In a shocking and disturbing incident in Pakistan, a man has been arrested for allegedly filming his brother strangling their sister to death in what is being described as an “honour” killing. The victim, Maria Bibi, 22, was killed overnight on March 17 near Toba Tek Singh town in Punjab.
The horrific act was captured on video by the victim’s other brother, Shehbaz, and has since gone viral. The footage shows the brother, Muhammad Faisal, strangling Maria on a bed while their father, Abdul Sattar, looked on. Despite Shehbaz’s pleas for Faisal to stop, the brother continued to strangle Maria for over two minutes until she was motionless. After the brutal act, their father even offered Faisal water to drink.
The police became aware of the crime on March 24 and immediately took action, arresting Sattar and Faisal. Shehbaz was also arrested later to determine his involvement. The murder has all the hallmarks of an “honour” killing, a practice that is unfortunately common in Pakistani society.
The motive for the murder is still unclear, but police have revealed that Faisal caught his sister talking to an unknown man on video calls multiple times. The case has been designated as “high-profile” by the chief minister of Punjab, Maryam Nawaz, highlighting the importance of addressing such heinous crimes.
This tragic incident sheds light on the pervasive issue of “honour” killings in Pakistan, where women are often subjected to violence and murder for perceived breaches of societal norms. The arrest of the perpetrators is a small step towards seeking justice for Maria and other victims of such senseless acts.