Woman, minor daughter murdered in Mansehra over free-will marriage in 2021

In a tragic case of honour killing, a woman and her three-year-old daughter were brutally murdered inside their home in Mansehra district on Tuesday. The woman reportedly married against her family's wishes in 2021, according to the police.

The incident was reported from the Phulra area of the district, where the victims apparently were targeted in family enmity following a freewill court marriage.

According to District Police Officer (DPO) Shafiullah Gandapur, the woman had married a man named Roshan from the Bagal tribe three years ago.

The union, reportedly without the consent of her family, led to ongoing tensions between the two families. Initial investigations suggest these tensions culminated in Tuesday’s attack on the woman and her minor daughter.

DPO Gandapur confirmed that both the woman and her daughter were killed at home, and their bodies were shifted to a local hospital for autopsy. 

Read: Ten years after love marriage, couple, their children murdered in Kotri over 'honour'

He added that police teams were deployed in the area to track down the suspects.

A First Information Report (FIR) was registered on the complaint of the victim's mother.

Deputy Inspector General (DIG) Nasir Mahmood Sati described the killings as a “heartbreaking incident” stemming from a longstanding tribal enmity.

In a statement from the Regional Police Officer's (RPO) office, DIG Sati directed DPO Gandapur to ensure the immediate arrest of those responsible.

Read: Rawalpindi man kills future daughter-in-law over suspicion of elopement

In response, special police teams, led by senior officers including SSP Oghi Nazir Khan, DSPs, and SHOs, are conducting extensive intelligence-based operations across the region. Police said they are leaving no stone unturned to apprehend the perpetrators.

Despite repeated condemnations and legal reforms, the practice remains rampant in parts of Pakistan.

According to the Human Rights Commission of Pakistan (HRCP), at least 346 people were killed in the name of ‘honour’ from January to November 2024 alone. The year 2023 recorded 490 such killings, while 590 lives were lost in 2022.

The United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) estimates that up to 5,000 women worldwide are killed each year in the name of 'honour'.