At least 11 suspects, including a tribal leader, have been arrested for their alleged involvement in the killing of a man and a woman in Balochistan after a video of the murder went viral on social media, with the case now handed over to the Serious Crimes Investigation Wing (SCIW), police said.
Superintendent of Police (SP) SCIW Syed Saboor Agha told Dawn.com, “Eleven people have been arrested, including a tribal leader who issued directives to shoot the couple, and all of them will appear before a judicial magistrate today.”
The viral video showed a group of men leading a couple out of vehicles and into a desert before gunning them down with pistols and shooting the bodies. Political figures and activists said it was an ‘honour’ killing incident. On Sunday, Balochistan Chief Minister Sarfraz Bugti announced on X that he had directed the Balochistan Police to take immediate action, following which one suspect was apprehended.
According to a first information report (FIR) — a copy of which is available with Dawn.com — registered by the Station House Officer (SHO) Naveed Akhtar at Quetta’s Hanna-Urak Police Station, he lodged the complaint after receiving the video clip that had gone viral on social media, showing a man and a woman being brutally shot and killed by armed individuals.
SHO Akhtar stated that he, along with his team, reached Balochistan’s Dagari, situated on the outskirts of Quetta and, upon investigation, discovered that the incident occurred three days before Eidul Azha in the area of Sanjidi in Dagari.
“The victims seen in the viral video have been identified as Bano Bibi and Ihsanullah,” the FIR said, naming eight suspects who allegedly shot the couple dead. The FIR also mentioned 15 other unknown suspects involved in the incident.
Speaking to Dawn.com, SHO Naveed Akhtar said, “Owing to the nature of the murder, the case has now been transferred to the Serious Crime Investigation Wing for further investigation.”
Prior to being killed, the victims were allegedly taken to a tribal leader, who declared them guilty of being involved in an ‘immoral relationship’ (locally termed ‘Karo Kari’) and ordered their execution, following which they were taken to the [desert] and shot dead, the FIR said.
“The murder was filmed and uploaded to social media to spread fear and panic among the public,” it added.
According to the FIR, a case was registered against the suspects under Sections 302 (murder), 149 (unlawful assembly), 148 (rioting while armed with a deadly weapon), 147 (rioting) of the Pakistan Penal Code and the Anti-Terrorism Act, 1997.
The incident was widely condemned by politicians, civil society activists, and the public, who termed it “barbaric” and urged the government to take swift action against the perpetrators.
PPP Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari called the suspects “beasts”, saying that they deserved no concessions. “I have faith that the criminals involved in this murder will be brought to justice soon,” he said, according to the state-run Associated Press of Pakistan (APP). “This murder should be a test case for the Balochistan government, as it is gender terrorism.”
Defence Minister Khawaja Asif shared the video in a post on X, with a message for the people of Balochistan. Referring to the growing militancy in the province, he said: “Those who have taken up arms against the state — start by raising your voice against the unjust system that surrounds you.”
He continued that the ones responsible for this “oppression are your own brothers, not the travellers and labourers from other provinces”, pointing out the recent bus attack in Balochistan’s Kalat district, which left three people dead and other similar incidents in the recent past.
PPP Vice President Senator Sherry Rehman also condemned the murder in a post on X, labelling it an “unforgivable crime”.
“Crushing the right to marry is a violation of fundamental human rights. Killing in the name of tribal decisions is a despicable act. The cycle of brutality in the name of honour must be stopped,” she wrote.
“By mercilessly killing the married couple, not only have law and justice been insulted, but the authority of the provincial government has also been challenged,” Rehman added. “The chapter of oppression and barbarism under the guise of jirgas must be closed.”
The senator emphasised that the perpetrators must be brought to justice and that legislation to end “outdated customs” was indispensable.
Baloch activist Sammi Deen Baloch decried the shooting as an ‘honour’ killing, appealing to Baloch elders to “respect women’s decisions”.
“As a woman, this chilling incident is deeply painful and heart-wrenching for me,” she wrote on X. “Killing any woman in the name of honour is not only a heinous crime but also the worst humiliation of humanity.
“I appeal to Baloch and Pashtun tribal elders, influential sections of society, and intellectuals to respect women’s decisions. Today’s woman is the same woman who is educated, aware, and fully capable of making decisions about her future.”
She demanded that the killing be investigated transparently and comprehensively so that the suspects would be brought to justice and “no one dares to repeat such a barbaric act in the future”.
In Pakistan, ‘honour’ killings continued to claim the lives of women throughout 2024, perpetuated by deeply ingrained societal beliefs about family dignity and shame.
Data from the Human Rights Commission of Pakistan shows that in 2024, ‘honour’ killings continued to be a serious issue across Pakistan, with particularly high figures in Sindh and Punjab. From January to November, a total of 346 people fell victim to ‘honour’ crimes in the country.
The previous two years also saw a consistent rise in murders related to the so-called ‘honour’.
