Daily Times

A man killed his wife and eight other members of the family in the early hours of Monday in the Hasanabad Gate No. 1 area by locking them up in a room and setting it on fire, authorities said, allegedly over honour and having suspicions about his wife character.

The incident occurred at 1am Monday when the man – identified as Ajmal – entered his in-laws’ residence along with his father Zafar and brother Ashmal, and opened fire, police said.

Multan City Police Officer (CPO) Imran Mahmood said Ajmal, the primary suspect, used to work in Saudi Arabia and had returned to Pakistan a couple of days ago. Both Ajmal and his father Zafar were arrested and weapons recovered, Mahmood added.

However, the CPO said the third accomplice, Ajmal’s brother Ashmal, was absconding and raids were being carried to search for him.

Eight people, including two children, had died on the spot and three critically wounded when Ajmal opened fire but a 14-year-old child succumbed to his injuries later in the day, bringing the total number of fatalities to nine, according to Nishtar Hospital.

Among the nine deceased were Ajmal’s wife Kiran, daughter Maira, mother-in-law Tasleem, sisters-in-law Saima, Asma, and Roma, son Adil, niece Naima, and 14-year-old nephew Sayem.

Upon receiving a call about the incident, police and rescue teams arrived on site and doused the fire, before transferring the bodies and the wounded people to Nishtar Hospital.

Four relatives, including children, tried to save those who were set on fire by Ajmal but he shot and wounded them. Among the injured was Ajmal’s 24-year-old brother-in-law Ali Raza, who was under treatment.

Eyewitnesses narrated that Ajmal doused the house in petrol after the firing spree and set it on fire.

Ajmal allegedly had suspicions over his wife’s character, which is what led him to attack his in-laws’ residence along with his two accomplices. His wife was his paternal uncle’s daughter with whom he had three daughters and a son in total.

A First Information Report (FIR) was registered in the New Multan Police Station on behalf of the wounded brother, Ali Raza, and contains clauses of murder and terrorism. An investigation was subsequently commenced.

Raza, the 24-year-old wounded brother of Ajmal’s wife, Kiran, spoke to media earlier on Monday and demanded Ajmal be immediately hanged to death in public.