A local court in Quetta has ordered the exhumation of a woman’s body in a chilling case of suspected ‘honour’ killing that shocked Balochistan last month.
The unidentified woman and a man were brutally shot dead on the orders of a tribal jirga. The crime drew national outrage after a disturbing video surfaced online, showing armed men dragging the couple from a vehicle into a deserted area before executing them at close range.
The exhumation is being carried out under the supervision of a judicial magistrate as part of the investigation.
Balochistan Chief Minister Sarfraz Bugti took immediate notice of the case, announcing on social media that terrorism charges had been filed and 11 suspects arrested. Police confirmed two more arrests on Monday, including the prime suspect. A state-led FIR has been registered under multiple sections of the Pakistan Penal Code, including murder, rioting, and provisions of the Anti-Terrorism Act.
The prime suspect, Sardar Sherbaz Khan, has been handed over to the Serious Crime Investigation Wing on a one-day physical remand for further questioning.
Meanwhile, the Balochistan High Court chief justice has summoned the province’s additional chief secretary (Home) and inspector general of police for a hearing on the matter.
Balochistan government spokesperson Shahid Rind said both families had remained silent over the killings, forcing the state to become the complainant. He revealed that authorities were working with Nadra and the excise department to trace the suspects seen in the viral video and identify their networks, though details were being withheld for strategic reasons.
This latest case highlights the persistence of ‘honour’ crimes in Pakistan. According to the Sustainable Social Development Organisation’s 2024 report, 547 incidents of honour killings were recorded nationwide last year, with conviction rates remaining below 2%.
Despite public outrage and legal reforms, hundreds of women continue to lose their lives each year to this brutal practice.
