects — a father and son who were the victim's uncle and cousin — were nominated in the case. One suspect was arrested, while efforts were underway to apprehend the other.
Victim's Family Situation
The officer said the victim had no siblings and that her father was abroad, prompting the police to register the case as a complaint to ensure a strong prosecution. He expressed confidence that the suspects would be brought to justice. Lower Dir District Police Officer (DPO) Captain (retired) Bilal Furqan told The Express Tribune that a police team, including female officers, was dispatched to the area immediately after the incident. He said the victim's body was sent for a post-mortem examination. He said the FIR was registered on behalf of the state through the station house officer under Section 302 (premeditated murder) of the Pakistan Penal Code, along with Section 311 relating to so-called honour killings.
Arrest and Funeral
The DPO said police arrested one of the suspects — the victim's cousin — within two days of the incident. Reports had circulated that the victim was buried without funeral prayers after the killing. However, the police confirmed that a local religious scholar led her funeral prayers and that she was buried in accordance with customary procedures.
Honour Killings in Pakistan
Honour killing remains a serious and persistent human rights issue in Pakistan despite legal reforms and growing public awareness. The Human Rights Commission of Pakistan reported that at least 405 so-called honour killings were recorded in Pakistan in 2024. In its annual report for 2025, the commission said the figure had risen to 470. Most victims were women, often killed by relatives claiming to defend family honour. The killings have been reported not only in Lower Dir but also in several other districts of the province, including Peshawar, Upper Dir, Swat and Charsadda.
Provincial Statistics
According to K-P Police data obtained by The Express Tribune, 160 honour killing cases were reported across the province in 2025, compared with 159 cases in 2024. Around 70 per cent of the victims in the 2024 cases were women. The data showed that 374 people were nominated in honour killing cases last year, of whom 258 were arrested. However, police said that, except for a few cases, many suspects were later released after settlements were reached between the parties.
