Maps
Magazine

CRIME

Mother of 7 Shot Dead by Husband in Karachi 'Honour' Killing
A 40-year-old mother of 7 was shot dead by her husband in Lyari's Chakiwara area over 'honour'. Police arrested the suspect, who confessed to the killing. Another grim reminder of rising honour crimes in Pakistan.
ND
by News Desk
2025-08-05
Mother of 7 Shot Dead by Husband in Karachi 'Honour' Killing

A 40-year-old woman, mother of seven, was shot dead by her husband in the Chakiwara area of Lyari early Tuesday morning, police said.

According to Chakiwara SHO Sajid Dharejo, the victim, identified as Bakhtawar, was asleep in their home near Koyla Godam, Street-7, when her husband allegedly opened fire on her around 1:30 AM. She sustained three bullet wounds and died on the spot.

The police have arrested the suspect and recovered the weapon used in the crime. During initial interrogation, the husband admitted to shooting Bakhtawar and accused her of having phone conversations with another man, despite his warnings.

“The evidence and his own statement suggest that this is a case of ‘honour’ killing,” SHO Dharejo told Dawn.com. The accused is a labourer from Mansehra.

The body was taken to Dr Ruth Pfau Civil Hospital Karachi for legal formalities.

This tragic incident highlights the continued prevalence of ‘honour’ killings in Pakistan, particularly in Sindh and Punjab. According to the Human Rights Commission of Pakistan (HRCP), 346 people were murdered in such cases between January and November 2024.

Just last month, two men were killed and one injured in another ‘honour’-related shooting in Karachi’s Manghopir area.

Despite legal reforms, ‘honour’ killings remain a persistent problem, driven by deep-rooted patriarchal beliefs and societal norms that equate women’s choices with family dishonour. Civil rights groups have repeatedly called for stronger enforcement of laws and community-level interventions to combat such violence.

Bakhtawar’s murder is yet another tragic entry in Pakistan’s long and shameful list of honour crimes — where justice often arrives too late, or not at all.

 
Tagged:

KarachiCrime

HonourKilling

WomenRights

JusticeForBakhtawar
Share News: