TAXILA: A mother of a seven-month-old toddler was shot dead over honour by her husband and father-in-law in Pindigheb Police station limits on Saturday, police sources said.

According to the FIR lodged, the complainant, Muhammad Karim, a citizen of Afghanistan currently residing in Dargai, Malakand (KPK), informed police that he had married off his 18-year-old daughter, Azra Bibi, to Jawad Khan, a resident of Mohallah Degree College, some two years ago.

The father claimed that Jawad Khan suspected his wife’s character and had recently physically assaulted her. He added that on Saturday, Jawad, along with his father Khalid Khan, shot his daughter dead with multiple bullets; as a result, she died on the spot.

Police reached the scene upon receiving information and took the victim’s body into custody, sending it to the hospital for postmortem. Police registered a case under sections 302, 311, and 34 of the Pakistan Penal Code (PPC) and launched a hunt to arrest the fleeing suspects.

Meanwhile, two suspects wanted in multiple crimes of robbery, theft, and burglaries were netted in injured condition after “firing by their accomplices during an encounter” with a team of the Crime Control Department (CCD) Attock during early hours of Saturday, the spokesman said.

The spokesman said that the CCD team set up a checkpoint near Dheri Laggall Dam when a Suzuki van approached. The team signalled to stop, but three occupants returned firing, and which was retaliated against.

Once the firing ceased, a search operation was launched by the police. During the search, two injured individuals were found at the scene. They identified themselves as Siddiq Ullah- a resident of Bajaur Wah Cantt and Shahid Mahmood–a resident of Shakardara Attock.

According to their statements, both were injured by gunfire from their accomplice, Danish Al,i during the crossfire. Initial investigations revealed that the injured suspects are involved in multiple incidents of robbery, theft, and burglary.

The injured were given first aid and shifted to the hospital for further treatment. Police have launched a search operation to apprehend the third armed suspect who managed to escape.

Published in Dawn, July 20th, 2025