LAHORE: The Women’s Action Forum (WAF) announced in a statement to the Press on Tuesday that it strongly condemned the Jirga Execution in Balochistan July 22, 2025 of a woman and a man on the pretext of honour.
The WAF press release read, “A video currently circulating on social media shows an incident which reportedly took place in Balochistan, where a young woman surrounded by a group of men is seemingly executed. It is alleged that this heinous crime was the decision of a local jirga that disagreed with the couple marrying of their own choice and therefore against local custom, despite there being no restriction in either religion or law. It is alleged that the incident took place around Eid Ul Adha, and was known to regional authorities, however the video has surfaced recently.
“This raises concerns about whether regional authorities were aware of this situation and if so what measures were taken at the time to ensure that the perpetrators were held accountable? Despite the enactment of the Criminal Law (Amendment) (Offences in the Name or Pretext of Honour) Act, 2016, which reformed the Pakistan Penal Code to ensure that such crimes are not left unpunished, including by removing the possibility of pardons by the family or wali, reports of honour-based killings continue to surface.”
Hence, the WAF statement said, WAF calls for an immediate investigation by the Government of Pakistan, the Government of Balochistan and the police and the prompt arrest of all individuals complicit to this killing. The statement said that although one arrest seemed to have been made, several other individuals clearly identifiable in the video, appear to still be at large.
The WAF called for the disbanding of jirgas, justice for the victims of the crime, an independent inquiry or court-appointed body to look into if there was a delay on the part of the regional authorities such as police and provincial government and if so, why action was not taken earlier.
