At least 11 suspects have been arrested after a harrowing video surfaced on social media showing a man and a woman being shot and killed for marrying against their families’ wishes, in what authorities described as a so-called honour killing.
The couple, whose identities have not been made public, were executed last month in the province of Balochistan, reportedly on the orders of a local tribal council. The killings came to light after the video went viral, prompting a formal investigation by provincial authorities.
Balochistan’s Chief Minister Sarfraz Bugti confirmed the arrests in a statement on Monday. He said the individuals in the video had been identified and a case had been registered against everyone involved. “They will be prosecuted,” he added.
The footage, set in a desert location, shows several pickup trucks and SUVs, apparently used to transport the victims and others present. In the video, the woman is handed a copy of the Quran and tells a man, “Come walk seven steps with me, after that you can shoot me.” The man follows her briefly.
A local police official noted that the woman neither cried nor pleaded for her life. Speaking in the regional Brahavi language, she says, “You are allowed only to shoot me. Nothing more than that.” The exact meaning of her words remains unclear.
The woman, draped in a shawl, stands motionless as she is shot. After two shots, she remains standing but collapses after a third. More gunfire follows. The footage then shows a bloodied man lying near her, and both bodies are fired upon again.
Reuters was unable to independently verify the authenticity of the video.
The Human Rights Commission of Pakistan reported at least 405 honour killings in 2024 alone and criticized authorities for their failure to curb such violence. Most victims are women, often killed by relatives claiming to protect family honour, according to rights groups.
The video has sparked widespread outrage across the country. Politicians and civil society leaders have condemned the act. Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari called the suspects “beasts” and said they deserved no leniency.
