Two suspects arrested in Charsadda honour killing case

The killings came on the same day police reported another suspected honour crime in Lower Dir, where a 19-year-old woman was allegedly shot dead by her uncle and cousin after being seen talking to a neighbour.

Police in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa’s Charsadda district have arrested two suspects accused of shooting dead two women and a man in what investigators believe was an honour killing. The incident occurred on Wednesday in the Matta Mughal Khel area, where members of the victims’ family allegedly opened fire, killing all three on the spot.

Superintendent of Police Safiullah Khan said the victims were targeted over suspicions of an illicit relationship. District Police Officer Waqas Khan confirmed the arrests and said an FIR was being registered under Sections 302 (premeditated murder) and 311 of the Pakistan Penal Code. The bodies were taken to Shabqadar Hospital for post-mortem examination.

The killings came on the same day police reported another suspected honour crime in Lower Dir, where a 19-year-old woman was allegedly shot dead by her uncle and cousin after being seen talking to a neighbour.

Honour killings remain a persistent human rights issue in Pakistan despite legal reforms. The Human Rights Commission of Pakistan recorded at least 405 cases in 2024, rising to 470 in 2025, with most victims being women. According to K-P Police data, 160 honour killing cases were reported in the province last year, compared with 159 in 2024. Around 70 percent of victims were women.

Authorities said 374 suspects were nominated in honour killing cases in 2025, with 258 arrests made. However, police noted that many suspects were later released after settlements between families.

The Charsadda case underscores the continuing prevalence of honour-related violence in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, where districts including Peshawar, Swat, Upper Dir, and Charsadda have reported repeated incidents despite growing public awareness and condemnation.