Police in Pakistan's northwestern Dir district arrested a man on Monday who is suspected of killing his woman cousin for honor, a police official said on Monday, adding that raids are underway to arrest the other suspect in the case, the victim's uncle.
Victim Found with Multiple Gunshot Wounds
As per a copy of a first information report (FIR) seen by Arab News, a police contingent found 19-year-old Karishma dead at a house in Lower Dir's Khal district on June 26. The report said that a preliminary examination of the body revealed Karishma had sustained multiple firearm injuries across various parts of her body, causing her immediate death.
According to the FIR, Karishma's father resides in Dubai for labor work while her mother has passed away. She was living in the same house as that of her uncle, Zor Zamin. Police said Zamin and her cousin, Gul Bahar, believed Karishma had an illicit relationship with another man and based on those suspicions, shot and killed her in the same house.
Legal Action and Arrest
Police registered cases against both accused under sections 302 (murder) and 34 (acts done by several persons in furtherance of common intention). “We have just arrested one accused, Gul Bahar, and raids are being conducted to apprehend the other accused, uncle of the girl named Zor Zamin,” Tauheed Khan, Station House Officer (SHO) Khal told Arab News. “The post-mortem of the girl has been conducted, exact details of which will be known once the report is released. But she has been shot multiple times.”
Context of Honor Killings in Pakistan
Honor killings are a recurring crime in conservative Pakistan, in which family members kill women or men for actions perceived as bringing shame to the family. These actions often include young men and women choosing their spouse. Much of Pakistani society operates under a strict code of “honor,” with women beholden to their male relatives over choices around education, employment and who they can marry.
Although Pakistan passed a landmark law in 2016 to close loopholes that once allowed families to “forgive” perpetrators in these cases, conviction rates remain extremely low, often below 2 percent, according to UN estimates.
Statistics on Honor Killings
According to the independent Human Rights Commission of Pakistan, 405 women were killed in 2024 in such cases nationwide, compared to 226 in 2023. This marks a significant increase in reported honor killings, highlighting the persistent challenge despite legal reforms.
