Pakistani man kills five female relatives 'because he thought wife was having an affair'

'I am left with just my father, my whole family is gone'

A man shot his wife, four of her female relatives and four children in an alleged honour killing in central Pakistan, police said.

Muhammad Ajmal killed the nine family members because he thought his wife, Kiran, was having an affair. He then burned their bodies by setting his wife’s family home on fire.

In addition to killing his wife and their children, Mr Ajmal killed his mother-in-law, three sisters-in-law and two of their children.

Ali Razi, Kiran’s brother, told Reuters that only he and his father escaped the attack.

"I am left with just my father, my whole family is gone," he said.

Mr Ajmal suspected his wife was cheating on him while working as a tailor in Saudi Arabia, returning to Pakistan nearly a month ago with the intention of making the killings, according to police.

Imran Mehmood, a District Police Officer for the city of Multan, said Mr Ajmal had confessed to the killings.

"This is clearly an honour killing. He saw a picture of his wife with another man and believed she was having an affair," Mr Mehmood said. "He does not repent his actions."

Mr Ajmal and his father, who was with him at the time of the murder, have both been charged with murder. Police are also searching for Mr Ajmal’s brother who is believed to be involved.

Pakistan’s parliament unanimously passed legislation against honour killings in 2016, following the murder of Qandeel Baloch in 2016.

The death of the social media celebrity, who was killed by her brother in the name of “honour”, sparked international outrage.

The bill introduced life imprisonment for convicted murderers. It also closed a legal loophole that allowed killers to win freedom if the victim’s relatives forgave them.

The number of killings has fallen since the law was introduced. However around 1,000 Pakistan women continue to be killed by close relatives in honour killings each year, human rights groups say.

Additional reporting by Reuters