Pakistan has detained 11 individuals after a video surfaced online showing a man and a woman being killed for marrying against their families' wishes—a so-called "honor" killing, officials confirmed.
The couple, whose identities were not disclosed, were killed last month on the orders of a local tribal council in Pakistan’s southwestern Balochistan province, according to authorities who launched an investigation following the video's spread.
Eleven suspects have been taken into custody, said Sarfraz Bugti, the provincial chief minister, in a statement issued Monday shortly after confirming the identities of those in the footage.
An official case has been filed against all involved, and legal action will be pursued, Bugti added. The video depicts individuals in a desert setting, along with pickup trucks and SUVs that seemingly transported them there. The woman is handed a copy of the Qur’an, after which she tells a man, "Walk seven steps with me, then you may shoot me."
The man follows her briefly. A local police officer noted that the woman showed no fear or plea for mercy.
"Only shoot me. Nothing more," she says in the Brahavi language, as translated by the officer.
Her meaning behind "nothing more" was unclear. The man then points a gun at her as she turns away.
Wrapped in a shawl, the woman stands motionless while shots ring out. She remains on her feet after the first two shots but falls after the third.
Additional gunfire follows. The footage later shows a man lying wounded near her body before others fire at both victims.
The authenticity of the video could not be independently confirmed.
A rights organization reported at least 405 such killings in 2024, condemning authorities for not preventing these crimes. Most victims are women, often targeted by relatives claiming to protect family honor, according to rights groups.
In parts of Pakistan and India, conservative families frequently oppose marriages that go against their wishes.
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