Pakistani Court Sentences Two for Teenager’s Murder

A Pakistani court sentenced a U.S. citizen and his Pakistani brother-in-law to life imprisonment for the murder of the U.S. citizen’s daughter, Hira Anwar. The court ruled that the killing was premeditated. The father, Anwar-ul-Haq, believed his daughter’s lifestyle brought shame upon his family.

Hira Anwar was a 14-year-old eighth-grade student from Yonkers, New York. She was actively sharing videos on TikTok. In January 2025, Hira was lured to Pakistan and shot outside her family’s home in Quetta, Balochistan Province’s capital.

Initially, Hira’s father, a naturalized U.S. citizen and experienced Uber driver in New York City, reported to Quetta police that unknown gunmen attacked her. However, a police investigation revealed that this was a plotted murder orchestrated by the father, also known as Anwar-ul-Haq Rajpoot.

The court found the two men guilty, determining they acted with shared criminal intent. The court ruled that the father and his relatives planned and executed the murder. Prosecutors stated the father was troubled by Hira’s clothing, friendships, and social media activities, which led to the deadly plan.

Hira was well-known at Public School 16 in Yonkers. She often posted TikTok videos featuring artist Zayn Malik and band Chase Atlantic. Teachers described her as a lively student, eager for independence and freedom.

The father’s dissatisfaction with Hira’s lifestyle, especially her interactions on social media and with boys, was central to the court case. Prosecutors argued this dissatisfaction motivated the plan to kill her. Mr. ul-Haq convinced his relatives in Pakistan to help in carrying out this plan after inviting Hira on a supposed family vacation.