Honour killing in Dera Ismail Khan, Pakistan: Two brothers murdered their sister

Shaheen Bibi
Age: -
Shot death: February 20, 2024
Residence: Dera Ismail Khan, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa
Origin: Pakistan
Children: None
Perpetrators: Brothers Shakeel and Aqeel

On February 18, Javed Baloch separated from his wife, Shaheen Bibi, due to a domestic dispute. Shaheen sought refuge with her father, Sharif Kumhar, in Dera Ismail Khan, a city in southwestern Pakistan, near Peshawar.

Shakeel and Aqeel, allegedly motivated by concerns of family "honour," are suspected of plotting to kill their sister. On the night of Tuesday, February 20, Shaheen was shot dead in her father's room by her brothers. In an attempt to cover up the crime, the brothers and their father buried the body that same night, trying to pass it off as a natural death.

The family's efforts to conceal the murder as a natural death were unsuccessful. Rumors in the neighborhood about Shaheen being shot prompted a police investigation, revealing the plot behind her murder.

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.