Man Arrested in Oghi After Killing Niece in ‘Honour’ Attack: KP Police

MANSEHRA: Police in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa’s Oghi area have arrested a man for allegedly shooting dead his 18-year-old niece and injuring two men in an incident linked to perceived family honour, authorities confirmed on Wednesday. The suspect, identified as Umarzada, originally hailing from the Kohistan region, opened fire inside his residence before attacking the alleged paramour and his cousin in the vicinity, according to law enforcement officials.

District Police Officer (DPO) Mohammad Waqas Khan stated that police intercepted and apprehended the suspect while he was attempting to flee the scene. The deceased girl’s brother, 22-year-old Naveed Ahmad, nominated his uncle in the First Information Report (FIR), explaining that he and his sister had been living at their uncle’s house since their father passed away eight years ago. Police registered two separate FIRs under sections 302 (murder) and 311 (honour killing provisions) of the Pakistan Penal Code (PPC), suspecting the crime was committed under the local patriarchal custom known as ‘chor’.

Medico-legal formalities were completed at the Tehsil Headquarters Hospital in Oghi before the teenager’s body was handed over to her relatives for burial. Meanwhile, the injured victims, identified as Ahtram Khan and his cousin, were admitted to a local medical facility for treatment. The incident highlights the persistent challenge of honour-based violence in rural areas of Pakistan, where deeply entrenched societal practices continue to defy legal statutes and civil rights protections despite strict legislative reforms enacted by parliament.

Senior police officials confirmed that further investigations are underway to collect forensic evidence, record witness statements, and present the suspect before a judicial magistrate for police remand. Authorities reaffirmed their resolve to pursue strict prosecution under anti-honour killing laws to ensure justice for the victims and deter traditional extrajudicial violence in the region.