QUETTA: A local court has sentenced the father and uncle of 14-year-old Pakistani-American girl Hira Anwar to life imprisonment for her murder in a case that drew both national and international attention.
Additional District and Sessions Judge Shahid Javed announced the verdict convicting the girl’s father Anwar-ul-Haq Rajput and her uncle Tayyab Bhatti. Both were also fined Rs200,000 each. In case of non-payment, they will serve an additional six months in prison.
According to the prosecution, the two men shot dead Hira on January 27, 2025 in Quetta’s Balochi Street area. The case was investigated by the Serious Crime Investigation Wing (SCIW), led by Assistant Sub-Inspector Bismillah Khan, while Assistant District Public Prosecutor Qaisar Khan represented the state.
Initially, Hira’s father had filed a case against unidentified attackers at the Gawalmandi Police Station, claiming his daughter was shot by unidentified gunmen. However, police investigations, witness statements and forensic evidence later raised suspicion against family members.
Authorities said the father had serious objections to Hira’s social media activity and lifestyle. Investigators revealed that Anwar-ul-Haq, who had lived in the United States for nearly 30 years as a taxi driver, brought Hira from the US to Lahore and later to Quetta, where the murder was allegedly pre-planned.
The case attracted international attention, with officials from the United States Embassy in Pakistan visiting Quetta during the investigation. After sentencing, both convicts were sent back to jail.
