A New York man named Anwar-ul-Haq was arrested and later admitted to killing his American-born 14-year-old daughter, Hira Anwar, on Tuesday, January 28. According to CNN, the alleged murder took place in the city of Quetta, Pakistan. Reportedly, it was an "honor killing" that took place after continuous disapproval from Haq over Anwar's social interactions, specifically TikTok.
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While the family had lived for decades in New York, according to a local police official named Babar Baloch, they had recently moved to Pakistan. Reportedly, Anwar continued to post TikToks and interact on social media in Pakistan.
The shooting took place in the city of Quetta on Tuesday, January 28. It happened on the streets. Subsequently, Haq was arrested and later admitted to committing the murder. Previously, he told authorities that unidentified men shot his daughter dead.
"Our investigation so far has found that the family had an objection to her dressing, lifestyle, and social gathering," police investigator Zohaib Mohsin said. "We have her phone. It is locked. We are probing all aspects, including honor killing."
Honor Killing
According to The New York Times, the family moving to Pakistan was a way to lure Hira Anwar. It is said to be a common practice that often leads to freedom restrictions and even forced marriages. In this case, however, Haq's alleged murder displays an even more problematic issue that, unfortunately, continues to happen.
"Honor killing," up to 2016, could end up with the perpetrator not being sanctioned. As long as the family of the victim allowed it, a person who "honor killed" another would end up spending zero time in jail. However, since 2016, according to the BBC, the Pakistani government made changes to Pakistan's law. This meant that if a man was found guilty of an "honor killing," he could face life in prison.
In that sense, Anwar-ul-Haq, a U.S. citizen, has been charged with murder and has already admitted to the killing, meaning that he could face life imprisonment. His brother-in-law, yet unidentified, was also arrested in connection with Anwar's murder.
Conflicting information exists between outlets. While most of them report that the killing took place on Tuesday, The New York Times reports that it happened on Monday. Furthermore, CNN says Anwar was 15, while The Times states she was 14. However, the BBC estimates her age as between 13 and 14 years old.
