Land of Balochistan: I saw some SUVs stop on barren land, and the winds of desolation rose. I saw a woman and a man come out; the woman is clothed in a red dress and beige shawl. She is the symbol of strength and boldness, and the man beside her carries the weight of their love. I saw the faceless men surround them; they are nothing but shadows of ignorance, spinelessness, and impotency, disguised as protectors of honour. I saw them surround her, I saw her speak, “You are only allowed to fire at me, nothing else,” and then I saw them open fire. It was in Quetta — and Bano Bibi and Ihsan Ullah were executed in what the tribe called an honour killing.
When I was preparing for my Islamiat IGCSE O-level exam, we had to study the ‘last sermon’ of the Holy Prophet (PBUH). Today I remember the Holy Prophet’s (PBUH) words again and how much importance they always held:
‘Remember that you have taken them as your wives only under Allah’s trust and with His permission. If they abide by your right, then to them belongs the right to be fed and clothed in kindness. Do treat your women well and be kind to them, for they are your partners and committed helpers.’
In any regressed society, the singular groups oppressed are the women and the orphans. Our part of the world has yet again failed its people, unlike the region where Khadija bint Khuwaylid thrived as a successful businesswoman among the powerful men of Arabia and where Mary Robinson served as the President of Ireland for six years. In Quetta, a woman and a man, Bano Bibi and Ihsan Ullah, decided to marry out of their own free will. Some versions of the story suggest that Bano and Ahsan were in love, which led them to marry against their tribe’s wishes.
The version of CM Balochistan describes that the couple was not married, the woman had five children, the man is the father of four, and they eloped to marry one another. Regardless, Bano and Ihsan were found by Bano’s tribe; a particular role was played by her brother, Jalal, and a decision was passed from the jirga to kill both of them in the name of preserving the honour of the tribe. Bano Bibi was shot nine times, and Ihsan Ullah seven times.
The incident occurred on the 4th of June, 2025, but the video resurfaced just now; it wasn’t leaked, it was shamelessly shared by the perpetrators of the double murder. Immediately, as the video caused worldwide uproar, the government of Pakistan was quick to condemn. Chairman Balochistan quoted it as ‘Painful, disgusting’; arrests are swiftly underway, courtroom decisions are on fire, and officials are quick to respond. But why now? Is it simply because this incident has come to the attention of the public and international community, while many others remain hidden behind closed doors?
This isn’t the first time preserving honour has surpassed the importance of being alive. Women are killed by brothers, fathers, or husbands. Their lives become currency for a family’s honour. And the state watches, silent. Not once have we seen a state rule pass that shakes all its people — the rich and the poor, the tribals and locals — to the core that no one ever decides to take someone’s life in their hands. I am still surprised that in today’s world, a jirga of cowardly men can decide who of their people is permitted to live or who is allowed to be murdered on a sunny Wednesday. When a country’s control over its people is this weak, it comes at the lowest rank of the Global Gender Gap Index, indicating no place for its women.
Here, it is important to mention that even if they were married to separate people, no law — state law or shariah law — claims Bano and Ihsan’s lives for honour as if they were not humans but sacrificial lambs.
To me, this incident is not just about Bano Bibi and how she was another woman in the long list of karo kari; it is also about Ahsan Ullah and the seven bullets that killed him. This time, it wasn’t just a woman who would be mourned; people will read Ihsan’s name too whenever news of Pakistan’s recent honour killing incident comes. This time, honour didn’t look at gender; this time, it just wanted to prevail, even if it meant destroying not one but two lives.
This time, honour devoured not just a woman, but a man too — proving it is never about gender, only about power.