Honor Killing - Sheetal & Zarak

 Incident Overview

 Honor Killing - Sheetal & Zarak

In Balochistan, near Quetta, a tragic incident occurred around June 14, 2025, where a couple, reportedly Bano Bibi and Ehsan Ullah, were allegedly killed in what appears to be an honour killing. They had married without their families' consent, and the execution was ordered by local tribal leader Sardar Sher Baz Khan. A viral video of the incident, showing the couple being shot in a deserted area, sparked widespread condemnation and led to official action.

Arrests and Legal Actions
Honor Killing - Sheetal & Zarak

 The video's circulation, Pakistani  arrested 20 individuals, including the main suspect Bashir Ahmad and Sardar Sher Baz Khan, along with his four brothers, two guards, and others. The case was registered under the Anti-Terrorism Act and Section 302 PPC, with Chief Minister Sarfraz Bugti stating that the law would take its course. However, Bano’s brother remains at large, and more arrests are expected.

Broader Context
Honor Killing - Sheetal & Zarak

Honour killings remain a significant issue in Pakistan, with reports indicating at least 547 cases in 2024, mostly targeting women. In Balochistan alone, 32 such killings were reported, but only one conviction was made, highlighting enforcement challenges. This incident underscores the tension between tribal customs and state law, especially in remote areas.

Comprehensive Report on the Honour Killing in Balochistan, Pakistan
Honor Killing - Sheetal & Zarak

This report provides a detailed examination of the recent honour killing in Balochistan, Pakistan, involving a couple allegedly killed due to their love marriage. The incident, reported around June 14, 2025, and gaining attention through a viral video, highlights significant cultural, legal, and social dynamics. The following sections detail the incident, its context, and underlying factors, drawing from multiple news sources and public reactions as of July 22, 2025.

Incident
Honor Killing - Sheetal & Zarak

The incident occurred in Balochistan, near Quetta, likely on June 14, 2025, involving the alleged execution of a married couple. According to Ummat News, the victims were identified as Bano Bibi and her husband Ehsan Ullah. However, social media posts mentioned names like "Sheetal and Zarak," suggesting possible discrepancies or aliases, which remain unconfirmed. The couple was accused of having an “immoral relationship” by a local tribal leader, Sardar Sher Baz Khan, despite being legally married, indicating their marriage was likely a love marriage without family consent.

The execution was carried out in a deserted area, with a graphic video circulating online showing the couple being shot dead. Reuters provided additional details, noting the video depicted the woman holding a Koran and making statements before her death, with her last words translated as, "Come walk seven steps with me, after that you can shoot me," and "You are allowed only to fire at me, nothing more than that." This suggests she was aware of her fate and attempted to assert some agency, a poignant detail reflecting the brutality of the act. The video, in the Brahavi language, went viral, sparking national and international outrage.

Fact Check

CM Balochistan Sarfaraz Bugti has said that there was no marital relationship between the victims killed in Balochistan. They were not newly married couple. Actually both were having 4,5 kids already from other partners. While holding a press conference in Quetta, he said that whoever is involved in this case will be arrested.

Official Response and Arrests
Honor Killing - Sheetal & Zarak

Following the video's circulation, Pakistani authorities took action, with arrests beginning shortly after. Initially, one suspect was arrested, as reported by @arabnewspk on X on July 20, 2025, but the number increased to at least 20, with Ummat News reporting 20 arrests by July 21, 2025, including Sardar Sher Baz Khan. Balochistan’s chief minister, Sarfraz Bugti, announced the arrests and case registration, calling the incident "intolerable" and a "blatant violation of social values and human dignity." Police official Syed Suboor Agha indicated more arrests were expected, with Bano’s brother, also implicated, still at large, suggesting the full extent of the conspiracy is yet to be uncovered.

The case was registered under the Anti-Terrorism Act and Section 302 PPC, with a team sent for exhumation to determine the number of bullets and age of the incident. The postmortem report revealed the woman was shot seven times and the man nine times, with their ages estimated at 37-38 and 35-36, respectively, as per Dawn.com.

Cultural and Tribal Context

The incident underscores the significant influence of tribal customs in Balochistan, where tribal leaders like Sardar Sher Baz Khan hold authority often above state law. Harris Khalique of the HRCP described such killings as confirming the “tyranny of medieval practices,” criticizing the state for protecting tribal chiefs and feudal lords. Sammi Deen Baloch, a women’s rights activist, noted that women in Balochistan are routinely murdered, trapped between tribal patriarchy and state repression, and suggested the government acted only due to the viral video, highlighting a reactive rather than proactive approach.

The concept of “honour” in this context is tied to controlling women’s autonomy, particularly in marriage. The couple’s marriage without family consent was seen as a breach of family honour, even though legally valid, reflecting rigid social norms where love marriages are often stigmatized.

Statistical Context and Legal Framework

Honour killings remain a pervasive issue in Pakistan, with significant statistics underscoring the scale of the problem. The SSDO reported 32,000 gender-based violence cases in 2024, including 547 honour killings, with 32 in Balochistan and only one conviction, indicating a severe lack of justice. CNN cited HRCP statistics from the previous year, reporting 335 women and 119 men killed in honour killings, while Reuters mentioned at least 405 in 2024, mostly women, killed by relatives for family reputation. These figures highlight the challenge of enforcement, especially in remote areas.

Legally, Pakistan adopted a new law in 2016 to tackle honour killings, making them punishable by life imprisonment, as noted in a CNN article from that year. However, enforcement remains weak, particularly in regions like Balochistan, where tribal authority often overrides state law, contributing to low conviction rates.

Public Reaction and Social Media Insights
Honor Killing - Sheetal & Zarak 

The viral video led to widespread public outrage, reflected in social media posts on X. @bilalfqi expressed shame over the brutality, stating, "There is no honour in this" while @InsidersKing highlighted Sheetal’s last words, “Only shooting is allowed,” exposing societal brutality. @NobitaxShezuka mourned the couple, noting they were killed for choosing to marry by choice, reflecting public empathy. However, discrepancies in victim names on social media, such as “Sheetal and Zarak” versus “Bano Bibi and Ehsan Ullah,” suggest potential misinformation, with news reports providing the latter as the likely accurate names.

Human Rights Organizations' Response

The National Commission on the Status of Women (NCSW) strongly condemned the incident, with Chairperson Ume Laila Azhar calling it a grave violation of human rights and demanding swift and strict action against the perpetrators. The NCSW reiterated its commitment to advocating for women’s rights and safety, urging all stakeholders to join in condemning such barbaric acts, as reported by The Nation on July 22, 2025.

Hidden Truths and Underlying Factors

Several hidden truths emerge from this incident, revealing deeper systemic issues:

Tribal Power Dynamics: The involvement of Sardar Sher Baz Khan indicates the significant influence of tribal leaders, often protected by the state, allowing such practices to persist.

State Complicity: The delay between the incident in June and arrests in July suggests initial reluctance by authorities, possibly due to tribal influence, with action prompted only by public pressure.

Cultural Norms: The couple’s marriage without consent highlights the severe restrictions on women’s autonomy, where family honour is prioritized over individual rights, leading to such extreme measures.

Role of Social Media: The viral video’s role in prompting action suggests that without public exposure, many such incidents might go unaddressed, pointing to a reliance on media rather than systemic reform.

Low Conviction Rates: The statistic of only one conviction in Balochistan for 32 honour killings in 2024 indicates a systemic failure in delivering justice, emboldening perpetrators.

For further reading, see:

Al Jazeera: Pakistan arrests over a dozen suspects as ‘honour killing’ video goes viral

CNN: A couple were accused of having an ‘illicit’ relationship. Their alleged ‘honor killing’ was caught on video

Reuters: Pakistan arrests suspect after viral video of couple shot dead in name of ‘honour’

Ummat News: Quetta: 20 people arrested for killing a couple over an arranged marriage

The Nation: NCSW strongly condemns Balochistan honour killing incident