Police arrest 11 suspects over 'honor killing' of newlywed couple in Pakistan
The video, which surfaced over the weekend on social media and was viewed by The Associated Press, showed a man executing the young couple at close range in daylight as others stood by. Police confirmed the authenticity of the footage, saying the killings happened in the Deghari district in the province of Balochistan, said Chief Minister Sarfraz Bugti In the video, several men arrive in pickup trucks in a mountainous region, and a young woman, speaking the local language, says she is legally married.
"Come, walk seven steps with me, and then you can only shoot me,' she says. It isn't clear what she meant. A man follows her, takes out a gun and shoots her three times before she collapses on the ground. He then shoots and kills her husband before another man takes out a gun and joins him in shooting the groom. The video ends with both victims lying bloodied on the ground.
Local police identified the bride and groom only as Bano Bibi and Ahsan Ullah and released some of the suspects' names, saying the provincial government had initiated the investigation as none of the couple's family members came forward. "The bravery shown by the slain woman is both humbling and remarkable, as she neither begged for her life nor showed any weakness,' said Farhatullah Babar, a Pakistani human rights activist.
He condemned the couple's killing and called for strict punishment for everyone involved in the "brutal murder of the newlywed couple.' A tribal elder, Sardar Satakzai, ordered the couple killed after the bride's brother complained she married without his consent, said police chief, Naveed Akhtar. Both were among the 11 arrested in a series of raids and authorities were looking for nine more suspects, he said. The video was shot and posted by an unidentified person, Akhtar said. Honor killings are still common in Pakistan.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Arab Times
21 hours ago
- Arab Times
Strong bomb explosion targets Greek prison guard's home
THESSALONIKI, Greece, July 27, (AP): A bomb explosion targeted the home of the president of the Greek association of prison guards early Saturday morning in the country's north. The guard, named Konstantinos Varsamis on the association's website, was left unharmed after about 3 kilograms (about 6.6 pounds) of explosives went off at 2:10 am local time, police said. Two people suffered minor injuries from shattered glass. The explosives were placed outside his apartment building's front door in Sykies, a suburb in the northern city of Thessaloniki, where he lives on the first floor, according to authorities. The blast damaged three apartment buildings, shattering their windows and collapsing a shared wall, according to an Associated Press reporter on-site. "I woke up because of the very loud bang of the explosion," Tzetno Kelo, 52, who lives in an adjacent apartment building, said. "Shattered glass from a window fell on my bed and I was covered in blood." He was treated at a hospital before being discharged Police said a witness saw a man walking in the densely built street shortly before the explosion. Varsamis has worked for many years at Diavata prison, west of Thessaloniki, known for housing many criminal gang members as well as convicted terrorists. Two police officers said they are focusing their efforts on criminal gangs rather than terror groups. Both spoke on condition of anonymity because they are not supposed to comment on an ongoing investigation. The police have already deposed Varsamis, they said. The police's Organized Crime Unit is leading the investigation.
Arab Times
2 days ago
- Arab Times
Rapper GloRilla arrested after home burglary leads to drug charges
LOS ANGELES, July 26, (AP): Rapper GloRilla was arrested this week on felony drug charges after "a significant amount of marijuana' was found by police while they investigated a burglary at her home in Atlanta. GloRilla, whose real name is Gloria Woods, voluntarily turned herself in Tuesday and was released on $22,260 bond the same day, according to the Forsyth County Sheriff's Office. Deputies were called to the rapper's home at about 1:30 a.m. Sunday on reports of a burglary. Woods wasn't present, and had performed during halftime of the WNBA All-Star Game on Saturday in Indianapolis. Three suspects entered the home and were stealing items when an occupant of the house fired a weapon at the intruders. The suspects fled the scene and did not appear to have been injured, according to the sheriff's office. A drug task force secured a search warrant for the home after deputies noticed a "strong odor consistent with illegal narcotics' while investigating the burglary. The task force discovered marijuana "in plain view inside the master bedroom closet,' according to a statement from the sheriff's office. Woods was charged with possession of marijuana and possession of a controlled substance. "Instead of Focusing on finding the Suspects, they focus on some cannabis,' Woods wrote on X. "Long story short my house gets home invaded and Im the only one that gets arrested.' The suspects weren't located, "despite an extensive search,' the sheriff's office wrote in a statement sent to The Associated Press. The investigation into the burglary is ongoing and detectives recovered physical and trace forensic evidence believed to belong to the suspects, the office wrote. Woods' attorneys, Drew Findling and Marissa Goldberg, wrote in a statement the suspects took off with "high value jewelry' when they realized the home wasn't vacant. Woods had family staying at her home who "were traumatized' by the incident, her lawyers wrote. "The homeowner is a victim of a serious crime, and we are committed to bringing the suspects to justice,' Sheriff Ron Freeman wrote. "At the same time, we must continue to uphold and enforce the law in all aspects of this case.'
Arab Times
2 days ago
- Arab Times
Actor Micheal Ward charged with rape and sexual assault
LONDON, July 26, (AP): British actor Micheal Ward has been charged with rape and sexual assault, police said Friday. The 27-year-old faces two counts of rape and three counts of sexual assault, the Metropolitan Police force said. The charges relate to one woman and the offenses reportedly took place in January 2023. Ward denied the charges and said in a statement that he has "full faith' that his name will be cleared in court. He's due to appear at London's Thames Magistrates' Court on Aug. 28. Ward has appeared in films including "Blue Story,' "The Book of Clarence' and the recently released American political satire "Eddington.' In 2020, he won the Rising Star award at the British Academy Film Awards, or BAFTAs. He was nominated for an acting BAFTA for Sam Mendes' "Empire of Light' and for a BAFTA television award for the Steve McQueen-directed series "Small Axe.'
