Killings of Bano Satakzai and Ehsanullah Samalani

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On 4 June 2025, newlyweds Bano Satakzai (b. 1 July 1985) [1] and Ehsanullah Samalani were shot to death in the Sanjidi, Degari area of Balochistan, Pakistan. [2] [3] [4] According to local reports, the couple had recently married against the wishes of their families, and were allegedly killed on the orders of a Sardar (tribal chief). The killings have been described as honour killings. However, other sources claimed that the two were not married. [5] [6]

Contents

Their deaths came to prominence through a viral video, allegedly of the couple's killings, which circulated widely across social media platforms such as X.

Killings

According to local reports, Bano Bibi had married Ahsan Ullah without the permission of her family; [7] [8] media describing the killings as honour killings. [9] [10] [11] The two were invited to a village under the pretext of a meal. Upon arrival, they were told that tribal elders had given them a death sentence, [3] with the killing ordered by Sardar Satakzai, a Sardar (tribal chief). [7] [8] [10] [9]

In the viral video allegedly of the couple's killings, the two were shot by a dirt road, where a group of men had gathered. The woman in the video, wearing a red outfit with brown shawl, is asked to move away from the vehicles. She then tells a man in Brahui, "Come walk seven steps with me, after that you can shoot me;" shortly afterward, she added "you are allowed only to shoot me. Nothing more than that..." [9] to which the men present respond affirmatively. The woman calmly walked a short distance away from the group, before a man says "kill her" and a burst of gunfire occurs. The men also shot at a man, and continued to shoot at both bodies after they fell to the ground. [7] [10]

Investigation

According to Balochistan official Shahid Rind, neither family reported the couple's deaths. [3]

The autopsy of Bano Satakzai and Ehsanullah Samalani revealed that Bano sustained seven gunshot wounds, while Ehsanullah was shot nine times. Both victims succumbed to their injuries at the scene. [4]

As of 21 July, 2025, 13 individuals had been arrested by Pakistani police, with nine other individuals still being searched for. [10] [12]

Reactions

Social media users condemned those who had shot the couple, including celebrities Annural Khalid, Minal Khan, and Hadiqa Kiani. [3] Balochistan Chief Minister Sarfraz Bugti posted on X that "a terrorism case has been registered on behalf of the state, and one suspected killer has been arrested; the law will take its course in this heinous matter!". [3]

See also

References

  1. "بلوچستان میں دوہرے قتل کا معاملہ، دیگاڑی میں غیرت کے نام پر قتل ہونے والی بانو بی بی، ان کے شوہر نور محمد کا شناختی کارڈ اور بچوں کا ب فارم منظر عام پر آگیا" [Double murder in Balochistan: In Degari, identity documents of Bano Bibi, who was killed in the name of honour, along with her husband Noor Muhammad's CNIC and their children's B-form, have surfaced]. Dunya News (in Urdu). 26 July 2025. Retrieved 27 July 2025.
  2. Ullah, Mujeeb (21 July 2025). "BHC takes suo motu notice of couple's honour killing in Quetta". Samaa TV . Retrieved 21 July 2025.
  3. 1 2 3 4 5 "'Killed for loving someone': Gunning down of couple for 'honour' in Balochistan sparks horror and heartbreak". Dawn . 21 July 2025. Retrieved 21 July 2025.
  4. 1 2 Khan, Usman; Ain, Noorul (21 July 2025). "Honour killing victim woman shot 7 times, man 9: Post-mortem reveals". Samaa TV . Retrieved 21 July 2025.
  5. Ahmed, Saleem (22 July 2025). "Pakistan police say tribal chief among 14 arrested over 'honour killing'". Reuters . Retrieved 22 July 2025.
  6. "No marital ties between victims in Quetta honour killing: Bugti". The Nation . 22 July 2025. Retrieved 22 July 2025.
  7. 1 2 3 Kazim, Mohammad (20 July 2025). بلوچستان میں خاتون اور مرد کے قتل کی وائرل ویڈیو: 'سردار نے انھیں قتل کرنے کا فیصلہ سنایا' [Viral video of woman and man’s killing in Balochistan: Tribal chief ordered their execution]. BBC Urdu (in Urdu). Retrieved 21 July 2025.
  8. 1 2 ""Honor killing" of newlywed couple leads to 11 arrests, police in Pakistan say". CBS News . 21 July 2025. Retrieved 21 July 2025.
  9. 1 2 3 Kapoor, Mahima (21 July 2025). "Pakistan: Police arrest suspect in viral honor killing video". Deutsche Welle . Retrieved 21 July 2025.
  10. 1 2 3 4 "Pakistan authorities arrest 11 suspects over 'honour' killing video". The Guardian . 21 July 2025. ISSN   0261-3077 . Retrieved 21 July 2025.
  11. Saifi, Sophia; Khan, Asim; Mogul, Rhea (21 July 2025). "A couple were accused of having an 'illicit' relationship. Their community allegedly shot them dead". CNN. Retrieved 21 July 2025.
  12. Hussain, Abid. "Pakistan arrests 13 suspects as 'honour killing' video goes viral". Al Jazeera . Retrieved 22 July 2025.