Rawalpindi Jirga-Ordered Murder: All Suspects Arrested

Rawalpindi – In a chilling case that has shocked the nation, Rawalpindi police have arrested all nine suspects allegedly involved in the honour killing of a 19-year-old bride on the orders of a local jirga (tribal council). The murder took place earlier this week in the Pirwadhai area of Rawalpindi.

The victim, Sidra Arab Gul, a newlywed, was reportedly strangled by her husband, Zia-ur-Rehman, after a jirga issued a so-called “verdict” against her. The incident has sparked outrage and renewed calls to dismantle parallel justice systems that operate outside the law.

A special investigation team, formed immediately after the incident, has recovered key evidence, including mobile phone data, implicating those involved in convening and executing the jirga’s illegal decision. According to police, both the husband and father-in-law of the victim have confessed during interrogation and made critical disclosures about the proceedings.

Authorities have added murder charges to the case and confirmed that both the police and state are acting as complainants to ensure a strong prosecution. Legal consultations are underway to include anti-terrorism clauses, with police arguing that ordering a murder through a jirga amounts to terrorism under Pakistani law.

A senior police official stated:

“This is not just a murder—it is a direct attack on the rule of law. The use of jirgas to justify such heinous acts must be condemned and prosecuted with the full force of the law.”

Under court orders, Sidra’s body will be exhumed tomorrow for forensic examination. Police security has been deployed at the cemetery to prevent any disturbance during the process. The suspects are expected to be presented in court again for extended physical remand, as investigators gather more evidence.