QUETTA, Pakistan (AP) – Authorities in southwestern Pakistan have arrested 11 suspects in connection with the brutal murder of a young couple, whose video of the execution went viral on social media. The couple was reportedly killed for marrying without their families' approval, igniting widespread outrage across the nation.
The disturbing video, which surfaced over the weekend, showed a man executing the couple at point-blank range in a public setting. Police confirmed the authenticity of the footage, stating that the incident occurred in the Deghari district of Balochistan province, as reported by Chief Minister Sarfraz Bugti. The clip has spurred activists to demand immediate justice and a stringent crackdown on so-called honor killings, which predominantly target women who pursue relationships contrary to traditional norms.
In the video, several men arrive in pickup trucks in a mountainous area, where the young woman, later identified as Bano Bibi, asserts that she is legally married. "Come, walk seven steps with me, and then you can only shoot me," she says, though the meaning behind her words remains ambiguous. Following her statement, a man pulls out a gun and shoots her three times. After she falls to the ground, he turns his weapon on her husband, Ahsan Ullah, shooting him as well. The footage concludes with both victims lying bloodied on the ground.
The local police have only released the names of the slain couple and some suspects while initiating an investigation since no family members of the couple have come forward. Police Chief Naveed Akhtar disclosed that a tribal elder, Sardar Satakzai, ordered the killings after a complaint was lodged by the brother of the bride about her marriage without familial consent. Both Satakzai and another individual were among the 11 suspects arrested during a series of raids, as authorities continue searching for an additional nine suspects.
Farhatullah Babar, a prominent human rights activist, praised Bano Bibi's courage, highlighting that she did not plead for her life nor display any signs of weakness during the horrific act. Babar condemned the couple's killing and called for serious legal action against those involved in the "brutal murder of the newlywed couple."
Honor killings remain a pervasive issue in Pakistan, with cases of women being targeted for not conforming to societal traditions reported frequently. Earlier this year, for example, a Pakistani man was arrested for allegedly murdering his own U.S.-born daughter, a mere 15 years old, after she refused to stop posting videos on TikTok, a highly popular platform in the country with over 54 million users. The persistence of these practices highlights the ongoing struggle for women's rights and justice in the region, calling for urgent reforms to address deeply entrenched cultural norms.
