Pakistani police have arrested 14 suspected individuals for allegedly killing a newlywed couple in broad daylight in Balochistan in the name of ‘honour’.
According to reports, the couple was killed ahead of Eid-ul-Azha in the Quetta region following a direction given by a tribal jirga.
Pakistan was left shocked after a chilling video of the incident went viral on social media on Sunday, triggering widespread condemnation.
In the video, the woman was heard saying in a local dialect: “You are only allowed to fire at me.”
Balochistan Police chief Moazzam Jah Ansari told Dawn that the woman’s family and her tribe members were allegedly involved in the murder, as they killed her and her partner for allegedly having a relationship out of wedlock.
The man who shot and killed the woman was her brother, the IGP said.
The couple had reportedly married without the consent of their family members.
They were invited by family members on the pretext of a feast when the jirga’s decision was announced to them.
In a press conference at the Chief Minister’s House, CM Sarfraz Bugti said several people, including tribal leader Sherbaz, had been arrested in the past 24 hours.
“Over a dozen suspects were present at the site of the killing, and police are conducting raids for more arrests,” CM Bugti said, adding, “All those involved in this barbaric act would be brought to justice.”
“We will make sure that all of them are prosecuted,” CM Bugti said.
“No one has a right, no matter what, to kill someone in such a painful and disgusting way, and then film it on video,” he said.
He added that the people involved in the incident would be punished.
The chief minister also said the government had suspended the DSP of the Special Branch for failing to relay information about the incident.
Honour killing is a common crime reported from Pakistan.
Hundreds of such cases are reported every year from the South Asian nation.
