ISLAMABAD: The Supreme Court on Wednesday issued notices to the accused in an honour killing case involving a young woman from Rawalpindi, who was murdered after a jirga rejected her choice of marriage.

A three-judge Supreme Court bench headed by Chief Justice of Pakistan Yahya Afridi, and comprising Justice Muhammad Shafi Siddiqui and Justice Miangul Hassan Aurangzeb, issued notices on an appeal filed by the Punjab Prosecution Department against the Lahore High Court (LHC) Rawalpindi Bench’s order granting bail to members of a jirga, including Zafarullah and Rafaqat Mehmood, on February 9, 2026.

Zafarullah, the brother of the deceased woman Sidra, had sought post-arrest bail from the high court, which was granted on the grounds that other co-accused — Muhammad Saif-ur-Rehman Khan and Rashid Mehmood — had also been granted bail by the high court on October 30, 2025.

An additional sessions judge in Rawalpindi had earlier granted bail to another accused, Sikandar, on December 10, 2025. The offence was committed in July 2025 in Fouji Colony, Pirwadhai, Rawalpindi.

On Wednesday, Additional Prosecutor Punjab Ahmad Raza Gillani told the apex court that the girl was summoned from Kashmir, where she had married Usman, and was later killed on a jirga’s decision in front of her family.

After the murder, last rites were performed by female family members, and the body was later taken to the local graveyard in a loader rickshaw. After the burial, grave markers were also removed, the court was told.

The controversy stemmed from an FIR lodged on the application of Zia-ur Rehman, stating that his wife had eloped with Usman and that he later learned from locals that she had contracted nikah with him.

The appeal contended that when the investigation team visited the scene of the incident in Pirwadhai, Rawalpindi, it was found that Sidra had been murdered on the jirga’s decision.

Moreover, the accused filed a post-arrest bail application before the Additional Sessions Judge, Rawalpindi, which was dismissed on December 19, 2025. Aggrieved by the order, the accused approached the high court, which granted bail.

The Punjab Prosecution Department later moved the Supreme Court seeking cancellation of the bail, arguing that the accused was fully involved in the offence and not merely playing a peripheral role.

Moreover, their presence at the site of the incident was also proven by the statements of witnesses, the appeal contended, adding that the high court, while granting post-arrest bail, went beyond its power.

The appeal argued that the high court had also failed to appreciate a prima facie good arguable case in favour of the complainant, i.e., the State.

The appeal stated that the accused was a “desperate” criminal and there was a strong apprehension that he might commit similar offences if released, or overawe the prosecution witnesses, being an influential offender.

The Punjab Prosecution Department contended that the high court, while granting bail to the accused persons, had failed to consider public sentiment regarding the offence.

The appeal stated that the offence was a pre-planned occurrence and that the accused persons shared a common intention along with their co-accused.

While issuing notices to the accused, the SC adjourned further proceedings until the first week of June.

In Pakistan, ‘honour’ killings continued to claim the lives of women throughout 2024, perpetuated by deeply ingrained societal beliefs about family dignity and shame.

Data from the Human Rights Commission of Pakistan (HRCP) shows that in 2024, ‘honour’ killings continued to be a serious issue across Pakistan, with particularly high figures in Sindh and Punjab. From January to November, a total of 346 people fell victim to ‘honour’ crimes in the country.