Khalida Chandio
Age: 20
Murdered: 10 April 2026 (around 03:30)
Residence: Burdo Chandio (also reported as Batto / Butto / Bhutto Chandio) village, near Tando Masti, Khairpur District, Sindh
Origin: Pakistan
Children: none reported
Perpetrators: grandfather, maternal uncle (Qaisar Chandio) and other relatives
A young woman from the Khairpur district in Pakistan’s Sindh province was shot dead after an illegal tribal council, known as a jirga, declared her guilty of bringing “dishonour” upon her family. The victim, identified as Khalida Chandio (also known as Rubina), was accused of having an illicit relationship, an allegation that under the local karo-kari custom is frequently used to justify so-called honour killings.
Khalida had been married for several years to a cousin. Her husband, a factory worker in Karachi, went missing several months earlier. She returned to her parents’ home in the village. According to investigators, she later left home with a man from her community. Relatives located the pair and returned her to the family. Instead of being protected, she was brought before a gathering of male relatives and villagers. Members of an illegal jirga declared her a kari, a Sindhi label used to accuse a woman of violating family honour. Such tribal rulings have no legal status under Pakistani law but continue to influence communities in parts of Sindh and Balochistan.
Witnesses and police accounts state that Khalida was taken to an open area where she was restrained while relatives, including her maternal uncle and grandfather, shot her at close range. The killing took place in front of dozens of people. Rather than intervening, many bystanders watched as the execution unfolded. A video of the murder later circulated on social media, prompting nationwide outrage and forcing authorities to launch a full investigation.
Police subsequently arrested multiple suspects, including close relatives of the victim and individuals alleged to have participated in or organised the jirga. Investigators stated that additional suspects were being sought and that those responsible would face prosecution under Pakistan’s criminal law. The emergence of the video played a crucial role in bringing the case to public attention, as many honour killings in rural areas remain unreported or are concealed by families.
The murder sparked protests across Sindh, where women’s rights organisations, lawyers and civil society groups demanded justice for Khalida and stronger enforcement against illegal jirgas and honour-based violence. Demonstrators argued that despite legislative reforms in recent years, women continue to be killed after accusations of damaging family honour, while perpetrators often rely on tribal customs, intimidation and social pressure to escape accountability.
Human rights organisations have repeatedly warned that so-called honour killings in Pakistan are rarely motivated by honour itself. Instead, they are frequently linked to patriarchal control, forced marriages, disputes over property, or attempts to punish women who exercise personal choice. Activists say Khalida Chandio’s killing illustrates how illegal tribal justice systems continue to endanger women despite existing legal protections.
