Pakistani tribal leader granted bail in Degari honor killing case
Sardar Sherbaz Satakzai is accused of allegedly ordering deaths of couple over extramarital relationship
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The incident took place in Dagari, a coal-mining area in Quetta district.
Armed men shot victims multiple times in remote desert area in June
Honor killings of women in Pakistan rose from 226 in 2023 to 405 in 2024
Police arrested 11 suspects in investigation under anti-terror laws
A Pakistani tribal leader accused of ordering the execution of a young couple in an honor killing was granted bail Monday by a high court in Balochistan province in a case that has drawn international condemnation.
The Balochistan High Court approved the bail application of Sardar Sherbaz Satakzai and set his bond at PKR 1.5 million. The ruling came after lower courts had repeatedly rejected Satakzai's bail requests since his arrest in July.
Satakzai, a prominent tribal elder, is accused of presiding over a traditional council that ordered the deaths of Bano Bibi and Ehsan Samalani in June. The couple was allegedly killed for having an extramarital relationship.
The case gained worldwide attention a month later, after a disturbing video surfaced on social media in late July showing armed men forcing the couple from vehicles in a remote desert area before shooting them dead. The footage, which sparked outrage across Pakistan and internationally, showed more than a dozen men participating in the execution.
Police have arrested at least 11 suspects in connection with the murders, including members of the woman's own family. The victim's mother, arrested among the suspects, had defended the killings in a viral video statement, saying they "had to be done" to "cleanse our family's honor."
Persistent problem
Honor killings remain a persistent problem in Pakistan. The independent Human Rights Commission of Pakistan documented 405 such killings of women in 2024, a significant increase from 226 in 2023.
Balochistan Chief Minister Sarfraz Bugti had previously condemned the killings as "heinous" and ordered a comprehensive investigation. The case was registered under Pakistan's murder statutes as well as anti-terrorism laws, reflecting the gravity of the charges.
Police have arrested at least 11 suspects in connection with the murders, including members of the woman's own family. The case remains under investigation by the Serious Crimes Investigation Wing as prosecutors prepare for trial proceedings.
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