Quetta Honour Killing
An anti-terrorism court (ATC) in Quetta on Saturday remanded Gul Jan Bibi, the mother of a woman shot dead in an alleged ‘honour’ killing, to prison on judicial remand. The case, which has sparked widespread outrage across Pakistan, involves the brutal killing of Bano Bibi and a man in Dagari, a village on the outskirts of Quetta.
Gul Jan Bibi was presented before Judge Muhammad Ali Mobeen of the ATC-I following the expiry of her two-day physical remand. The investigating officer informed the court that she was no longer needed for further interrogation. After brief arguments from both the prosecution and the defence, the judge ordered her to be sent to prison on judicial remand.
Her arrest came after a disturbing video surfaced online in which she openly justified the murder of her daughter and the man, citing tribal customs and traditions. In the viral footage, Gul Jan Bibi stated, “They were killed according to the Baloch traditions and customs, and we have not committed any sin by killing them.” Her comments further fuelled public anger over the crime, which was already under intense scrutiny after graphic videos showing the victims being executed by a group of men began circulating on social media earlier this month.
So far, law enforcement authorities have arrested around 15 individuals connected to the case, including the tribal chief of the Satakzai tribe, Sardar Sherbaz Khan Satakzai. However, the main accused, Jalal Satakzai—who is alleged to have personally opened fire and killed his elder sister, Bano Bibi, along with the man—remains at large. Efforts are ongoing to trace and apprehend him.
Meanwhile, civil society and human rights organisations staged a protest in Quetta to condemn the brutal killings. The demonstration was jointly organised by the Women Action Forum, National Commission on Human Rights (NCHR), Human Rights Commission of Pakistan (HRCP), and Bol Utho Group. A large number of human rights defenders and civil society members gathered outside the Quetta Press Club and later held a rally through the city’s main streets.
The protest was led by prominent rights activists including Prof Farkhanda Aurangzeb, Huma Fouladi, Seema Batool, and Hameeda Noor. Addressing the crowd, the speakers strongly condemned the murders and stressed that honour killings were barbaric acts that had no place in a civilised society. “Nobody has the right to take the law into their own hands and kill people in the name of so-called honour,” said Prof Aurangzeb.
The protestors called on the government to ensure swift justice and bring all perpetrators to account, regardless of their tribal or social status. They also demanded stronger legal protections for women, urging authorities to take meaningful steps to prevent such atrocities in the future.
The case continues to draw nationwide attention and has reignited debate over honour-based violence in Pakistan, with many calling for urgent reforms and stricter enforcement of existing laws to safeguard the rights and lives of women across the country.
