Killed for Marrying Against Family's Wishes
Suspect Arrested... Investigation Expands
A video showing a young couple in Pakistan being subjected to so-called "honor killing" for marrying against their family's wishes has spread online, prompting authorities to launch an investigation.
On July 21 (local time), Yonhap News, citing Reuters and dpa, reported that authorities in Balochistan Province, southwestern Pakistan, had arrested one suspect in connection with the case the previous day and were investigating all other individuals involved. The suspects are accused of fatally shooting the couple last month in Balochistan, allegedly following an order from a local traditional tribal council (jirga).
A video showing a young couple being murdered in Pakistan for marrying out of love has spread online. Photo by Yonhap News
In Pakistan, honor killings occur when family members are murdered for reasons such as "bringing shame to the family." The video that has spread on social networking services (SNS) shows the young couple being killed. In the footage, more than ten men are seen riding in pickup trucks, dragging the couple into the desert, and killing them. The video is believed to have been filmed by the perpetrators themselves.
Khawaja Asif, Pakistan's Minister of Defense, shared the video on his X (formerly Twitter) account, stating, "They had been hiding for a year and a half after marrying for love, but were eventually discovered." He added that the jirga tricked the couple into returning and then sentenced them to death.
The provincial government announced that the location shown in the video, as well as the tribes and individuals involved, had been identified. Police have reportedly launched a search operation to apprehend the suspects. Sarfraz Bugti, Governor of Balochistan, said in a statement, "The case has been registered under anti-terrorism laws and a suspect has been arrested," adding, "We will handle this heinous crime in accordance with the law."
Honor killings mainly occur in parts of the Islamic world, including South Asia (such as Pakistan and India), the Middle East, and North Africa. In particular, Pakistan is known to have the highest per capita rate of honor killings as of 2018. According to the Human Rights Commission of Pakistan (HRCP), at least 405 confirmed cases of honor killings occurred in Pakistan last year alone. The vast majority of victims are women, with around 1,000 women killed each year in such crimes.
In 2016, the Pakistani government amended the law to mandate a minimum sentence of 25 years in prison for those convicted of honor killings. The government also partially abolished the exception that allowed perpetrators to go unpunished if the victim's family forgave them, thereby strengthening penalties. However, honor killings have not been eradicated.
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