ISLAMABAD: Pakistan police have arrested 12 suspects for their involvement in the shooting of a man and woman in the country’s southwestern Balochistan province, Chief Minister Sarfraz Bugti said on Monday after a video of the incident went viral, triggering outrage. 

In a video circulating on social media, more than a dozen men are seen gathered in a remote, mountainous desert area, with SUVs and pickup trucks parked nearby. A woman is ordered to stand facing away from the group before a man pulls out a gun and shoots her in the back. He then turns the weapon on a man and shoots him dead as well. 

Several news outlets reported that the man and woman had just gotten married and were shot dead for marrying by choice upon the orders of a traditional tribal council formed to settle disputes. However, speaking to reporters at a news conference, Bugti said the victims were not husband and wife. 

“I immediately took notice of this incident and ordered IG [inspector-general] of police to arrest the suspects within 24 hours,” Bugti said. “Initially, one and then 11 more were arrested in this case. Raids are being conducted to apprehend others involved.”

Bugti said a tribal leader was also among the suspects who were arrested, vowing that authorities will not spare anyone involved in the incident. 

Without going into details, the chief minister clarified that the victims were not married to each other. 

“The girl who was martyred has five children and her husband’s name is Noor,” Bugti said. “In the same way, the man who has been killed, is around 45-50 years old. He also has four to five children.”

In response to a question, Bugti said the provincial government has suspended the deputy superintendent of police of the area where the incident took place. He said the police official had been suspended for not informing the government about the incident.

However, he clarified that neither of the relatives of the two victims had filed a complaint regarding the incident. 

“Not a single person is ready to come forward as a victim in this case or file an FIR [first information report],” Bugti said. 

Speaking at a press conference on Sunday, Balochistan government spokesman Shahid Rind said the incident captured in the viral video had taken place in Balochistan around Eid Al-Adha.

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.