In the later hours of Sunday, July 20, 2025, a horrifying video took the internet by storm, depicting the brutal execution of a young couple in Balochistan following a jirga’s decision, citing the reason behind the barbaric murder to be the couple’s decision to enter into a love marriage, against the customs of their tribe. The incident, which occurred in a remote area of the province around Eid al-Azha earlier in 2025, has ignited nationwide outrage and renewed calls for action against so-called “honour” killings.
The viral video, widely circulated online, shows a couple being led to a deserted mountainous area before being gunned down in cold blood. The incident is believed to have taken place in the mountainous regions of Marwar or Degari, where tribal customs often supersede formal law.
Balochistan Chief Minister Sarfraz Bugti swiftly responded, ordering a thorough investigation and the immediate arrest of those involved. In a statement posted on X, Bugti confirmed that a terrorism case has been registered on behalf of the state, with one suspect already in custody and raids ongoing to apprehend others. “The law will take its course in this heinous matter,” he declared, emphasizing that “no one will be allowed to take the law into their own hands.”
Balochistan government spokesperson Shahid Rind echoed this, calling the act “inhumane” and a “grave insult to societal values,” while assuring that the government is using data from the National Database and Registration Authority (NADRA) to identify the perpetrators.
The incident has drawn widespread condemnation from political leaders, human rights advocates, and civil society. Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari labeled the perpetrators “beasts” and described the killing as “gender-based terrorism,” stressing that Islam and Pakistan’s Constitution guarantee the right to marry by choice.
Defense Minister Khawaja Asif urged Balochistan’s people to challenge the “unjust system” of tribal justice, while the Pakistan Ulema Council and the Supreme Court Bar Association condemned the act as un-Islamic and unconstitutional. The Human Rights Council of Balochistan (HRCB) noted that this case is part of a broader pattern, with over 143 honor killings documented in the province since 2018, predominantly targeting women.
The incident has sparked an outcry, with the public demanding justice be served. This serves as another tragic reminder in the pervasive nature of honor killings in Pakistan and how there are systems that not only endorse it but also play an active hand in its prevalence.
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