A woman who had contracted a free-will marriage last year was shot dead allegedly by her brother in Karachi's Saeedabad neighbourhood on Friday, police said. Her brother-in-law was killed as well.

The 30-year-old woman was travelling in a rickshaw with her 22-year-old brother-in-law when unidentified pillion riders opened fire on them at Pakistan Chowk in Dawood Goth.

The duo sustained critical bullet injuries and were transported to Dr Ruth Pfau Civil Hospital Karachi where doctors pronounced them dead on arrival, according to police surgeon Dr Qarar Ahmed.

Editorial: Murder, not ‘honour’

Both the suspects managed to escape the crime scene.

Station House Officer Irfan Asif told Dawn that the deceased woman had married a man of her own free will in 2018. It was their love marriage and the woman's family did not approve of it.

The officer claimed that the woman's brother along with another suspect carried out the double murder.

The slain woman belonged to the Rind tribe while her husband hails from the Brohi tribe.

According to police, investigators collected four spent bullet casings fired from 9mm and 30-bore pistols from the crime scene.

Meanwhile, Sindh Inspector General of Police Dr Syed Kaleem Imam took notice of the woman and her brother-in-law's murder and sought a detailed report from West SSP Shoukat Ali, a police spokesperson said.