A disturbing video showing a young couple being shot dead in Pakistan is going viral. As per the authorities, this is a case of ‘honor killing’; the newlyweds were killed for marrying without family’s approval. The video is being widely circulated and has caused an uproar in the country.
Pakistan police have arrested 11 suspects in relation to the case. As per the local police, no family members came forward to report the incident. The couple has been identified as Bano Bibi and Ahsan Ullah, and the police also released names of some suspects.
The viral video was viewed by The Associated Press and the police confirmed the authenticity of the footage. The killings happened in the Deghari district in the province of Balochistan, said Chief Minister Sarfraz Bugti. The video shows a man killing the young couple at close range in daylight in the presence of several onlookers.
In the video, several men arrive in pickup trucks in a mountainous region, and a young woman, speaking the local language, says she is legally married. “Come, walk seven steps with me, and then you can only shoot me,” she was quoted by AP as saying. However, her context was not clear.
The footage further shows a man following the woman and he shoots her three times before she collapses on the ground. He then shoots and kills her husband before another man takes out a gun and joins him in shooting the groom. The video ends with both victims lying bloodied on the ground.
The incident has caused a stir in the country as ‘honor killing’ cases are still common in Pakistan. After the video went viral, activists’ demands for justice and a stop to so-called honor killings have amplified.
