Honour killing: man kills wife, another man in Gilgit-Baltistan

GILGIT: In another suspected incident of honour killing, a man reportedly shot dead his wife and Awami Action Committee (AAC) leader Iqbal Javed, aka Javed Numbardar, in the Tangir area of Gilgit-Baltistan on Thursday, allegedly over an illicit relationship, police said.

This is the second honor killing incident in the area within 10 days. On July 21, a man allegedly shot dead his wife — a mother of four — and another man in the Farodi area of Tangir over suspicions of an illicit relationship between the two victims.

According to an initial report shared with HUM News English by Tangir Additional District Police Officer (ADPO) Wazir Liaqat, the incident occurred in the evening when Javed Numbardar, a resident of Darkali Payeen, was bathing by the river.

He was shot dead by Afsar Khan, son of Hakim Dad, who allegedly committed the act in the name of ‘honour’ due to suspected illicit relations with his wife.

After killing him, the assailant returned home and fired at his wife, resulting in her death.

A woman standing nearby was also injured by the gunfire, who was promptly transported to the Tehsil Headquarters (THQ) Hospital for medical treatment.

Sources said that Javed Numbardar had come to the river Tanger in Darkali with his mother and wife to wash clothes when he was shot and killed in their presence.

Numbardar was an active leader of the AAC, an alliance of political, religious, and nationalist parties.

He resided in Gilgit, but when the Gilgit-Baltistan (G-B) government launched a crackdown on AAC leaders ahead of a planned jirga for the rights of the region, he returned to his native hometown to avoid arrest.

He was also listed under Schedule-IV of the Anti-Terrorism Act (1997).

Earlier, in January, a private bank froze the bank account of his wife, a schoolteacher, under Anti-Money Laundering, Combating the Financing of Terrorism, and Countering Proliferation Financing (AML/CFT/CPF) regulations, due to his inclusion on the watchlist.

ADPO Liaqat stated that a team under the supervision of a Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP) has been dispatched to the location. The team has transported the injured to the hospital and is completing medico-legal formalities. “InshaAllah, the strictest possible action will be taken,” he added.

A first information report (FIR) was registered, but no arrests have been made yet. When asked about the arrests, the ADPO explained that due to the difficult terrain and the long distance to the nearest police station, suspects easily escape into the jungle after committing the crime before law enforcement arrives.

“We have conducted raids at various locations but without success. Efforts are ongoing, and he will be arrested soon,” he added.