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ABC News
6 hours ago
- Politics
- ABC News
Viral video of Pakistani 'honour' killing triggers national outrage
A viral video of the "honour killing" of a woman and her lover in a remote part of Pakistan has ignited national outrage, prompting scrutiny of longstanding tribal codes and calls for justice in a country where such killings often pass in silence. While hundreds of so-called honour killings are reported in Pakistan each year, often with little public or legal response, the video of a woman and man accused of adultery being taken to the desert by a group of men to be killed has struck a nerve. The video shows the woman, Bano Bibi, being handed a Koran by a man police identified as her brother. "Come walk seven steps with me. After that you can shoot me," she says, and she walks forward a few steps and stops with her back to the men. The brother, Jalal Satakzai, then shoots her three times and she collapses. Seconds later, he shoots and kills the man, Ehsan Ullah Samalani, whom Bano was accused of having an affair with. Once the video of the killings in Pakistan's Balochistan province went viral, it brought swift government action and condemnation from politicians, rights groups and clerics. Civil rights lawyer Jibran Nasir said, though, the government's response was more about performance than justice. "This isn't a response to a crime. It's a response to a viral moment." Police have arrested 16 people in Balochistan's Nasirabad district, including a tribal chief and the woman's mother. The mother, Gul Jan Bibi, said the killings were carried out by family and local elders based on "centuries-old Baloch traditions", and not on the orders of the tribal chief. "We did not commit any sin," she said in a video statement that also went viral. "Bano and Ehsan were killed according to our customs." She said her daughter, who had three sons and two daughters, had run away with Ehsan and returned after 25 days. Police said Bano's younger brother, who shot the couple, remained at large. Balochistan Chief Minister Sarfraz Bugti said it was a "test" case and vowed to dismantle the illegal tribal courts operating outside the law. Police had earlier said a jirga, an informal tribal council that issued extrajudicial rulings, had ordered the killings. The video sparked online condemnation, with hashtags like #JusticeForCouple and #HonourKilling trending. The Pakistan Ulema Council, a body of religious scholars, called the killings "un-Islamic" and urged terrorism charges against those involved. Dozens of civil society members and rights activists staged a protest on Saturday in the provincial capital Quetta, demanding justice and an end to parallel justice systems. "Virality is a double-edged sword," said Arsalan Khan, a cultural anthropologist and professor who studies gender and masculinity. Pakistan outlawed honour killings in 2016 after the murder of social media star Qandeel Baloch, closing a loophole that allowed perpetrators to go free if they were pardoned by family members. Rights groups say enforcement remains weak, especially in rural areas where tribal councils still hold sway. "In a country where conviction rates often fall to single digits, visibility — and the uproar it brings — has its advantages," constitutional lawyer Asad Rahim Khan said. "It jolts a complacent state that continues to tolerate jirgas in areas beyond its writ." The Human Rights Commission of Pakistan reported at least 405 honour killings in 2024. Most victims are women, often killed by relatives claiming to defend family honour. Mr Khan said rather than enforcing the law, the government had spent the past year weakening the judiciary and even considering reviving jirgas in former tribal areas. "It's executive inaction, most shamefully toward women in Balochistan," he said. Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has in recent months asked senior ministers to evaluate proposals to revive jirgas in Pakistan's former tribal districts, including potential engagement with tribal elders and Afghan authorities. The Prime Minister's Office and Pakistan's information minister did not immediately respond to a request for comment. The Balochistan killings were raised in Pakistan's Senate, where the human rights committee condemned the murders and called for action against those who convened the jirga. Politicians also warned that impunity for parallel justice systems risked encouraging similar violence. Activists and analysts, however, say the outrage is unlikely to be sustained. "There's noise now, but like every time, it will fade," said Jalila Haider, a human rights lawyer in Quetta. "In many areas, there is no writ of law, no enforcement. Only silence." Ms Haider said the killings underscored the state's failure to protect citizens in under-governed regions like Balochistan, where tribal power structures filled the vacuum left by absent courts and police. "It's not enough to just condemn jirgas," she said. Reuters
The Star
7 hours ago
- Politics
- The Star
Viral ‘honour killing' starts ripple effect
A viral video of the 'honour killing' of a woman and her lover in a remote region has ignited national outrage, prompting scrutiny of long-standing tribal codes and calls for justice in a country where such killings often pass in silence. While hundreds of so-called honour killings are reported in Pakistan each year, often with little public or legal response, the video of a woman and man accused of adultery being taken to the desert by a group of men to be killed has struck a nerve. The video shows the woman, Bano Bibi, being handed a Quran by a man identified by police as her brother. 'Come walk seven steps with me. After that, you can shoot me,' she says, before walking forward a few feet and stopping with her back to the men. The brother, Jalal Satakzai, then shoots her three times and she collapses. Seconds later, he shoots and kills the man, Ehsan Ullah Samalani, whom Bano was accused of having an affair with. The virality of the killings in Balochistan province prompted swift government action after. Civil rights lawyer Jibran Nasir said, though, the government's response was more about performance than justice. 'The crime occurred months ago, not in secrecy but near a provincial capital, yet no one acted until 240 million witnessed the killing on camera,' he said. 'This isn't a response to a crime. It's a response to a viral moment.' Police have arrested 16 people in Nasirabad district, including a tribal chief and the woman's mother. The mother, Gul Jan Bibi, said the killings were carried out by family and local elders based on 'centuries-old Baloch traditions', and not on the orders of the tribal chief. 'We did not commit any sin,' she said in a video statement that also went viral. She said her daughter, who had three sons and two daughters, had run away with Ehsan and returned after 25 days. Police said Bano's younger brother, who shot the couple, remains at large. Balochistan Chief Minister Sarfraz Bugti said it was a 'test' case and vowed to dismantle the illegal tribal courts operating outside the law. Police had earlier said a jirga, an informal tribal council that issues extrajudicial rulings, had ordered the killings. The video sparked online condemnation, with hashtags like #JusticeForCouple and #HonourKilling trending. The Pakistan Ulema Council, a body of religious scholars, called the killings 'un-Islamic'. Dozens of civil society members and rights activists staged a protest on Saturday in the provincial capital Quetta, demanding justice and an end to parallel justice systems. Pakistan outlawed honour killings in 2016 after the murder of social media star Qandeel Baloch, closing a loophole that allowed perpetrators to go free if they were pardoned by family members. Rights groups say enforcement remains weak, especially in rural areas where tribal councils still hold sway. 'In a country where conviction rates often fall to single digits, visibility, and the uproar it brings, has its advantages,' said constitutional lawyer Asad Rahim Khan. 'It jolts a complacent state that continues to tolerate jirgas in areas beyond its writ.' Activists and analysts, however, are of the view that the outrage is unlikely to be sustained. 'There's noise now, but like every time, it will fade,' said Jalila Haider, a human rights lawyer in Quetta. 'In many areas, there is no writ of law, no enforcement. Only silence.' Jalila said the killings underscore the state's failure to protect citizens in under-governed regions like Balochistan, where tribal power structures fill the vacuum left by absent courts and police. 'It's not enough to just condemn jirgas,' Haider said. 'The real question is: why does the state allow them to exist in the first place?' — Reuters
Gulf Today
16 hours ago
- Gulf Today
Viral 'honour' killing in southwest Pakistan triggers national outrage
A viral video of the "honour killing" of a woman and her lover in a remote part of Pakistan has ignited national outrage, prompting scrutiny of long-standing tribal codes and calls for justice in a country where such killings often pass in silence. While hundreds of so-called honour killings are reported in Pakistan each year, often with little public or legal response, the video of a woman and man accused of adultery being taken to the desert by a group of men to be killed has struck a nerve. The video shows the woman, Bano Bibi, being handed a copy of the Holy Quran by a man identified by police as her brother. "Come walk seven steps with me, after that you can shoot me," she says, and she walks forward a few feet and stops with her back to the men. The brother, Jalal Satakzai, then shoots her three times and she collapses. Seconds later he shoots and kills the man, Ehsan Ullah Samalani, whom Bano was accused of having an affair with. Once the video of the killings in Pakistan's Balochistan province went viral, it brought swift government action and condemnation from politicians, rights groups and clerics. Civil rights lawyer Jibran Nasir said, though, the government's response was more about performance than justice. "The crime occurred months ago, not in secrecy but near a provincial capital, yet no one acted until 240 million witnessed the killing on camera," he said. "This isn't a response to a crime. It's a response to a viral moment." Police have arrested 16 people in Balochistan's Nasirabad district, including a tribal chief and the woman's mother. Policewomen escort Gul Jan Bibi (C), mother of Bano Bibi, at a local court in Quetta. Reuters The mother, Gul Jan Bibi, said the killings were carried out by family and local elders based on "centuries-old Baloch traditions," and not on the orders of the tribal chief. "We did not commit any sin," she said in a video statement that also went viral. "Bano and Ehsan were killed according to our customs." She said her daughter, who had three sons and two daughters, had run away with Ehsan and returned after 25 days. Police said Bano's younger brother, who shot the couple, remains at large. Balochistan Chief Minister Sarfraz Bugti said it was a "test" case and vowed to dismantle the illegal tribal courts operating outside the law. Police had earlier said a jirga, an informal tribal council that issues extrajudicial rulings, had ordered the killings. #JusticeForCouple The video sparked online condemnation, with hashtags like #JusticeForCouple and #HonourKilling trending. The Pakistan Ulema Council, a body of religious scholars, called the killings "un-Islamic" and urged terrorism charges against those involved. Policemen escort tribal chief Sher Baz Satakzai, accused of ordering deaths of a couple accused of having an affair, at a local court in Quetta. Reuters Dozens of civil society members and rights activists staged a protest on Saturday in the provincial capital Quetta, demanding justice and an end to parallel justice systems. "Virality is a double-edged sword," said Arsalan Khan, a cultural anthropologist and professor who studies gender and masculinity. "It can pressure the state into action, but public spectacle can also serve as a strategy to restore ghairat, or perceived family honour, in the eyes of the community." Pakistan outlawed honour killings in 2016 after the murder of social media star Qandeel Baloch, closing a loophole that allowed perpetrators to go free if they were pardoned by family members. Rights groups say enforcement remains weak, especially in rural areas where tribal councils still hold sway. "In a country where conviction rates often fall to single digits, visibility - and the uproar it brings - has its advantages," said constitutional lawyer Asad Rahim Khan. "It jolts a complacent state that continues to tolerate jirgas in areas beyond its writ." Human rights activists shout slogans during a protest in Quetta against the alleged honour killing of a couple in Margat near Quetta. AFP The Human Rights Commission of Pakistan reported at least 405 honour killings in 2024. Most victims are women, often killed by relatives claiming to defend family honour. Khan said rather than enforcing the law, the government has spent the past year weakening the judiciary and even considering reviving jirgas in former tribal areas. "It's executive inaction, most shamefully toward women in Balochistan," Khan said. Prime Minister Shahbaz Sharif in recent months has asked senior ministers to evaluate proposals to revive jirgas in Pakistan's former tribal districts, including potential engagement with tribal elders and Afghan authorities. The Prime Minister's Office and Pakistan's information minister did not immediately respond to a request for comment. VIRAL AND THEN FORGOTTEN? The Balochistan killings were raised in Pakistan's Senate, where the human rights committee condemned the murders and called for action against those who convened the jirga. Lawmakers also warned that impunity for parallel justice systems risked encouraging similar violence. Activists and analysts, however, say the outrage is unlikely to be sustained. "There's noise now, but like every time, it will fade," said Jalila Haider, a human rights lawyer in Quetta. "In many areas, there is no writ of law, no enforcement. Only silence." Haider said the killings underscore the state's failure to protect citizens in under-governed regions like Balochistan, where tribal power structures fill the vacuum left by absent courts and police. "It's not enough to just condemn jirgas," Haider said. "The real question is: why does the state allow them to exist in the first place?" Reuters
Yahoo
a day ago
- Politics
- Yahoo
Pakistan 'honour killing' video sparks national outrage
A viral video showing the so-called honour killing of a couple accused of having an affair has sparked national outrage in Pakistan. The video shows the woman, Bano Bibi, being handed a Koran by a man police have identified as her brother. "Come walk seven steps with me, after that you can shoot me," she says, before walking forward and coming to a halt with her back to the men. Her brother, Jalal Satakzai, then shoots her three times in the back before she falls to the ground. He then shoots and kills the man Ms Bibi was accused of having an affair with, Ehsan Ullah Samalani. After the video, taken in Pakistan's Balochistan province, went viral, police arrested 16 people, including a tribal chief and the woman's mother. The mother, Gul Jan Bibi, said the killings were carried out by family and local elders based on "centuries-old Baloch traditions" and not on the orders of the tribal chief. "We did not commit any sin," she said in a video that also went viral. "Bano and Ehsan were killed according to our customs." She said her daughter, who had three sons and two daughters of her own, had run away with Mr Samalani and returned 25 days later. Police said Ms Bibi's younger brother, who shot the couple, remains at large. Read more from Sky News:Robbery arrest leads to murder investigation after body found Backlash after viral video The video sparked outrage online, with hashtags such as #JusticeForCouple and #HonourKilling trending. Dozens of activists protested in the provincial capital of Quetta on Saturday to demand an end to parallel justice systems. Balochistan's chief minister Sarfraz Bugti said it was a "test" case and vowed to dismantle the illegal tribal courts operating outside the law. Police had said a jirga, an informal tribal council which issues extrajudicial rulings, had ordered the killings. While honour killings in Pakistan were made illegal in 2016, the Human Rights Commission of Pakistan reported at least 405 in 2024, most of them women killed by relatives claiming to defend family honour.
Sky News
a day ago
- Politics
- Sky News
Pakistan 'honour killing' video sparks national outrage
A viral video showing the so-called honour killing of a couple accused of having an affair has sparked national outrage in Pakistan. The video shows the woman, Bano Bibi, being handed a Koran by a man police have identified as her brother. "Come walk seven steps with me, after that you can shoot me," she says, before walking forward and coming to a halt with her back to the men. Her brother, Jalal Satakzai, then shoots her three times in the back before she falls to the ground. He then shoots and kills the man Ms Bibi was accused of having an affair with, Ehsan Ullah Samalani. After the video, taken in Pakistan's Balochistan province, went viral, police arrested 16 people, including a tribal chief and the woman's mother. The mother, Gul Jan Bibi, said the killings were carried out by family and local elders based on "centuries-old Baloch traditions" and not on the orders of the tribal chief. "We did not commit any sin," she said in a video that also went viral. "Bano and Ehsan were killed according to our customs." She said her daughter, who had three sons and two daughters of her own, had run away with Mr Samalani and returned 25 days later. Police said Ms Bibi's younger brother, who shot the couple, remains at large. Backlash after viral video The video sparked outrage online, with hashtags such as #JusticeForCouple and #HonourKilling trending. Dozens of activists protested in the provincial capital of Quetta on Saturday to demand an end to parallel justice systems. Balochistan's chief minister Sarfraz Bugti said it was a "test" case and vowed to dismantle the illegal tribal courts operating outside the law. Police had said a jirga, an informal tribal council which issues extrajudicial rulings, had ordered the killings. While honour killings in Pakistan were made illegal in 2016, the Human Rights Commission of Pakistan reported at least 405 in 2024, most of them women killed by relatives claiming to defend family honour.
