ISLAMABAD: A Pakistani man who allegedly filmed his brother strangling their sister to death has been arrested as part of the latest “honor” killing that has outraged the country, police said Sunday.
Maria Bibi, 22, was killed overnight on March 17, allegedly by her brother Muhammad Faisal and in the presence of her father Abdul Sattar, near Toba Tek Singh town in the central-eastern province of Punjab.
A video filmed by the woman’s other brother Shehbaz, and which has gone viral, appears to show Faisal strangling the girl on a bed in the family home while their father sat nearby.
At one point, the video appears to show Shehbaz saying “father, tell him to let go,” but is rebuffed as his brother continues to strangle the motionless body for more than two minutes.
When Faisal is done, his father offers him water to drink.
“The police found out on March 24 that the girl had not died of natural causes. We registered a case, becoming the complainants ourselves,” Ata Ullah, a police official in Toba Tek Singh told AFP by phone.
Sattar and Faisal were immediately arrested, while Shehbaz was arrested on Saturday evening to determine the extent of his involvement, the officer said.
The murder had all the hallmarks of an “honor” killing, he added. Shehbaz’s wife, who also appears in the video, has also been arrested.
Much of Pakistani society operates under a strict code of “honor,” with women beholden to their male relatives over choices around education, employment and who they can marry.
Hundreds of women are killed by men in Pakistan every year for allegedly breaching this code.
According to the Human Rights Commission of Pakistan, 316 “honor” crimes against women were recorded in the country in 2022.
But many cases go unreported, as families tend to protect the murderers — often male relatives.
The motive for the murder has not yet been established.
Police said that Faisal, the killer, allegedly caught his sister talking on a video call with an unknown man on several occasions.
The chief minister of Punjab province, Maryam Nawaz, has designated the matter as “high-profile,” a term used for cases of public interest, although the legal system still allows for men to murder women with impunity.
Pakistani man who filmed sister’s ‘honor’ killing arrested
https://arab.news/4jkjc
Pakistani man who filmed sister’s ‘honor’ killing arrested
- Maria Bibi, 22, was killed overnight on March 17, allegedly by her brother Muhammad Faisal in the presence of her father
- Video filmed by the woman’s other brother Shehbaz, which has gone viral, appears to show Faisal strangling the girl on bed
Pakistani immigration agents express concern over US visa ban
- Trump’s administration is suspending immigrant visas for applicants from 75 countries
- The pause will begin on January 21, a State Department spokesperson said this week
Pakistani immigration agents and members of the public expressed concern to US immigration ban on Thursday.
US President Donald Trump’s administration is suspending processing for immigrant visas for applicants from 75 countries, a State Department spokesperson said on Wednesday, as part of Washington’s intensifying immigration crackdown.
The pause, which will impact applicants from Latin American countries including Brazil, Colombia, and Uruguay, Balkan countries such as Bosnia and Albania, South Asian countries Pakistan and Bangladesh, and those from many nations in Africa, the Middle East, and the Caribbean, will begin on January 21, the spokesperson said.
“It is a matter of concern,” said travel and immigration agent, Mohammad Yaseen, in Karachi, Pakistan’s biggest city.
“All these people who were waiting for a long time for their visas to be issued, they also had an appointment date, their visas would be suspended. They will be affected by this news and this ban,” he added.
A local resident and banker, Amar Ali, said the ban will economically dent Pakistan because many Pakistanis earn and send dollars back home which boosts its economy.
Another local resident, Anwer Farooqui, urged President Trump to reconsider this decision and keep Pakistan, which is a very reliable friend of the United States, at the same level.
The cable, sent to US missions, said there were indications that nationals from these countries had sought public benefits in the United States.
The move, which was first reported by Fox News, does not impact US visitor visas, which have been in the spotlight given the United States is hosting the 2026 World Cup and 2028 Olympics.
The decision follows a November directive to US diplomats asking them to ensure that visa applicants are financially self-sufficient and do not risk becoming dependent on government subsidies during their stay in the US, according to a State Department cable seen by Reuters at the time.
Trump has pursued a sweeping immigration crackdown since returning to office in January. His administration has aggressively prioritized immigration enforcement, sending federal agents to major US cities and sparking violent confrontations with both migrants and US citizens.
