In a brutal case of honour killing near Quetta, a man and a woman were shot 16 times, according to police surgeons who conducted their post-mortem examinations. The woman was hit by seven bullets while the man was shot nine times.
Honour killing video sparks outrage as jirga justice faces renewed criticism
The victims were executed last month on the orders of a tribal jirga in Degari, near Quetta. Their bodies were buried in the Degari coal mine graveyard and later exhumed for autopsy by Sandeman Hospital surgeons.
The case gained national attention after a video surfaced online, showing a group of men pulling the couple out of a vehicle and executing them at close range in a desert area. Officials confirmed the two were not married to each other and had several children.
Balochistan Chief Minister Sarfraz Bugti said 11 suspects have been arrested so far, and more raids are underway. He stated that none of the accused would be spared, and action was taken even before the viral video emerged. The local DSP has also been suspended.
A tribal elder, Sherbaz Khan, has been handed over to the Crime Investigation Wing on a two day physical remand. A judicial magistrate had ordered the exhumation of the woman’s grave.
Chief Justice of the Balochistan High Court, Justice Rozi Khan Barrech, has taken suo motu notice and summoned top provincial officials. Political parties including the PPP, PML-N, PTI, and MQM have condemned the honour killing and demanded swift justice.
Despite legal frameworks and growing awareness, honour killings backed by jirgas continue to challenge the state’s writ, raising urgent questions about parallel justice systems and enforcement failures.
Read more: 336,999 Pakistanis secure overseas employment in first half of 2025
