Police in Punjab’s Mianwali district have arrested an adolescent accused of shooting dead his 13-year-old cousin, allegedly because she left home without a hijab. The killing took place on October 15 near Madina Chowk in the Betian area, under the jurisdiction of Saddar police station, police said.
According to police, the suspect, who is between 16 and 17 years old, confronted the girl as she walked with family members to a grocery store. He allegedly opened fire with a .30-calibre pistol, and she died at the scene from multiple gunshot wounds. Police said early investigations linked the killing to his objection to her leaving home without observing ‘parda’.
FIR details threats and the shooting
A first information report (FIR), numbered 726/26, was registered at Saddar police station on the complaint of a family member. It cites sections 302 and 311 of the Pakistan Penal Code, which deal with murder and with punishment in certain circumstances, including honour-related killings.
According to the complainant’s account in the FIR, the armed suspect approached the family near Madina Chowk and shouted, “Today I will teach you a lesson for stepping out of the house without a hijab,” before firing. The FIR states that seven shots hit the girl’s face, jaw, shoulder, wrist, back and leg, causing heavy bleeding.
Relatives and another person tried to detain the suspect immediately after the shooting, but he fled northwards. Rescue 1122 then took the body to District Headquarters Hospital Mianwali. The complainant alleged that the suspect, who often visited the family’s home, had previously objected to the girl going outside without a hijab.
Police operation leads to suspect’s arrest
Following the incident, Mianwali’s district police officer ordered an immediate operation to find the accused. An official police statement said a team led by the Saddar sub-divisional police officer carried out the operation, while the Saddar station house officer and his team made the arrest.
Police said further legal proceedings were under way and that investigators were examining every aspect of the case.
Concern over honour-based violence in Pakistan
The case comes amid continuing concern about violence committed in the name of honour. A report by the non-governmental organisation Sahil recorded 3,172 cases of gender-based violence in Pakistan during the first six months of 2026, including 132 honour-killing incidents.
The same report highlighted Punjab’s large share of reported violence against women. Police have not disclosed any further findings about the Mianwali killing, and the alleged motive remains under investigation.
