MIANWALI – A 13-year-old girl was allegedly shot dead by her cousin in Mianwali, Punjab, after she left home without wearing a hijab, according to a police complaint filed by her father.
The incident reportedly took place on Thursday. According to the first information report (FIR), the girl’s father said he was accompanying his daughter to buy household groceries when the suspect, identified as Javad, stopped them on the way.
The father alleged that the suspect threatened the girl for leaving home without wearing a hijab before opening fire on her with a pistol. He reportedly fired seven shots, killing the teenager at the scene.
According to the FIR, the suspect had previously objected to the girl going outside without a hijab and had repeatedly warned her against doing so.
Police said the suspect fled after the shooting and that efforts were underway to arrest him. A case has been registered on the complaint of the victim’s father under legal provisions relating to so-called honour killing.
Authorities have not yet announced an arrest in the case.
Man Kills Cousin in Karachi
Police have arrested a man identified as Faisal, a cousin of 23-year-old Zain-ul-Abideen, in connection with the young man’s alleged kidnapping and murder in Karachi, reportedly over a ransom demand of Rs700,000.
According to media reports, Zain-ul-Abideen was abducted two days before his body was recovered. The kidnappers allegedly demanded Rs700,000 for his release and sent one of his severed hands to his family in an apparent attempt to pressure them into paying the ransom.
The victim’s father told authorities that unidentified individuals delivered a shopping bag to their home containing his son’s severed hand, national identity card, SIM card and a keypad mobile phone.
He said the kidnappers later called the family using the number associated with the phone and asked to speak to an educated person. The father then connected them with his nephew, Faisal, who reportedly negotiated with the kidnappers. The ransom was eventually reduced to Rs500,000, according to the father’s account.
Faisal allegedly went to deliver the ransom money, a detail that later became relevant to the police investigation.
Malir Senior Superintendent of Police Khaliq Pirzada said investigators questioned Faisal after he came under suspicion. During questioning, the suspect allegedly confessed to the crime, according to police.
Police subsequently recovered Zain-ul-Abideen’s body from an area near the Pakistan Steel Mills, following information provided by the suspect.
According to preliminary police findings, Faisal told investigators that tensions had developed between him and Zain-ul-Abideen because the victim allegedly possessed compromising videos of him.
