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Indian Express
22-07-2025
- Indian Express
Tribal chief among 14 arrested after ‘honour' killing video from Pakistan goes viral
At least 14 people, including a tribal chief, have been arrested in Pakistan's Balochistan province after a video showing the brutal murder of a man and woman went viral, triggering national and international outrage. The first information report (FIR) filed by the police on Monday identifies the victims as Bano Bibi and Ehsan Ullah. The killings, believed to have taken place in May near Quetta, were described by police as a so-called 'honour killing.' The disturbing video circulating on social media shows shows a group of men arriving in a desolate area on the outskirts of Quetta, the capital of Pakistan's Balochistan province, in an SUV and pickup trucks. The footage captures the moment the accused couple is taken out of one of the vehicles. According to The Guardian, the woman is handed a copy of the Qur'an. Speaking in the local Brahavi language, she says to a man: 'Come, walk seven steps with me, after that you can shoot me.' He follows her for a few steps before she adds: 'You are allowed only to shoot me. Nothing more than that.' The meaning of her final statement remains unclear. The man then raises a pistol as she turns her back to him. After three close-range shots, she collapses to the ground. The video then cuts to a bloodied man lying near the woman's body, followed by a barrage of gunfire as several men are seen shooting at the couple's bloodied bodies as they lay motionless on the ground. A local court has now ordered that the bodies be exhumed for autopsy. Police told Reuters that the woman's brother carried out the killing on behalf of the family, while the local tribal leader, identified as Sher Baz Satakzai, ordered the execution. The tribal chief is among those arrested, said Balochistan Chief Minister Sarfraz Bugti, adding, 'No one has a right, no matter what, to kill someone in such a painful and disgusting way, and then video shoot it. It is a crime. It is a murder.' The man and woman, accused of having an affair out of wedlock, both had several children from separate marriages, Bugti said. As per Al Jazeera, which quoted the FIR, the couple was allegedly brought before tribal leader, who declared them guilty of engaging in an 'immoral relationship' and ordered that they be killed. However, Police chief Naveed Akhtar said the tribal chief ordered the killing after the woman's brother complained that she had married without his consent, The Guardian reported. Rights organisations say the case is not an isolated incident but part of a systemic pattern of violence against women. According to the Human Rights Commission of Pakistan (HRCP), at least 405 so-called 'honour killings' were reported in 2024 alone — most of them targeting women. The Sustainable Social Development Organisation (SSDO), another watchdog, says just one of the 32 cases reported in Balochistan this year has led to conviction. 'This is the tyranny of medieval practices still entrenched in many parts of Pakistan,' said Harris Khalique, secretary-general of the HRCP, in an earlier statement to Al Jazeera. He blamed both tribal systems and state complicity, accusing the government of shielding feudal and tribal power structures that perpetuate such violence. Sammi Deen Baloch, a prominent women's rights activist from the region, told Al Jazeera that women in Balochistan live under two forms of oppression: 'tribal patriarchy and the cold repression of the state.' According to her, these killings would likely have gone unnoticed if the video had not emerged on social media. 'Baloch women are murdered for love, disappeared for protest, and buried under layers of tribal authority and state-backed silence.' Authorities now say they are committed to prosecuting all those responsible. 'We will make sure they are all prosecuted,' Bugti said. Pakistan's Balochistan province, the largest but least populous region in the country, is mineral-rich but plagued by chronic underdevelopment, tribal conflict, and a long-running separatist insurgency. Activists argue that the Pakistani state's reliance on tribal intermediaries for governance further entrenches patriarchal violence and limits justice for women.
NDTV
22-07-2025
- NDTV
"Can Only Shoot Me": Pakistan Woman's Last Words Before Family Killed Her
Islamabad: A horrific video has emerged on social media showing the cold-blooded murder of a young couple from Pakistan's Balochistan province, who allegedly got married against their families in an "dishonour" killing. The viral footage shows a group of people arriving in an SUV and pickup trucks at a deserted area on the outskirts of Quetta, the provincial capital, where the couple is taken out of the vehicles. The woman, with her head covered with a shawl, was given a copy of the Qur'an. She takes the religious text and walks ahead towards the deserted hill as a crowd looks on. Speaking in the regional Brahavi dialect, she asks a man, "Walk seven steps with me, after that you can shoot me." The man follows her to some distance, after which she says, "You are allowed only to shoot me. Nothing more than that." It is not clear what the woman meant by "nothing more than that," but the man who followed her took her instructions as a cue and aimed a pistol at her back. He then fires multiple rounds of shots from close range. After the third shot is heard, the woman falls on the ground, presumably dead. More series of gunshots are heard, and then the video shows a bloodied man lying near the woman's body, while a crowd cheers on. The incident reportedly happened three days before Eid al-Adha 2025 in May. After the video went viral, it caused outrage in Pakistan and beyond, with activists calling for swift justice in the case. They also call for laws against crimes which target women who dare to defy local traditions and cultures. The local police have initiated a probe into the case and identified the couple as Bano Bibi and Ahsan Ullah. So far, as many as 13 suspects have been arrested in the "dishonour" killing case. Police said the couple's killing was ordered by tribal elder, Sardar Satakzai, after the woman's brother approached him complaining about her marriage, which happened without his consent, according to a report by The Guardian. The tribal leader and the woman's brother were among the 13 people arrested, police chief Naveed Akhtar said. Per the Human Rights Commission of Pakistan (HRCP) data, the country reported at least 405 "dishonour" killings in 2024, with activists estimating the real number to be much higher, as such cases are often not reported.
The Star
21-07-2025
- The Star
Married couple shot dead in name of ‘honour'
Police have arrested 11 suspects after a video emerged on social media of a woman and a man being shot and killed for marrying against the wishes of their families, in a so-called honour killing, authorities said. The couple, who were not identified, were shot dead on the orders of a local tribal council last month in Pakistan's southwestern Balochistan province, according to provincial authorities, who investigated after the video went viral. Eleven suspects have been arrested, the provincial chief minister, Sarfraz Bugti, said in a statement yesterday, hours after he announced that the location and people in the video had been identified. The video shows the woman tell a man: 'Come walk seven steps with me, after that you can shoot me.' The man then follows her for a few steps. A local police official said the woman did not cry or seek mercy. 'You are allowed only to shoot me. Nothing more than that,' the woman says in the regional Brahavi language. The woman, wrapped in a shawl, stood still as shots were fired. She remained standing after two shots, delivered from close range, dropping to the ground after the third shot. That is followed by a series of gunshots. The footage then shows a bloodied man lying on the ground, close to the woman's body. Then, men are shown shooting at both the bodies. The Human Rights Commission of Pakistan said that in 2024, there were at least 405 'honour killings', criticising the authorities for failing to stamp out these crimes. Most victims are women, and the killings are usually carried out by relatives professing to defend their family's reputation, rights groups say. — Reuters
The Sun
21-07-2025
- Politics
- The Sun
Pakistan arrests 11 in honour killing after viral video shocks nation
QUETTA: Pakistani authorities have arrested 11 suspects following the circulation of a disturbing video showing a couple being executed in the name of 'honour.' The incident occurred last month in Balochistan province after the pair married against their families' wishes. Provincial Chief Minister Sarfraz Bugti confirmed the arrests, stating that a case has been registered against all involved. 'They will be prosecuted,' Bugti said. The video, which went viral, depicts the couple being taken to a desert area, where the woman is handed a copy of the Quran before being shot. In the footage, the woman calmly tells a man, 'Come walk seven steps with me, after that you can shoot me.' After taking a few steps, she is shot multiple times at close range. The man accompanying her is also killed, with both bodies later fired upon by the assailants. A local police official translated the woman's final words in the Brahavi language: 'You are allowed only to shoot me. Nothing more than that.' The meaning of her statement remains unclear. Reuters could not independently verify the video's authenticity. However, the Human Rights Commission of Pakistan reported at least 405 honour killings in 2024, condemning authorities for failing to curb such crimes. Most victims are women, often targeted by relatives to protect family reputation. Honour killings remain prevalent in conservative regions of Pakistan and India, where families frequently oppose marriages outside their approval. - Reuters
The Guardian
21-07-2025
- The Guardian
Pakistan authorities arrest 11 suspects over ‘honour' killing video
Pakistan has arrested 11 suspects after a video emerged on social media of a woman and a man being shot dead for marrying against the wishes of their families, in an 'honour' killing, authorities said. The couple, who were not identified, were shot dead on the orders of a local tribal council last month in Pakistan's south-western Balochistan province, according to provincial authorities, who investigated after the video went viral. Eleven suspects have been arrested, the provincial chief minister, Sarfraz Bugti, said in a statement on Monday, hours after he announced that the location and people in the video had been identified. A case has been registered against all those involved, Bugti said, adding that they would be prosecuted. The video shows people in a desert, and some pickup trucks and SUVs in which they had apparently been driven there. The woman is given a copy of the Qur'an, the Muslim holy book, and she then tells a man: 'Come walk seven steps with me, after that you can shoot me.' The man then follows her for a few steps. A local police official said the woman did not cry or seek mercy. 'You are allowed only to shoot me. Nothing more than that,' the woman says in the regional Brahavi language, translated by the official. It was not clear what she meant by 'nothing more than that'. The man, who had followed her, then aimed a pistol at her as she turned her back to the shooter. The woman, wrapped in a shawl, stood still as shots were fired. She remained standing after two shots, delivered from close range, dropping to the ground after the third shot. That is followed by a series of gunshots. The footage then shows a bloodied man lying on the ground, close to the woman's body. Then, men are shown shooting at both the bodies. Reuters could not independently verify the authenticity of the video. The Human Rights Commission of Pakistan said that in 2024, there were at least 405 'honour' killings, criticising the authorities for failing to stamp out these crimes. Most victims are women, and the killings are usually carried out by relatives professing to defend their family's reputation, human rights groups say. Conservative families in many parts of Pakistan and India do not allow couples to marry against their wishes.
