ISLAMABAD: Pakistani authorities have arrested 11 individuals in connection with the recent “honor killing” of a couple in Balochistan, Chief Minister Sarfraz Bugti confirmed on Monday. The arrests follow public outrage after a harrowing video of the incident circulated widely on social media last week.
The video, which showed a couple being brutally shot by armed men for marrying against their families’ wishes, sparked national condemnation and urgent calls for justice. In response, the Balochistan government launched an operation on Sunday to track down those involved.
Taking to social media, CM Bugti initially announced the arrest of one suspect and later provided an update stating, “So far, 11 suspects have been arrested and the operation is ongoing. All those involved will be brought to justice. The state stands with the oppressed.”
At a press conference in Karachi, Balochistan government spokesperson Shahid Rind revealed that the incident occurred around Eid Al-Adha and had not been reported by the families of either victim. He emphasized that the government would file a case, with the state acting as the complainant. Rind also confirmed that the execution had been carried out on the orders of a tribal jirga, and that authorities identified the suspects using data gathered from the viral footage.
Honor killings remain a grim reality in parts of Pakistan, where individuals—particularly women—are sometimes murdered by relatives for defying traditional norms or marrying by choice.
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The Pakistan Ulema Council (PUC), a body of religious scholars and clerics, issued a strong condemnation of the killings, labeling them “un-Islamic, anti-Sharia, and a form of terrorism.” In a statement, the PUC demanded that those responsible be charged under terrorism laws.
“The Pakistan Ulema Council urges the Chief Minister, Governor, and Inspector General of Balochistan to ensure the immediate arrest of all those involved in the honor killing shown in the viral video,” the council said.