QUETTA: Balochistan Chief Minister Sarfraz Bugti has directed authorities concerned to launch an investigation into a video circulating on social media that allegedly shows the killing of a man and a woman.
According to a statement issued by the provincial government on Sunday, the chief minister has also ordered the prompt arrest of all individuals involved in the incident.
Authorities have yet to confirm the authenticity of the video, which has drawn public concern and widespread reaction online.
Balochistan government spokesperson Shahid Rind, quoting the chief minister, described the act as “barbaric” and said it would not be tolerated under any circumstances.
“No one will be allowed to take the law into their own hands,” Rind added, reaffirming the government’s commitment to uphold justice.
While many users on social media have claimed the killings were carried out in the name of honour, the authenticity of the video and the details of the incident have yet to be independently verified.
In Pakistan, ‘honour’ killings continued to claim the lives of women throughout 2024.
According to the Sustainable Social Development Organisation (SSDO) 2024 report ‘Mapping Gender-Based Violence (GBV) in Pakistan’, 2,238 cases of domestic violence, 547 cases of honour killings and 5,339 cases of rape were reported across the country, while conviction rates stood below 2% for each of these crimes.
From January to November, a total of 346 people fell victim to ‘honour’ crimes in the country. The previous two years also saw a consistent rise in murders related to the so-called ‘honour’.
In 2023, the country saw a total of 490 ‘honour’ killing incidents taking place, while in 2022, as many as 590 people lost their lives to ‘honour’ killing.
