Investigators named several relatives in the case after the woman was shot and killed inside the Wah Cantt 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 through phone and video calls from Qatar.
Samira Aziz, who had been living in Qatar with her husband, was brought to Pakistan a week earlier by two uncles under what her sister later claimed was a pretext. On the evening of the incident, relatives arrived at the family’s home in Lalazar area of Wah Cantt and, following instructions delivered via video call from Qatar, allegedly shot her 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 her aunt was instructed over phone to open the door. The FIR states that Aziz’s husband, Suleman, then made a video call and asked the aunt to remove Aziz’s sister from the room and “let them finish Samira”.
The two men allegedly drew pistols and opened fire, hitting Aziz in different parts of her body. She died on the spot.
The motive, as cited in the police report, stemmed from suspicions by Aziz’s husband, who had 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, gave a detailed statement to the police. She said that earlier in the evening, several male relatives, including her father, Aziz Muhammad, and the two uncles who had accompanied Aziz from Qatar, met at the house before leaving. The women were alone when the assailants arrived.
Rawalpindi City police officer Khalid Hamdani has taken notice of the case and police have registered charges of murder, honor killing and incitement. The case is brought on behalf of the state.
Aziz’s uncle, Imtiaz, and her husband, Suleman, remain in Qatar. Police are conducting raids to arrest Waleed, Asrar and Sabir, who were allegedly standing guard at the door during the incident. Authorities said arrests are expected soon.
The case has drawn parallels with recent incidents of honor killings in the region, including the Perodhay jirga murder case, and indicates that such crimes continue to occur in Pakistan despite existing legal prohibitions.
