June 18, 2025
By Kaleemullah
LAHORE
Two months after they contracted a court marriage, Pir Muhammad, 25, and Nafeesa Bibi, 20, must have believed they would live ‘happily ever after’, but their dreams were cut short.
A report lodged with the Kahna police, by Pir Muhammad’s brother, Malik Muhammad, says that the couple had recently moved into a rented house near Al-Noor Park in Kahna after getting married. Things were going smoothly when on June 17, Nafeesa’s father, with his brothers, reportedly broke into the house and opened fire on the husband and wife. The couple sustained critical injuries, later succumbing to them.
Speaking to Voicepk, the Station House Officer (SHO) of Kahna Police Station said that raids were being conducted to apprehend the suspects, but they remain at large. He further stated that Pir Muhammad had previously been married but had divorced his first wife before marrying Nafeesa.
Preliminary police investigations suggest the murders may have been in the name of honour, the SHO added.
DIG Operations Faisal Kamran took notice of the incident and ordered the immediate arrest of the suspects. According to the police, An FIR has been registered, and evidence has been collected from the crime scene, while a special team has been formed under the supervision of SP Model Town to apprehend the culprits. He further stated that those involved in this heinous act of ‘honour killing’ would be arrested soon and brought to justice without delay. However, the culprits have still not been arrested.
Tip of the ice-berg
Pir Muhammad, 25, and Nafeesa Bibi, 20, deaths are not isolated incidents but part of a broader epidemic of ‘honour’-based violence that continues to plague Pakistan. Last month, the family of a newly married woman has gone into hiding after she and her husband were found dead in a suspected honour killing near Sarai Alamgir tehsil, Jhelum.
The couple—22-year-old Hassan Saleem and 19-year-old Aisha Razzaq—had traveled from their hometown of Jhelum to Lahore and married on May 20 amid opposition from both families. Following their marriage, the couple had been residing in Bahria Town, Lahore.
On the same day, Aisha’s father, Abdul Razzaq, filed a case against Hassan at Domeli Police Station in Jhelum, accusing him of forcibly abducting his daughter. Three days later, Hassan’s maternal uncle, Muhammad Akram, reported to the Sunder Police Station in Lahore that his nephew, who had been staying in Bahria Town since May 20, had gone missing. Akram suspected Hassan had been kidnapped.
The next day, the bodies of Hassan and Aisha were discovered in Sarai Alamgir with gunshot wounds to their heads, according to police sources. Their remains were moved to Jinnah Hospital, Lahore, for autopsy.
Such killings are generally carried out by the victims’ own family members. According to the Human Rights Watch, the most common reason for honor-related crimes is the violation of social norms and what is thought to be accepted social behavior. A woman’s choice of clothing, employment, or education; refusal to accept an arranged marriage; getting married without family’s consent; seeking a divorce; being raped or sexually assaulted; having intimate or sexual relations before or outside marriage, even if only alleged — these are seen to be valid reasons for an honor killing.
Data from the Human Rights Commission of Pakistan (HRCP) shows that in 2024, ‘honour’ killings continued to be a serious issue across Pakistan, with particularly high figures in Sindh and Punjab. From January to November, a total of 346 people fell victim to ‘honour’ crimes in the country.
The previous two years also saw a consistent rise in murders related to the ‘honour’. In 2023, the country saw a total of 490 ‘honour’ killing incidents taking place, while in 2022, as many as 590 people lost their lives to ‘honour’ killings.