At least 11 suspects have been arrested in connection with the brutal killing of a Pakistani couple in a remote mountainous area of Balochistan. The incident, captured on a viral video, has sparked widespread outrage, with authorities confirming it as an alleged “honor” killing.
Video Depicts Horrific Execution
The killings, which reportedly occurred last month, were allegedly ordered by a local tribal council, or jirga, to “defend the honor” of the families after the couple married against their wishes. The identities of the victims, identified by local police as Bano Bibi and Ahsan Ullah, have not been publicly disclosed by all sources.
The disturbing video, circulated widely on social media, shows the woman holding a copy of the Koran and asking the man to walk seven steps with her before she would accept being shot. She remains defiant even after being hit by initial gunshots, eventually collapsing after multiple shots are fired. The footage further depicts attackers continuing to shoot both victims after they had fallen, with several pickup trucks and SUVs present at the scene, suggesting the couple and their assailants were deliberately brought to that location.
Zahra Shah, a women’s rights activist in Karachi, described the video as “heart-wrenching” and urged women to continue fighting for their rights, emphasizing that “this cruelty of honor killings must stop.”
Government Intervention and Ongoing Concerns
Balochistan’s chief minister, Sarfraz Bugti, has pledged a full investigation and prosecution of all responsible parties. In an unusual move, the government has stepped in as the complainant, as the victims’ families initially did not report the killings.
“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, condemning the “brutal murder” and calling for strict punishment. Police chief Naveed Akhtar confirmed that a tribal elder, Sardar Satakzai, ordered the killings after the bride’s brother complained about her marriage without consent; both are among the 11 arrested. Authorities are reportedly looking for nine more suspects.
Every year, hundreds of women are killed across Pakistan in so-called “honor” killings, predominantly by close relatives or men known to them. At least 405 such incidents were reported in 2024 alone, with women being the primary targets.
Despite international and domestic calls for stronger enforcement against “honor” violence, tribal councils in rural regions continue to wield considerable influence, often meting out deadly punishments for marriages pursued without family consent. Amnesty International, in 2023, voiced “extreme concern” over the government’s “continued failure… to curb the extralegal power of jirgas or tribal councils to run parallel legal systems perpetuating patriarchal violence with impunity.” The organization stressed that “it is not enough to arrest people after such attacks take place. The authorities must end impunity for violence and abolish so-called village and tribal councils that prescribe such horrific crimes.”
