Honor killings in Pakistan: Father lures daughter and son-in-law back after love marriage and kills three people in Gujranwala

Faiza and Abdul Waheed
Ages: -
Shot dead: 11 June 2026
Place of residence: Mandiyala Waraich, Punjab
Origin: Pakistan
Children: -
Perpetrator: father Tariq Waraich

Faiza, a young woman from the village of Mandiyala Waraich near Gujranwala in the Pakistani province of Punjab, began a relationship with Abdul Waheed in early 2026. Abdul Waheed worked as a suspended ceiling installer and had met Faiza while carrying out work at her family’s home. According to family members, the two wanted to marry, but her family did not give permission.

Despite the opposition, Faiza and Abdul Waheed decided to marry independently through a court marriage. After their marriage, the couple stayed at different locations for some time. Eventually, they moved in with relatives of Abdul Waheed in Kalanka Mandi in the Hafizabad district.

According to statements from family members, Faiza’s parents appeared at the residence where the couple was staying about three months after the marriage. They allegedly stated that they had now accepted the marriage and wanted to arrange a reconciliation between both families. Faiza and Abdul Waheed then went with them to Mandiyala Waraich.

Shortly afterward, Abdul Waheed’s family lost contact with the couple. Phone calls went unanswered and their mobile phones were switched off. When relatives went to Faiza’s parents’ house to ask where the couple was, they found the bodies of Faiza and Abdul Waheed. The body of a worker, identified as Zulfiqar alias Bholu, was also discovered. According to police, the man was likely killed because he had witnessed the events.

Abdul Waheed’s brother subsequently filed a police report. In the complaint, Faiza’s father Tariq Waraich and her mother Nusrat Sultana were named as suspects. The case was registered under provisions of the Pakistani Penal Code relating to murder, honor-based violence, and joint criminal enterprise.

The police investigation found that the conflict was linked to Faiza and Abdul Waheed’s marriage, which had been contracted against her family’s wishes. Investigators suspect that the alleged reconciliation was used to lure the couple back to the village.

On 14 June 2026, police announced that Tariq Waraich had been arrested. He was taken into custody for further questioning. The investigation into the case and the possible involvement of other individuals is ongoing.

What is an honour killing?

An honour killing is a murder in the name of honour. If a brother murders his sister to restore family honour, it is an honour killing. According to activists, the most common reasons for honour killings are as the victim:

refuses to cooperate in an arranged marriage.
wants to end the relationship.
was the victim of rape or sexual assault.
was accused of having a sexual relationship outside of marriage.

Human rights activists believe that 100,000 honour killings are carried out every year, most of which are not reported to the authorities and some are even deliberately covered up by the authorities themselves, for example because the perpetrators are good friends with local policemen, officials or politicians. Violence against girls and women remains a serious problem in Pakistan, India, Afghanistan, Iraq, Syria, Iran, Serbia and Turkey.