An Anti-Terrorism Court (ATC) in Quetta on Wednesday extended the physical remand of tribal leader Sardar Sherbaz by 10 days. This extension is in connection with the brutal killing of a couple, allegedly for “honor,” ahead of Eid ul Adha. Police identified the victims as Bano Bibi and Ehsan Ullah, who were reportedly shot dead on the orders of a local tribal jirga in Dagari, on the outskirts of the provincial capital.
The incident drew widespread attention and outrage across Pakistan last week after a video circulating on social media depicted the couple being fatally shot in Dagari. Sherbaz was brought before the court today following the completion of his initial two-day remand. During the hearing, the police requested additional time for further interrogation, which the court granted, handing him over to the Serious Crimes Investigation Wing (SCIW).
According to post-mortem examinations, the woman sustained seven gunshot wounds, while the man was shot nine times. The autopsies were conducted at the Dagari coal mine graveyard. A case was also registered against the suspects based on a state complaint at Quetta’s Hanna-Urak Police Station. The First Information Report (FIR) indicates the case was filed under Sections 302 (murder), 149 (unlawful assembly), 148 (rioting while armed with a deadly weapon), and 147 (rioting) of the Pakistan Penal Code, in addition to the Anti-Terrorism Act, 1997.
Two days prior, Balochistan Chief Minister Sarfraz Bugti confirmed at a press conference that 11 suspects had been arrested in the case, with ongoing raids to apprehend others. He vowed that no accused individual would be spared, clarifying that the man and woman were not married to each other and each had five to six children. Bugti assured the public that the state stands with the victims and is committed to ensuring justice through due legal processes. He also stated that action was initiated even before the video went viral, noting that the concerned DSP had already been suspended.
A day earlier, the Balochistan Assembly unanimously passed a joint resolution condemning the murder of the man and woman in the Digari area, near Quetta, purportedly carried out in the name of “honor.” The resolution was presented by Deputy Speaker Ghazala Gola on behalf of the members of the Women Parliamentary Caucus, including provincial ministers and assembly members such as Raheela Hameed Khan Durrani, Dr. Rubaba Khan Buledi, Shahnaz Umrani, Shahida Rauf, Farah Azeem Shah, Salma Bibi, Umm-e-Kulsoom, and Safia Bibi, as reported by The News.
The resolution denounced the tragic incident as a horrifying illustration of the continued misuse of the concept of “honor” to justify the killing of innocent individuals, particularly women. It asserted that “Such acts are not only condemnable and shameful but also an assault on the peace and stability of society as a whole.” The resolution further emphasized that honor killings bear no connection to Baloch cultural values, provincial or national traditions, or any religious or moral principles, deeming them entirely inhumane and contrary to both legal and ethical standards.
