True Crime

By Mishal Zia  March 7th, 2026     In many parts of Pakistan, a troubling pattern persists. Whenever the Taliban are  criticized , a segment of the public quickly rises to defend them. The reasoning is often strikingly simple: the Taliban claim to follow Islam; therefore, they must be righteous.   But this raises an uncomfortable question. Can violence, repression and fear truly represent a religion that speaks of justice,  mercy  and compassion?     In deeply religious societies, faith is closely intertwined with identity. In Pakistan, where religion shapes both personal and political narratives, groups that frame themselves as defenders of Islam often receive instinctive sympathy. For some, the Taliban are not merely a political or militant force; they are seen as religious reformers  attempting  to establish what supporters perceive as an “Islamic system ”.     This  perception  persists despite decades of doc...

By Mishal Zia  January 15, 2026 In the early hours of 12 February 2024, Chaudhary Muhammad Adnan, a seasoned politician and former member of the Punjab Assembly, was fatally shot in broad daylight in Rawalpindi’s Civil Lines neighbourhood. The assassination of the 47‑year‑old, who had served as parliamentary secretary for social welfare and later revenue, sent shockwaves through Pakistan’s political establishment and underscored the fragile security climate for elected figures. Adnan’s death was more than a tragic killing; it was a moment that exposed deep rifts between political rivalries, allegations of vendetta and accusations that quickly enveloped the subsequent investigation. At a traffic signal near the city’s police lines, unidentified assailants riding a motorcycle opened fire, killing Adnan and leaving questions about motive and culpability lingering ever since.  Within days of the murder, Rawalpindi police registered a case of premeditated murder at the Civil Lines ...

By Mishal Zia | December 30, 2025 | Kabul, Afghanistan When the Taliban returned to power in Afghanistan in August 2021, women across the country lost not only their freedoms but also their safety. Resistance came at an unbearable cost for many, as the story of sisters Tamana Piryani and Zarmina Piryani illustrates both the courage of Afghan women and the brutality of the regime that now governs them. Born and raised in Afghanistan, the sisters became involved in peaceful protests against Taliban rule. Their resistance was symbolic and non-violent: they spoke out online, shared messages on social media, and burned a burqa to protest the severe restrictions imposed on women's lives. The act was meant to highlight how women were being erased from public spaces under the Taliban's interpretation of religion. A video of the protest spread rapidly on social media. Soon after, Taliban supporters and armed militants publicly declared that the sisters should be beheaded. According to Z...

By Mishal Zia | June 8, 2025 | Islamabad, Pakistan There is an old saying that if a lion pretends to be a rabbit, that does not mean he will not kill. This seems particularly true in the story of Lal Masjid in 2007, when then-President Pervez Musharraf ordered a military operation to demolish the mosque. The official explanation claimed that the mosque was harboring terrorist groups linked to Afghanistan. Yet, the operation left scores of adults and children dead, and the true story behind this ruthless act remains far different from what was publicly presented. Years of research and firsthand accounts reveal a dark, hidden narrative. According to a senior colleague who witnessed the events, a minor girl from FATA, returning to her school dorm, found the dorm closed and had nowhere to stay. She called a trusted contact, Aunty Shamin, who allowed her in. What followed is chilling: the girl was later trafficked to a politician in Pakistan. When the school and the girl’s parents tried to ...

By Mishal Zia | April 15, 2024 | Islamabad, Pakistan According to the BBC, Pakistan is considered one of the most dangerous countries in the world for media representatives. Journalists who investigate corruption, expose abuse, or report on sensitive issues face constant threats, harassment, and even physical harm. The Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR), the media wing of Pakistan’s military, has been accused of monitoring journalists and using gathered information to justify arrests. This surveillance contributes to a climate of fear, making it difficult for reporters to carry out their work freely and safely. In 2023, Pakistan was ranked eleventh on the Committee to Protect Journalists’ (CPJ) Global Impunity Index, which measures how frequently journalists are killed without those responsible facing justice. While some provinces have laws protecting media personnel, these measures remain insufficient. At the federal level, a law was passed in 2021 to provide some safeguards, but ...

By Mishal Zia | September 18, 2024 | Shahdra, Pakistan A shocking act of violence has once again exposed the deep-rooted dangers women face in Pakistan simply for exercising their rights. On September, 2024, Constable Soman, a lady police officer stationed in Shahdra, was brutally shot in the head three times by a fellow officer, Muhammad Farooq, after she refused his marriage proposal. The attacker fled the scene immediately, leaving the victim lifeless. Police later arrived, recovered her body, and transferred it to the hospital for autopsy. The accused has now been arrested. This tragic case is not isolated. It echoes a horrifying incident in 2016 when 19-year-old Maria Sadqat was burned alive in her own home after rejecting a marriage proposal. Maria, who was teaching at a local school, had refused to marry the son of the school owner, citing that he was already married and twice her age. The assailants beat her, doused her with petrol, and set her on fire, ultimately causing her d...

By Mishal Zia | January 20, 2024 | Peshawar, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan Twenty-one-year-old Abid Khan was shot dead on his wedding day in Peshawar, turning what should have been a celebration of love into a scene of tragedy. Abid was about to marry the love of his life when the unthinkable happened. His father, Riaz Khan, recounted the horror: "They killed Abid on the spot. He was my only son, the only breadwinner for our family. I am too old to work now." Family members have been waiting for justice ever since. "They killed Abid in January this year. We are still waiting for justice," said one relative. The incident also highlights cultural customs in Peshawar. During the wedding, the family barred the use of cameras and restricted photographing women, following local traditions in which women do not show their faces to anyone outside the family. The accused, Shahzad, Shabbir, and Shah Fahad, reportedly fled when the police raided their homes. The case brings att...