Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif strongly condemned the brutal murder of a man and woman in Quetta, Balochistan, over marriage by choice during a phone call with Balochistan Chief Minister Sarfraz Bugti on Monday.

In his call but CM Balochistan, PM Shehbaz stressed the urgent action over the cold-blooded killing. He directed the authorities to launch an immediate and transparent investigation into the incident and bring the perpetrators to justice.

“No one is above the law, and no individual or group can be allowed to take the law into their own hands,” PM Shehbaz said.

He instructed all concerned institutions to utilise every legal measure to ensure that those involved in the crime are arrested and prosecuted without delay.

Balochistan government spokesperson Shahid Rind confirmed that CM Sarfraz Bugti had already taken notice of the incident. Rind stated that, according to preliminary and unverified reports, the incident occurred around the time of Eid al-Adha. He added that police and CTD teams are currently present in the area to investigate and recover the bodies.

The incident has drawn national outrage, with rights activists, political leaders, and citizens demanding justice for the victims and urgent reforms to address honour-related violence in the country.