Investigators named several relatives in the case after the woman was shot inside Wah Cantt’s home.
A married woman was shot dead at her father’s home in Rawalpindi on Friday in what police described as an honor killing allegedly orchestrated by her husband and uncle via phone and video calls from Qatar.
Samira Aziz, who was residing in Qatar with her husband, was brought to Pakistan a week earlier by two uncles under what her sister claimed was a pretext. On the night of the incident, relatives arrived at the family’s home in the Lalazar area of Wah Cantt and, acting on instructions via video call from Qatar, allegedly shot him several times.
According to the first information report filed by sub-inspector Asif Iqbal Khan, the attackers, identified as Waleed and Asrar, who are close relatives of Aziz’s father, entered the house after his aunt was ordered over the phone to open the door. The FIR states that Aziz’s husband Suleman then made a video call and ordered the aunt to take Aziz’s sister out of the room and “let them finish off Samira”.
The two men allegedly drew pistols and opened fire, hitting Aziz in different parts of the body. She died on the spot.
The motive, as cited in the police report, stemmed from the suspicions of Aziz’s husband, who allegedly found her talking on the phone with another man while she was in Qatar.
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Aziz’s sister Sana Khan, who was present during the attack, provided a detailed statement to the police. She said that earlier in the evening, several men from the family, including her father, Aziz Muhammad, and the two uncles who had accompanied Aziz from Qatar, had met at the house before leaving. The women were alone when the attackers arrived.
Rawalpindi City Police Officer Khalid Hamdani took notice of the matter and police registered charges of murder, honor killing and abetment. The case was filed on behalf of the state.
Aziz’s uncle, Imtiaz, and her husband, Suleman, remain in Qatar. Police conduct raids to arrest Waleed, Asrar and Sabir, who were standing guard at the gate during the incident. Authorities said arrests were expected soon.
This case draws parallels with recent honor killings in the region, including the Perodhay jirga murder, and indicates that such crimes continue to occur in Pakistan despite existing legal prohibitions.
