Four members of a family, including two children aged four and two, have been murdered inside their home near Madina Colony in Skardu. Police are suspecting that the murders might be the result of a possible honour-related dispute.
The victims were Aslam, 35, his wife Hania, 30, their four-year-old son Mehdi and two-year-old daughter Dua Zehra, according to a Gilgit-Baltistan (GB) police spokesperson.
Aslam belonged to Talobarq in Skardu’s Roundu Valley while Hania was from Parachinar. The couple had married in Karachi several years ago before settling in Skardu town.
Deputy Inspector General (DIG) Baltistan Arif Mohmand said that the attackers used a sharp-edged weapon to kill the family on Thursday night. Police recovered the weapon on Friday morning.
Although the family had no known hostility with anyone, police suspect that Hania’s relatives might have been involved in the murders.
The motive and identities of those responsible has not been established. Authorities have also set up checkpoints at Skardu’s entry and exit points to apprehend the suspects.
The GB Inspector General of Police (IGP) directed the Baltistan Regional Police Officer (RPO) to conduct a thorough probe, determine why the family was targeted and identify and arrest those involved.
GB Chief Minister (CM) described the deaths as an extremely tragic and unbearable incident and expressed solidarity with the bereaved relatives.
He also sought a detailed report from the IGP and instructed police to use all available resources to arrest the perpetrators, assuring the family that necessary measures would be taken to ensure justice.
Meanwhile, relatives of the victims staged a sit-in in Skardu’s Gamaba area, blocking a road to demand the arrest of those responsible.
