Quetta (Web Desk): A married couple was tragically shot dead in Balochistan's Mastung district in what authorities are calling an ‘honour’ killing, allegedly carried out by the woman’s own family.
The incident, which occurred on July 29, adds to a growing list of such crimes reported across Pakistan in recent months.
According to Station House Officer (SHO) Pir Muhammad Alizai, the victims had been married for seven years and were traveling from Panjgur to Lakpass in a pickup vehicle.
The journey had been prompted by an invitation from the woman’s brothers. Upon reaching Noshki Cross early in the morning, around 7am, the couple was ambushed.
The attackers, reportedly the woman’s relatives, arrived on two motorcycles, opened fire using a pistol, and then escaped the scene.
Police stated that the couple had spent the previous night at a hotel near Lakpass. They were accompanied on their journey by their two children and a male relative.
A first information report (FIR) filed at the Wali Khan Levies police station detailed the circumstances and named five individuals as suspects. The charges include Sections 34 (common intention), 302 (premeditated murder), and 354 of the Pakistan Penal Code, which pertains to assault or use of criminal force with intent to outrage a woman’s modesty.
The FIR, registered by the slain husband’s brother, mentioned long-standing animosity and a marriage that reportedly did not have the approval of the woman’s family as the motives behind the murder. Law enforcement officials have initiated efforts to locate and apprehend those responsible.
This case follows closely on the heels of a similar incident in the Degari area of Quetta, where a man and a woman were also killed on the orders of a tribal jirga shortly before Eidul Azha. In that case, at least 14 individuals were arrested in connection with the killings.
A few days later, another shocking act of violence occurred in Quetta, where a man allegedly murdered his daughter and nephew under the guise of preserving family honour.
Authorities continue to investigate these incidents as they draw widespread condemnation from human rights groups and civil society.
In yet another disturbing case reported on July 26, a court in Rawalpindi remanded three suspects into police custody after a newlywed woman was allegedly suffocated to death with a pillow in what was again described as an ‘honour’ killing.
The murder reportedly followed a jirga meeting involving both the woman’s family and her in-laws.
Initially investigated discreetly by the police, the case was later formally registered by the woman’s husband under Section 496A of the Pakistan Penal Code, which deals with fraudulent or coerced marriages.
Despite growing awareness and occasional legal action, ‘honour’ killings remain a grim reality across Pakistan.
Figures compiled by the Human Rights Commission of Pakistan indicate that, between January and November 2024, at least 346 people lost their lives in such crimes. The majority of these cases were recorded in Sindh and Punjab provinces, underscoring the widespread nature of this ongoing human rights crisis.