Brutal Honor Killing in Balochistan: Husband and Pregnant Wife Murdered in Mustung

QUETTA:A tragic honor killing took place in the district of Mastung, Balochistan, where a husband and his pregnant wife were brutally murdered. The incident has sparked widespread outrage and drawn attention to the ongoing issue of honor-based violence in the region.

The case was filed at the Levies police station in Wali Khan, based on the complaint of the victim, Shoaib’s brother. According to Levies officials, the victim’s five brothers have been named as the suspects in the case. Police have launched an intensive search for the perpetrators.

The victims, Shoaib and his wife, Benezir, were invited under the pretense of a gathering by Benezir’s brothers. Shoaib, accompanied by his wife and a brother, traveled from Panjgur to a hotel in Lakpas for an overnight stay. Early the next morning, Benezir’s brothers managed to trace their location, arrived at the hotel, and shot both Shoaib and Benezir dead. After the killings, the suspects fled the scene.

Both victims were in their late twenties—Shoaib hailed from the Chitkan area of Panjgur, and Benezir was from the Hazarganji area of Quetta. Seven years ago, they had entered into a love marriage, which had caused tensions with Benezir’s family. Although there had been a reconciliation between the families recently, this tragedy unfolded despite that.

Benezir, who was five months pregnant, also leaves behind two young children, aged 6 and 3. The Levies have registered the case of murder against Benezir’s brothers and are actively searching for the culprits.

This horrifying incident comes at a time when another honor killing, which occurred a month and a half ago, is also making headlines in Balochistan. The earlier case, where a man and a woman were murdered in front of a crowd, had sparked public outrage after a video of the killing went viral on social media last week.

The recurring nature of these murders highlights the deep-rooted issues of honor-based violence in the region, where the lives of both men and women continue to be taken in the name of family reputation.

Authorities and activists continue to call for more stringent measures to combat such crimes and raise awareness about the harmful practices of honor killings that continue to affect communities.