A shocking video showing the brutal honour killing of a couple in Balochistan’s Dagari area has triggered national outrage and forced authorities to act swiftly. The footage showed a woman, Bano Bibi, calmly walking before being shot by her brother, followed by the killing of her partner, Ehsan Ullah Samalani. Both were accused of having an affair and were reportedly executed following an order by a tribal jirga.
کل سوشل میڈیا پر خاتون اور مرد کے قتل کی وائرل ویڈیو کا فوری نوٹس لیتے ہوئے بلوچستان پولیس کو کاروائی کے احکامات جاری کئے تھے۔ ویڈیو میں مقتولین کی شناخت ہو چکی ہے، واقعہ عید سے چند دن قبل کا ہے۔ ریاست کی مدعیت میں دہشت گردی کا مقدمہ درج اور ایک مشتبہ قاتل گرفتار ہو چکا ہے، قانون…
— Sarfraz Bugti (@PakSarfrazbugti) July 20, 2025
The horrifying video spread rapidly online, leading to widespread condemnation from politicians, civil society, and religious scholars. The Pakistan Ulema Council declared the act un-Islamic, while hashtags like #JusticeForCouple and #HonourKilling trended across social media. In response, the police arrested 16 people, including a tribal chief and the woman’s mother, though the shooter—Bano’s younger brother—remains at large.
وزیراعظم محمد شہباز شریف سے مولانا فضل الرحمان کی سربراہی میں قبائلی عمائدین کے وفد کی ملاقات۔ جرگے میں خیبرپختونخوا کےضم شدہ اضلاع میں امن عامہ کی صورتحال بہتر بنانے اور ان علاقوں کی تعمیر و ترقی کے حوالے سے تفصیلی بات چیت۔
“پاکستان کی سیکیورٹی فورسز، قانون نافذ کرنے والے ادارے… pic.twitter.com/s1CB4gSzur
— Government of Pakistan (@GovtofPakistan) July 24, 2025
Civil rights activists claim the government’s action was delayed and only came after public pressure. Lawyer Jibran Nasir criticized authorities for responding to a viral video instead of the actual crime, which happened months ago near a provincial capital. He emphasized that it was a reaction to social media uproar, not a commitment to justice.
Balochistan Chief Minister Sarfraz Bugti called the case a “test” for law enforcement and vowed to dismantle illegal tribal courts. However, many experts argue that unless the government takes long-term action against jirgas and strengthens rural law enforcement, such killings will continue unchecked. The Human Rights Commission of Pakistan reported at least 405 honour killings in 2024 alone.
The House strongly and unequivocally condemns the heinous incident wherein a woman and man were publicly and illegally executed in broad daylight, following a so-called jirga decision.@appcsocialmedia @PTVNewsOfficial @ForeignOfficePk pic.twitter.com/DM8E7nFdIh
— ꜱᴇɴᴀᴛᴇ ᴏꜰ ᴘᴀᴋɪꜱᴛᴀɴ (@SenatePakistan) July 24, 2025
Despite temporary protests and Senate discussions, activists remain doubtful that lasting change will follow. Human rights lawyer Jalila Haider warned that attention will likely fade, just like in past cases. She added that in many parts of Pakistan, especially Balochistan, there is still no rule of law—only silence.