A viral video showing an alleged honour killing of a couple accused of having an extramarital affair has triggered nationwide anger in Pakistan.
According to international media reports, the video shows the woman, Bano Bibi, being shot three times in the back by her brother before she collapses. He then shoots and kills the man, identified as Ehsan Ullah Samalani, who was accused of having an affair with her.
The horrifying footage, filmed in Balochistan province, quickly spread online, prompting police to arrest 16 people, including a local tribal chief and the victim’s mother.
Gul Jan Bibi, the mother, claimed the killings were carried out by the family and local elders, following “centuries-old Baloch traditions” and not by the order of the tribal chief.
“We have committed no sin,” she said in another viral clip. “Bano and Ehsan were killed according to our customs.”
She added that her daughter, who was the mother of three sons and two daughters, had run away with Mr. Samalani and returned 25 days later.
Despite the arrests, Bano Bibi’s younger brother, who allegedly pulled the trigger, remains at large.
The video sparked a wave of public outrage online, with hashtags like #JusticeForCouple and #HonourKilling trending across social media.
Dozens of human rights activists staged protests in Quetta, the provincial capital, demanding an end to illegal tribal justice systems.
Balochistan’s Chief Minister, Sarfraz Bugti, called the case a “test” for the authorities, vowing to dismantle unlawful tribal courts operating outside the country’s legal system.
Police reported that a jirga, an informal tribal council known for issuing extrajudicial rulings, had allegedly ordered the murders.
While “honour killings” were criminalized in Pakistan in 2016, the Human Rights Commission of Pakistan documented at least 405 cases in 2024, with most victims being women killed by relatives in the name of protecting family honour.
