In a horrifying case of honour killing in Balochistan, post-mortem findings have confirmed that a woman and a man were shot multiple times on the orders of a tribal jirga. The victims were exhumed near Degari, on the outskirts of Quetta, after a disturbing video of their execution went viral on social media, triggering national outrage.
According to Dr Ayesha, the police surgeon from Sandeman Hospital, the honour killing in Balochistan involved seven bullet wounds on the woman and nine on the man. The autopsy was performed at a local coal mine graveyard, under tight police supervision.
Authorities launched a criminal investigation following the circulation of a video showing the couple being dragged out of a vehicle and executed in a desert-like area. A first information report (FIR) was registered at Hanna-Urak Police Station on behalf of the state. Charges include Section 302 (murder), 148 and 149 (rioting and unlawful assembly with deadly weapons), and sections under the Anti-Terrorism Act, 1997.
Chief Minister Sarfraz Bugti confirmed the arrest of 11 suspects in connection with the honour killing in Balochistan, adding that further raids are ongoing. He promised strict legal action and said the provincial government would not allow any of the perpetrators to escape justice.
“These individuals were not married to each other, and both had multiple children. But that does not justify murder,” CM Bugti stated. He emphasized that police action began even before the footage went viral, and confirmed that the local DSP has been suspended for negligence.
One tribal elder, Sherbaz Khan, believed to be connected to the jirga that ordered the killings, has been remanded into police custody for two days and is being investigated by the Crime Investigation Wing. The grave of the woman was exhumed following court orders from a judicial magistrate.
The honour killing in Balochistan has also prompted judicial scrutiny, with Balochistan High Court Chief Justice Rozi Khan Barrech taking suo motu notice of the killings. He has summoned the Additional Chief Secretary for Home and the provincial police chief for an explanation.
Political condemnation poured in from major parties including the PPP, PML-N, PTI, and MQM. They unanimously called for swift and strict action against those involved and demanded an end to such tribal violence.
The tragedy has spotlighted the brutal practice of honour killing in Balochistan, which continues to occur despite national and international condemnation. Human rights activists have renewed their calls for stronger enforcement of laws against jirga-led justice and extrajudicial killings, especially those targeting women.
As investigations continue, the state has vowed to pursue the matter with full force, sending a clear message that such acts will not go unpunished.
