A man on Friday allegedly killed his 18-year-old niece in Rawalpindi’s Fauji Colony after her father turned down a proposal to marry her to the suspect's son, police sources said.

Niaz shot his niece, Mahrukh, in the head with a pistol in the presence of her father, Khalid Khan, police said.

Niaz had asked his brother, Khan, for Mahrukh's betrothal to his son, police added.

However, when the proposal was declined, Niaz killed his niece for her father's refusal.

Police said Niaz's son was battling polio.

The suspect, who lives with his three brothers in the same house, fled after committing the murder, police said.

"I refused the marriage proposal and that is why my brother [Niaz] shot her," Khalid Khan told DawnNews.

Confirming that Niaz had fled after committing the crime, Khan added that his brother used to manage a car-loading workshop.

Police transferred Mahrukh's body to the hospital for a post-mortem examination, after which her body was returned to her relatives.

A case was filed against the suspect and a search operation was started to find Niaz.