QUETTA – The latest case of honor killing was reported from Degari area of Balochistan, where Baloch woman and man were brutally murdered after reportedly living together for four months without marriage. The incident raised serious concerns about tribal justice and the absence of law enforcement in the region.
Days after reporting of this case, senior journalist Irshad Bhatti said victims Bano and Ehsan, belonged to the Satakzai and Smalani tribes. Both were Baloch and spoke the Brahui language. Bano, a mother of five, had returned to her first husband after living with Ehsan for four months. The man around 50 years old and also had five children.
Bhatti quoting his sources said Ehsan went into hiding after woman’s return to first husband. As he came back, members of Bano’s family, enraged by what they deemed a dishonor to their tribe, allegedly prepared to carry out a revenge killing. Ehsan sought refuge with the Satakzai tribal chieftain, who initially provided protection but later gave in to pressure from the woman’s relatives.
A tribal jirga was reportedly held, during which it was decided that both Bano and Ehsan must be executed. They were each accused of violating tribal and cultural norms by cohabiting without marriage.
Bano was shot seven times, including in the head, while Ehsan was shot nine times in the chest and stomach. The woman was allegedly killed by her own family members brothers, uncles, nephews, and cousins. “This was a collective execution under tribal orders,” Bhatti said.
No one from the community has come forward to register a First Information Report (FIR), leaving the state as the only complainant in the case. When police attempted to arrest suspects, they reportedly encountered resistance from women belonging to both tribes, who hurled stones at law enforcement and expressed support for the killings.
