QUETTA: Balochistan Chief Minister Sarfaraz Bugti has said that the couple killed in the recent incident of so-called honor killing in Degari were not married, as per the report.
Speaking during a press conference, Bugti said it was important to present the facts clearly and condemned any attempt to blame the victims.
He shared that the woman who lost her life was already married and the mother of five children.
Calling the act “murder and barbarity,” he expressed his full support for the victims and stressed that the government stands with those who have been wronged.
Bugti mentioned that officials were already aware of the incident before it spread on social media through a viral video, and action was taken immediately.
He instructed the Inspector General of Police in Balochistan to respond to the case without delay. One tribal elder has been taken into custody, and search operations are ongoing to arrest others involved.
However, both families in the case are hesitant to file a police report, which is creating complications in moving forward legally.
A local Deputy Superintendent of Police has also been suspended in connection with the incident.
The chief minister strongly denounced illegal tribal councils, or jirgas, which carry out such killings. He said the government is responsible for stopping them and has acted against them in the past as well.
Bugti made it clear that the government will not support any jirga and will follow the law and the constitution to ensure justice is done.
He pointed out that tracking down suspects is proving difficult, as many men from the village have escaped, and police are being met with resistance during raids, including stone-pelting by women.
Calling the case a “test case” for justice, Bugti said he is taking it seriously under the instructions of PPP Chairman Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari.
He added that quick action helped prevent the situation from turning into a larger tribal clash. “Where 100 murders could have happened, only two occurred, though even these should not have happened,” he said.
The chief minister also acknowledged the difficulties of law enforcement in Balochistan’s tribal society, where weapons are common and tribal customs remain strong.
Meanwhile, the Chief Justice of the Balochistan High Court, Justice Rozi Khan, has taken notice of the killings and summoned the Additional Chief Secretary for Home Affairs and the Inspector General of Police on July 22 to explain the incident.
The brutal murders were caught on camera and the disturbing footage has gone viral on social media. The video, reportedly filmed during Eid al-Adha, shows armed men executing a man and a woman in a remote desert area of Balochistan.
So far, eleven people have been arrested, including the head of the Satakzai tribe. Their arrests were confirmed by CM Bugti through a post on platform X, where he also reaffirmed that operations are progressing effectively and that the government will continue to stand by the victims.
As part of this crackdown, police raided the Satakzai residence and took tribal chief Sardar Sherbaz Satakzai into custody.
However, his arrest has sparked criticism from Sarawan tribal leaders, who argue that targeting a tribal leader over the incident is unjust and inappropriate.