QUETTA/ISLAMABAD: Balochistan Chief Minister Sarfraz Bugti has ordered immediate action after a disturbing video showing the cold-blooded killing of a man and a woman went viral on social media.
The video, believed to have been filmed just before Eidul Azha, shows armed men brutally shooting the victims in what is suspected to be a so-called “honour killing.”
According to government officials, the location of the crime was successfully identified within Balochistan territory, and law enforcement agencies have launched a swift investigation. On the chief minister’s directives, an FIR has been registered under anti-terrorism laws, and one suspected killer has been taken into custody. Authorities are conducting raids to apprehend the remaining perpetrators, whose identities have reportedly been established but not yet made public.
“The state will not remain a silent spectator to such barbarism,” said CM Bugti on the social platform X (formerly Twitter), vowing that justice will be served. He added that all legal channels will be pursued and that the case will be handled with utmost seriousness to ensure exemplary punishment for those involved.
The victims – a young couple allegedly killed for marrying of their own free will – have been identified, though officials say the families had not reported the incident. The bodies have yet to be recovered, further complicating the investigation.
The video shows people in a desert, and some pickup trucks and SUVs that they had apparently driven there. The woman is given a copy of the Quran and she then tells a man: “Come walk seven steps with me, after that you can shoot me.” The man then follows her for a few steps. A local police official said the woman did not cry or seek mercy.
“You are allowed only to shoot me. Nothing more than that,” the woman says in the regional Brahavi language, translated by the official. It was not clear what she meant by “nothing more than that”. The man, who had followed her, then aimed a pistol at her.
The woman, wrapped in a shawl, stood still as shots were fired. She remained standing after two shots, delivered from close range, dropping to the ground after the third shot.
That is followed by a series of gunshots. The footage then shows a bloodied man lying on the ground, close to the woman’s body. Then, men are shown shooting at both the bodies. Reuters could not independently verify the authenticity of the video.
Balochistan government spokesperson Shahid Rind held a press conference at the Karachi Press Club, confirming that individuals seen in the viral video have been traced through facial recognition and Nadra data. “One suspect is in custody, and data of all visible individuals in the video has been handed over to Nadra. We are closing in on the rest,” he said.
Rind clarified that the state itself has become the complainant in the case to ensure accountability and justice, emphasising that no external pressure will be tolerated during the investigation.
The horrific video has sparked national outrage, with human rights groups, civil society, and women’s rights activists calling for urgent justice and legislative reform.
Alauddin Khilji, provincial director of Aurat Foundation and chairman of the Balochistan EVAWG Alliance (Ending Violence Against Women and Girls), condemned the act in the strongest terms. “This video has shaken us to the core. It is a stark reminder that honor killings remain a brutal reality in Balochistan. From 2019 to 2024, 212 people have been murdered in the name of honor,” he said in a statement.
Khilji stressed that such killings are not just violations of constitutional and Islamic values but constitute crimes against humanity. “These acts of gender-based violence reflect deep-rooted misogyny and societal regression,” he added, demanding that all honor killing cases be tried under anti-terrorism laws and that swift and decisive justice be delivered.
The EVAWG Alliance has also urged the government to enact stricter laws against honor killings, improve enforcement of existing protections for women and bring tribal customs in line with the Constitution of Pakistan.
The Balochistan government has appealed to the public to assist in identifying the perpetrators. “We ask the public to help us trace those responsible and play a constructive social role,” the spokesperson said.
Meanwhile, Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari has strongly condemned the brutal murder of a couple in Balochistan who had married by choice, expressing profound grief and outrage over the incident. A horrifying video of the crime went viral on social media the previous day, further intensifying public shock and sorrow. “Those involved in this heinous murder are nothing less than beasts and deserve no mercy,” he said in a statement on Sunday.
Bilawal Bhutto Zardari expressed the hope that the perpetrators would be swiftly brought to justice. Highlighting the severity of the crime, he stressed that this is a clear act of gender-based terrorism and should serve as a test case for the Balochistan government. Bilawal Bhutto Zardari said that Islam grants women the right to marry by choice, and the Constitution of Pakistan upholds and guarantees this right. He emphasized that the PPP has a clear manifesto of zero tolerance for violence and discrimination against women.
Reassuring women across the country, especially in Balochistan, he affirmed that the party of Shaheed Mohtarma Benazir Bhutto remains steadfast in its commitment to eliminating gender-based injustice, protecting women’s rights, and advancing their welfare and empowerment.
