Two women and a teenage girl were murdered by their relatives in the name of so-called honour in separate heart-rending incidents in the city on 24 July.
The gruesome murders once again show the danger to life women face in our society for merely making choices about their own lives.
In a tragic incident in Quaidabad, a mother-of-two whose husband works abroad, was killed at her home, with initial investigations suggesting that her brother-in-law shot her in the name of honour.
The incident took place at a house located near Gul Ahmed Chowrangi in the Landhi area within the limits of the Quaidabad police station. Following the incident, police and rescuers reached the property and transported the casualty to Jinnah Postgraduate Medical Centre, where the deceased woman was identified as 35-year-old Zeenat Bibi, wife of Nadeem.
Police termed the incident an act of honour killing. According to Quaidabad SHO Ghulam Hussain Pirzada, the preliminary investigation indicated the incident was an honour killing perpetrated by the brother-in-law, namely Jannat. The victim was shot three times, twice in the neck and once in the abdomen.
According to SHO Pirzada, Zeenat lived on the first floor of the house, while her brother-in-law resided on the ground floor. He said both the victim and her brother-in-law are originally from Mardan.
The initial investigation reveals that the victim frequently talked on the phone, which her brother-in-law disapproved of. On the day of the incident, she was speaking on the phone again, when her brother-in-law shot her before fleeing the scene.
At the crime scene, the police found three 9mm pistol shells, which were seized by the Crime Scene Unit. The suspect’s licensed weapon has also been identified. The police are conducting raids to apprehend the suspect.
A man allegedly involved in the killing of his sister in the Bahadurabad area is yet to be arrested.
The incident occurred in Sherpao Basti of Dhoraji late on Friday night. The woman’s body was taken to Jinnah Postgraduate Medical Centre, where she was identified as 42-year-old Waheeda Bibi.
According to the Karachi police spokesperson, Muneer shot his sister Waheeda during a domestic dispute and fled. The victim later succumbed to her wounds.
Police seized two empty shells of a .30bore pistol. The victim was shot once in the chest and once near her eye.
According to initial investigations, the victim had been seeking to marry for the third time after her two previous husbands died one after the other. She had come to her brother’s home in Shaerpao Basti to discuss her plans when the altercation occurred.
The police are conducting a raid to locate and arrest the suspect.
In another shocking incident, a man allegedly killed his teenage granddaughter with an axe apparently in the name of honour in the Korangi area of Karachi on Saturday. The mutilated body of the teenage girl was found in Marfani Goth in the Bagh Korangi area within the limits of the Awami Colony police station.
After getting information, police and rescuers reached the crime scene and transported the body to Jinnah Postgraduate Medical Centre, where the victim was later identified as Shehzadi, daughter of Allah Bachayo.
The police collected evidence and started questioning the victim’s maternal grandfather, namely Sharif, who confessed to the murder.
According to police, the suspect during the initial course of interrogation revealed that his granddaughter had contracted a freewill marriage about a year ago in Jamshoro; however, a few days ago, he brought her back home and killed her with an axe.
Police recovered the axe used in the incident and sent it to the forensic division. A case has been registered and further investigations are underway.
Published in News Daily on 28 July 2024.