Mother-in-Law Accused of Killing Pregnant Daughter-in-Law in Pakistan Over Witchcraft Allegations

A mother-in-law in Pakistan has been accused of murdering her heavily pregnant daughter-in-law after allegedly claiming that the woman used “witchcraft” to seduce her son.

Zara Bibi, who was seven months pregnant, was reported missing last week before her dismembered body was discovered in three separate bags across the city of Daska.

According to local police, Sughran Bibi, the 57-year-old mother-in-law, with the help of several accomplices, killed Zara, burned her face, and chopped her body into pieces before discarding the remains.

The gruesome crime was uncovered after Zara’s father, Shabbir Ahmed, reported her missing following an alarming lack of contact since November 10.

In a confessional statement, Sughran Bibi claimed she had suspicions that Zara had been practicing witchcraft, which she believed caused her son, Qadir Ahmed, to send money directly to Zara’s bank account instead of his mother’s.

This financial shift was reportedly a catalyst for the violent actions against Zara. Sughran and her accomplices—her daughter Yasmin, grandson Hamza, and a distant relative Navid—smothered Zara with a pillow while she slept before dismembering her body.

Zara, 30, had been married to Qadir for four years and had a three-year-old son. The family had been living in Saudi Arabia before Zara returned to Pakistan just two weeks prior to the tragic incident.

Zara’s father further claimed that Qadir’s family was jealous of Zara’s life abroad. He said that when he visited his daughter’s in-laws, they told him she had left with valuables.

Concerned for her well-being, Mr Ahmed filed a missing person’s report, which led to the discovery of Zara’s remains.

Police have arrested Sughran Bibi and the three other suspects, with a fourth suspect, Abdullah, also detained.

All four individuals have reportedly confessed to the crime. A formal murder case has been filed against them.

The shocking case has drawn widespread attention, highlighting the tragic end of a young woman and the violent family feud that led to her death.