A chilling case of honour killing in Balochistan has sent shockwaves across Pakistan after a disturbing video surfaced on social media, showing a couple being dragged into a desert and brutally gunned down at close range.
The horrifying footage led to immediate national outrage, prompting swift action from authorities.
Following public outcry, a judicial magistrate in Quetta has ordered the exhumation of the woman’s body from Dagari, a rural area near the provincial capital, to aid in the investigation. The entire process is being conducted under strict judicial supervision.
Taking urgent notice of the incident, Balochistan Chief Minister Sarfraz Bugti confirmed on social media platform X that a case had been registered under terrorism charges. He stated that 11 suspects had been apprehended, with two more — including the prime suspect, Sardar Sherbaz Khan — arrested on Monday. “The state stands with the oppressed,” Bugti vowed, assuring the public that justice would be served.
The First Information Report (FIR) has been lodged at Hanna-Urak Police Station on behalf of the state. It includes grave charges under Sections 302 (murder), 149, 148, 147 of the Pakistan Penal Code and the Anti-Terrorism Act, 1997.
In a significant move, the Balochistan High Court Chief Justice has also taken suo motu notice of the case and summoned the Additional Chief Secretary (Home) and Inspector General of Police for a detailed briefing.
At a press conference held at the Karachi Press Club, Balochistan government spokesperson Shahid Rind revealed that both the provincial police and the Counter-Terrorism Department (CTD) were actively working on the case. He noted that the victims’ families had not reported the crime, but the state stepped in as a complainant to ensure legal action.
To identify the suspects, authorities have turned to the National Database & Registration Authority (NADRA) and the Excise Department, using facial recognition and vehicle registration data. While the involved tribes and individuals have been traced, their names are currently being withheld for strategic reasons.
Sadly, this is not an isolated incident. Cases of honour killing in Balochistan and across Pakistan have been on the rise. According to the 2024 report by the Sustainable Social Development Organisation (SSDO), 547 honour killings were reported across the country in just one year, alongside 2,238 cases of domestic violence and 5,339 rape cases. Alarmingly, conviction rates for these heinous crimes remain below 2%.
Between January and November 2024 alone, 346 people lost their lives to so-called 'honour' crimes, continuing a grim trend from previous years — 490 such killings in 2023 and 590 in 2022.
