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Pakistan arrests 11 after Balochistan ‘honor killing’ video sparks outrage

Pakistan arrests 11 after Balochistan ‘honor killing’ video sparks outrage
GRAPHIC CONTENT – The picture shared by Pakistani lawmaker Sherry Rehman on July 20, 2025 shows armed man pointing gun at the back of a woman for marrying of her choice in the southwestern Balochistan province. (Sherry Rehman)
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Updated 7 min 10 sec ago

Pakistan arrests 11 after Balochistan ‘honor killing’ video sparks outrage

Pakistan arrests 11 after Balochistan ‘honor killing’ video sparks outrage
  • Viral video clip shows couple being shot at by armed men for marrying of their choice
  • Balochistan chief minister says operation ongoing, vows all those involved will be arrested

ISLAMABAD: Pakistani authorities have arrested 11 suspects for their involvement in the recent “honor killing” of a couple in the southwestern Balochistan province, Chief Minister Sarfraz Bugti said on Monday after a disturbing video of the incident went viral online last week.

The provincial government sprang into action on Sunday after a video clip, which shows a couple in Balochistan being shot at by armed men for marrying of their choice, sparked nationwide outrage and calls for bringing the perpetrators to justice. 

Bugti had taken to social media on Sunday to announce that one person had been arrested in connection with the incident. Speaking at a press conference in Karachi, Balochistan government spokesman Shahid Rind had said the incident captured in the viral video had taken place in Balochistan around Eid Al-Adha. 

“Update: So far, 11 suspects have been arrested and the operation is ongoing,” the Balochistan chief minister wrote on X.

“All those involved will be brought to justice. The state stands with the oppressed.”

So-called honor killings are common in Pakistan, where family members and relatives sometimes kill women and men who don’t follow local traditions and culture or decide to marry of their own choice.

Rind had said on Sunday that families of both victims had not reported the incident, vowing that the government would register a case over the incident with the state as a complainant.

The couple had been executed on the orders of a jirga, a council of tribal elders, according to reports. Rind said authorities had taken the suspects’ data after their identification through the viral video clip.

The incident also prompted condemnation from the Pakistan Ulema Council (PUC), a group of clerics and religious scholars, who said the killing of a woman or a man in the name of honor is “un-Islamic, anti-Sharia and terrorism.”

The PUC said “terrorism” cases should be filed against people involved in such incidents.

“Pakistan Ulema Council demands of Chief Minister Balochistan, Governor Balochistan and IGP Balochistan to arrest the culprits who killed a woman under ‘honor killing’ as depicted in a viral video on social media,” the council said in a statement on Sunday. 


Pakistan braces for more rains as monsoon death toll rises to 216

Pakistan braces for more rains as monsoon death toll rises to 216
Updated 33 sec ago

Pakistan braces for more rains as monsoon death toll rises to 216

Pakistan braces for more rains as monsoon death toll rises to 216
  • Pakistan’s Met Office has warned that monsoon currents are likely to “intensify” across country from July 20
  • Punjab has reported highest number of deaths since June 26, 135, followed by 42 in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa

ISLAMABAD: Pakistani authorities braced for more rainfall on Monday as the death toll from rain-related incidents in the country since late June rose to 216, according to official data. 

As per the National Disaster Management Authority’s (NDMA) latest situation report, 216 people have been killed in total since June 26 in rain-related incidents across Pakistan. Among the 216 casualties, 101 are children, 75 males and 40 females.

Punjab reported the highest number of deaths, 135, followed by Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) with 42, Sindh 21, Balochistan 16 while Azad Kashmir and Islamabad each reported a single death.

“Rain-wind/thundershower is expected in Kashmir, Upper Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Islamabad, North-East Punjab, Potohar region, Gilgit-Baltistan, North-East/South Balochistan and South Sindh,” the Pakistan Meteorological Department (PMD) wrote on its daily forecast for Monday. 

“Isolated heavy falls are expected in Upper Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Potohar region, Kashmir and adjoining hilly areas during the period,” it added. 

Pakistan’s Met Office warned in a press release on July 18 that monsoon currents penetrating Sindh and upper parts of the country are likely to “intensify” in the upper and central parts of the country from July 20.

Director General PDMA Irfan Ali Kathia on Sunday instructed district administrations to remain on high alert during the fourth spell of monsoon rains, the Punjab Disaster Management Authority (PDMA) said. 

“There is a risk of urban and flash flooding due to heavy rains,” it added. 

Monsoon season brings South Asia 70 to 80 percent of its annual rainfall, arriving in early June in India and late June in Pakistan, and lasting through until September.

The annual rains are vital for agriculture and food security, and the livelihoods of millions of farmers. But increasingly erratic and extreme weather patterns are turning the rains into a destructive force.

In 2022, record-breaking monsoon rains combined with glacial melt submerged nearly a third of Pakistan, killing more than 1,700 people and displacing over 8 million. In May, at least 32 people were killed in severe storms, including strong hailstorms.
 


Five killed, seven injured in deadly tribal clash in southwestern Pakistan

Five killed, seven injured in deadly tribal clash in southwestern Pakistan
Updated 37 min 45 sec ago

Five killed, seven injured in deadly tribal clash in southwestern Pakistan

Five killed, seven injured in deadly tribal clash in southwestern Pakistan
  • Clash broke out among Achakzai, Kakar tribes in Killa Abdulah district over an old dispute, says official
  • Says both rival parties agreed to a ceasefire brokered by Levies, FC Balochistan and tribal elders

QUETTA: Five people were killed while seven others were injured in Pakistan’s southwestern Killa Abdullah district on Sunday after an armed clash between two tribes, a senior official said. 

The clash broke out on Sunday evening between members of the ethnic Pashtun tribes of Achakzai and Kakar, lasting for several hours before tribal elders, the paramilitary Levies force and Frontier Corps (FC) Balochistan brokered a ceasefire between them.

“Five people have been killed and seven injured in the latest clashes that erupted between Achakzai and Kakar tribesmen in Killa Abdullah district,” Shahzaib Kakar, commissioner of Quetta Division, told Arab News on Sunday. 

He said members of both tribes were involved in “an old tribal dispute,” adding that both sides agreed to a ceasefire after security forces arrived in the area. 

Hayat Achakzai, a local journalist based in Killa Abdullah district, said clashes broke out at 6:30 p.m. on Sunday when members of both tribes came face to face at the district’s Tot Adda area.

“Both tribes were engaged in a dispute since March 2025 following a motorbike snatching,” Achakzai said. “They were chasing each other for the last two weeks but today met with an armed clash.”

Balochistan, Pakistan’s largest province by land mass but its most backward one by almost all social and economic indicators, has a strong tribal system with powerful chieftains. 

Disputes between rival tribes over honor, land and decades-old feuds are common here, often resulting in armed clashes. 

Ethnic Baloch militant groups have launched a low-level insurgency against the state for years in Balochistan, accusing Islamabad of exploiting the province’s mineral resources and denying locals a share in it.

The government denies the allegations and points to health, development and educational projects that it says have been launched to empower the people of Balochistan. 


Pakistani woman artists connect via WhatsApp after actor’s death spotlights growing urban isolation

Pakistani woman artists connect via WhatsApp after actor’s death spotlights growing urban isolation
Updated 47 min 50 sec ago

Pakistani woman artists connect via WhatsApp after actor’s death spotlights growing urban isolation

Pakistani woman artists connect via WhatsApp after actor’s death spotlights growing urban isolation
  • Humaira Asghar, 42, was found dead at her rented flat in Karachi on July 18, at least nine months after her passing
  • Yashma Gill, one of the WhatsApp group admins, says human connection is very important amid growing urban isolation

ISLAMABAD: Women in Pakistan’s entertainment industry have come closer and created a WhatsApp group to check in on each other and ensure immediate help to anyone going through difficult times, following this month’s shocking death of Humaira Asghar.

The 42-year-old, originally from Lahore, was found dead at her rented flat in Karachi on July 18, at least nine months after her passing. Pakistani police have said medico-legal authorities found no traces of toxins in her body.

The case stirred a debate in Pakistan about the silent toll of urban isolation, especially in large cities like Karachi, where rapid expansion, changing family structures and weakening community bonds are quietly reshaping how people live — and die.

Hundreds of Pakistani women, including actors, directors, producers and makeup artists, have joined the WhatsApp group, ‘Connectivity 101,’ after the idea was proposed by Zhalay Sarhadi, Yashma Gill, Sonia Hussain, Mansha Pasha and others.

“The core purpose of Connectivity 101 is to create networking through a platform, connectivity through a platform, through which people can talk about their problems... people can inquire about well-being and keep a check on each other,” Gill said in an interview, adding it came into existence after the tragic passing of Asghar.

Asghar’s death came weeks after renowned actor Ayesha Khan was found dead in her apartment in Karachi’s Gulshan-e-Iqbal area, according to police. Her neighbors had reported a foul smell emitting out of her apartment that led to the discovery of the 84-year-old’s body.

Gill, one of the Connectivity 101 admins, said the initiative was taken after it was realized that people working in the industry, especially women, are usually not able to stay in touch with their families, friends and even colleagues due to their busy schedules.

“This connection is very important not just to celebrate good times, but also to support each other in hard times,” she said.

Nearly 44 percent of Pakistanis now live in urban areas, up from 35 percent in 2010, according to World Bank estimates. Mental health experts have warned that loneliness isn’t just a social issue but a serious health risk.

Prof. Dr. M. Iqbal Afridi, a Karachi-based psychiatrist, last week cited World Health Organization (WHO) findings that over 870,000 people died globally in 2024 due to conditions linked to extreme isolation.

“In fact, loneliness has been found to be more painful and damaging than conditions like diabetes or high blood pressure,” he said. “It has also been observed that people who get disconnected from their friends, family and social circles often develop several diseases along with physical, psychological and social issues.”

Gill shared that they have introduced a poll system in the group through which members can mark their presence or inform that they will not be available for a few days.

She said only women from the industry are added to the group through trusted references, with a few protocols set for everyone. She said group members are even urged to exercise “extreme caution” while communicating with each other so that everyone benefits and no negative situation arises.

“I am pro-friendships, people should become friends. But these are celebrities and girls that we are talking about, so things should be taken care of,” she added.


Pakistan voice disappointment after ‘World Championship of Legends’ match against India called off

Pakistan voice disappointment after ‘World Championship of Legends’ match against India called off
Updated 20 July 2025

Pakistan voice disappointment after ‘World Championship of Legends’ match against India called off

Pakistan voice disappointment after ‘World Championship of Legends’ match against India called off
  • WCL features retired, non-contracted players from India, Pakistan, England and other nations
  • The match was called off after India’s Shikhar Dhawan withdrew from fixtures against Pakistan

ISLAMABAD: Pakistani veteran cricket stars on Sunday voiced their disappointment after their match against India, part of the “World Championship of Legends (WCL)” tournament, was called off on Sunday, with Indian players withdrawing because of political tensions between Islamabad and New Delhi.

Sporting ties between arch-rivals India and Pakistan have remained limited due to years of political tensions, which heightened after the two countries engaged in a four-day military standoff over an attack in the disputed Kashmir region before a ceasefire was reached on May 10.

The WCL is a T20 tournament approved by the England & Wales Cricket Board (ECB) held in England every year. The tournament features retired and non-contracted players from cricketing giants, including England, India, Pakistan, Australia, West Indies and South Africa.

“On behalf of Pakistan Champions, we express our deep disappointment over WCL’s decision to call off the match against India,” Pakistan Champions owner Kamil Khan said in a statement.

“This decision not only undermines the spirit of the game but has let down cricket fans across the globe.”

In a statement released on its social media accounts, the WCL said it had decided to call off the India-Pakistan match in Birmingham and apologized again for “hurting the sentiments” of Indian fans.

The league’s owners include its founder, Indian entrepreneur Harshit Tomar and Bollywood actor Ajay Devgn.

The WCL statement came hours after Indian cricketer Shikhar Dhawan wrote on X that he was withdrawing from India’s WCL matches with Pakistan.

“We believe cricket should rise above and transcend political differences,” Khan said.


Saudi agency distributes aid among crisis-hit people in Pakistan, Afghanistan and Lebanon

Saudi agency distributes aid among crisis-hit people in Pakistan, Afghanistan and Lebanon
Updated 20 July 2025

Saudi agency distributes aid among crisis-hit people in Pakistan, Afghanistan and Lebanon

Saudi agency distributes aid among crisis-hit people in Pakistan, Afghanistan and Lebanon
  • The agency distributed 500 food baskets to families returning from displacement in Sudan’s Al-Jazirah state
  • In Pakistan, the agency distributed 2,167 food baskets in Muzaffarabad, Kotli, and Bhimber in Jammu and Kashmir, as well as in Rajanpur in the Punjab province

RIYADH: Saudi aid agency KSrelief continues to make a significant global impact by providing critical assistance to some of the world’s most vulnerable communities.

The agency distributed 500 food baskets to families returning from displacement in Sudan’s Al-Jazirah state, benefiting 3,999 people, the Saudi Press Agency reported on Sunday.

In Afghanistan, KSrelief distributed 100 food baskets at the Omari camp near the Torkham border crossing to Afghan citizens returning from Pakistan.

In Lebanon, 569 food baskets were distributed to Syrian refugees and vulnerable host families in the Koura district of North Lebanon, benefiting 2,845 people.

In Pakistan, the agency distributed 2,167 food baskets in Muzaffarabad, Kotli, and Bhimber in Jammu and Kashmir, as well as in Rajanpur in the Punjab province, reaching 18,210 people in flood-affected areas.

Since its launch in May 2015, KSrelief has implemented 3,588 projects worth more than $8.1 billion across 108 countries, in partnership with more than 321 organizations.