The photo has been used for illustrative purposes.

Gulf Today Report

Pakistani police on Wednesday arrested a suspect accused of killing 11 members of a family — including six women and five children — in Pano Aqil, Sindh province.

According to a senior police officer, the accused murdered the victims with a knife. He said that the victims included the suspect's wife, four daughters, three sons, daughter-in-law and a grandson and granddaughter.

Speaking to the media, another top police officer said that initial investigations suggested the victims' throats were slit with a knife as they slept during the night.

READ MORE

10 Pakistani family members die as over crowded boat capsizes in Keenjhar Lake

Killing of student sparks protests in Bangladesh

Hero husband saves wife by punching white shark

Police nab woman for illegal cosmetic surgeries in Dubai

"The accused is none other than their father and the head of the household," he said. "We have been told that he was mentally unstable and was previously under treatment at a hospital."

He added that the suspect had also committed a murder prior to this. "We are in the process of collecting information. Who did he murder, when did he do it and how long did he spend in jail, we are collecting this [information].

"Obviously when a person is not mentally stable, what we have seen, is that they do such things," he said.

The official added that three of the suspect's sons had also been arrested and police had seized the murder weapon. "Further investigation is under way."

When asked whether the victims had been drugged before having their throats slit, the officer replied that this could only be ascertained once the chemical reports were received.

"What we can tell so far is that the victims didn't put up any resistance. But drugs may also be an element as they didn't put up any resistance and due to the sheer number of deaths," he said, reiterating that this could only be determined through the chemical reports.

Meanwhile, Sindh Chief Minister Sindh Murad Ali Shah took notice of the incident and directed the inspector general of police to submit a report on the matter.

The CM was informed by the IG that the accused has been arrested. However, the CM directed the province’s top cop to investigate the crime from "all angles" and directed police to check whether the murders were committed due to a family dispute or enmity.

Murad directed district authorities and police to cooperate with the family.