14 suspects arrested over 'honour killing' of couple in Balochistan
Balochistan police have arrested 14 suspects over the 'honour killing' of a couple accused of having an affair, including a local tribal chief who allegedly ordered their deaths, officials said on Monday.
The killings, which occurred last month, gained widespread attention after a video surfaced showing the couple being shot. The man who killed the woman was her brother, acting on behalf of the family and tribe, provincial police chief Moazzam Jah Ansari told Reuters.
The chief of the tribe, Sher Baz Satakzai, had ordered the killing, he added. Satakzai was among those arrested, according to Chief Minister Sarfraz Bugti, who addressed the media in a news conference in Quetta, the provincial capital. "We will make sure that they all will be prosecuted," Bugti said.
Read: Brutal 'honour killing' caught on video sparks nationwide outrage
It remains unclear if the brother is among those detained. The man and woman, both accused of having an affair out of wedlock, each had several children from separate marriages, Bugti explained.
Authorities had initially said the couple was killed for marrying against the wishes of their families. "No one has a right, no matter what, to kill someone in such a painful and disgusting way, and then video shoot it," Bugti stated. "It is a crime. It is a murder."
On Monday, a local court ordered police to exhume the bodies for an autopsy.
آپ ڈیٹ: اب تک 11 ملزمان گرفتار کئے جا چکے ہیں، آپریشن جاری ہے۔ تمام ملوث افراد کو کیفرِکردار تک پہنچایا جائے گا۔ ریاست مظلوم کے ساتھ کھڑی ہے! https://t.co/UoU2SDanWY
Earlier,CM Bugti had said in a statement that eleven suspects were arrested, 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 will 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 Quran 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.
Leaders condemn 'honour' killing
PPP Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari called the suspects “beasts” and said they deserved no concessions.
The Associated Press of Pakistan (APP) quoted Bilawal as saying “I have faith that the criminals involved in this murder will be brought to justice soon”. “This murder should be a test case for the Balochistan government, as it is gender terrorism.”
Defence Minister Khawaja Asif also reacted to the video, which shows a tribal council ordering the killing of a man and woman for marrying without family consent.
In a post on X, Asif addressed the people of Balochistan: “Those who have taken up arms against the state — start by raising your voice against the unjust system that surrounds you.”
جن لوگوں نے ریاست کیخلاف بندوق ا ٹھائ ھوئی ھے۔ وہ پہلے اس نظام کے خلاف آواز اٹھائیں جو آپکے آس پاس رائج ھے۔ سارا پاکستان آپکے ساتھ کھڑا ھو گا۔اس ظلم کے نظام کے ذمہ دار آپکے بھائ بند ھیں ۔ دوسرے صوبوں سے آۓ مسافر اور روزی روٹی کمانے والے مزدور نہیں ھیں جن نہتوں کو آپ گولیاں مارتے… pic.twitter.com/C8h1Skov8V
He added, “The ones responsible for this oppression are your own brothers, not the travellers and labourers from other provinces,” referencing a recent bus attack in Kalat district that left three people dead.
PPP Vice President Senator Sherry Rehman also condemned the incident, calling it an “unforgivable crime.”
“Crushing the right to marry is a violation of fundamental human rights,” Rehman posted on X. “Killing in the name of tribal decisions is a despicable act. The cycle of brutality in the name of honour must be stopped.”
Update by CM Balochistan @PakSarfrazbugti on his X account says that eleven of the perpetrators who colluded in this heinous crime have been arrested. He will not rest until they have all been tracked down.
Chairman PPP @BBhuttoZardari has also unequivocally condemned the murder… https://t.co/5548EhF7Ok“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,” she added. “The chapter of oppression and barbarism under the guise of jirgas must be closed.”
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.