Quetta, July 21, 2025: A judicial magistrate in Quetta on Monday ordered the exhumation of a woman’s body who was allegedly killed in the name of so-called honour in Dagari, a locality on the outskirts of the Balochistan capital.
The woman and a man, whose identities have not yet been confirmed, were reportedly executed last month on the orders of a local tribal jirga. The case gained national outrage after a harrowing video went viral on social media, showing a group of armed men forcing a couple out of a vehicle and escorting them into a barren desert area where they were shot at point-blank range.
In response, Balochistan Chief Minister Sarfraz Bugti swiftly took notice of the incident. In a post on X, he announced that a case had been registered under terrorism charges and that 11 suspects had been arrested. He affirmed that the state would ensure justice and that an ongoing operation aimed to apprehend all those involved. “The state stands with the oppressed,” he declared.
On Monday, police announced the arrest of two more suspects, including the alleged prime accused. A First Information Report (FIR) has been lodged at the Hanna-Urak Police Station on the state’s behalf, citing Sections 302 (murder), 149 (unlawful assembly), 148 (rioting with deadly weapons), 147 (rioting) of the Pakistan Penal Code, along with relevant sections of the Anti-Terrorism Act, 1997.
Furthermore, a local court in Quetta remanded suspect Sardar Sherbaz Khan to the Serious Crime Investigation Wing for one day of physical custody for further interrogation.
In a parallel development, the Balochistan High Court (BHC) Chief Justice has taken suo motu notice of the killings and summoned the additional chief secretary (Home) and the Inspector General of Police, Balochistan, for a hearing scheduled for Tuesday.
Speaking at a press conference, CM Sarfraz Bugti called the incident a “test case” for his government, vowing to pursue the matter with full resolve and without political or tribal bias.
“I will not tolerate victim-blaming. All our sympathies lie with the victims,” he stated, adding that he had taken action even before the disturbing footage surfaced online.
Addressing the public perception that the victims were newlyweds, CM Bugti clarified: “Contrary to social media claims, the two were not married. In fact, the woman was the mother of five children.”
He also condemned the role of illegal tribal jirgas in enforcing extrajudicial decisions. “There are many such jirgas operating, but the government will not support any parallel justice system. We must uphold the Constitution.”
The tragic murders in Dagari have added to a disturbing trend of gender-based violence in Pakistan. According to the Sustainable Social Development Organisation (SSDO)’s 2024 report “Mapping Gender-Based Violence in Pakistan”, there were 547 reported cases of honour killings last year, alongside 2,238 incidents of domestic violence and 5,339 rape cases. Alarmingly, conviction rates for these crimes remained below 2%.
From January to November 2024 alone, 346 people lost their lives to so-called honour-based violence. The previous years show a similar upward trajectory, with 490 honour killings recorded in 2023 and 590 in 2022.
