Islamabad: The husband of a British woman who was killed in Pakistan has called for the UK and Pakistani governments to ensure his wife received justice, as he sought to keep the spotlight on so-called “honour” killings.
Mukhtar Kazim presented at an emotional press conference a copy of the post-mortem report into his wife Samia Shahid’s death which said the 28-year-old had marks on her neck, and suggested she had been strangled.
The doctor who conducted the autopsy said there was no mark of any kind of torture on the body except for the bruise on her neck. Shahid’s eyes and mouth were found open.
A retired medical officer said bloodstained froth from the mouth often reflected death due to poisoning, strangulation or trauma but chances of heart attack could not be ruled out if the deceased had some heart-related issues previously.
Shahid’s father told the police that she died of a heart attack.
Kazim has branded her death an “honour killing”, a near daily occurrence in Pakistan in which a relative is murdered by another for bringing the family “dishonour”.
The practice was dragged into the international spotlight earlier this month with the killing of Qandeel Baloch, a polarising Pakistani social media star.
Her brother has confessed to the murder, saying his sister’s behaviour had been “intolerable”.
Kazim sought to keep international attention on “honour” killings when he spoke to media assembled in the garrison city of Rawalpindi, close to the capital Islamabad, Thursday.
“I request the British and Pakistani governments to conduct a fair trial,” he said.
Kazim and Shahid, who was a dual British-Pakistani citizen, had been married for two years and were living in Dubai, police said, adding that it was Shahid’s second marriage.
Kazim is Pakistani, an officer said. Police had initially said that he also was British-Pakistani.
Kazim said his wife converted to Shiite sect, his sect, before their wedding, which had irked her parents.
In a complaint to police he has claimed she was murdered during a visit to her family in their village in Punjab province on July 20.
Shahid’s father has denied the charges and said he did not want an investigation, claiming his daughter died of natural causes.
Shahid’s husband said his wife had told him over phone that she handed over her passport and other documents to Ambreen.
Ambreen denied having documents of her deceased friend, sources said.
Kazim also said in his complaint that Shahid’s family had called her to Pakistan by lying about her father’s health conditions. She told Kazim after arriving in Pakistan that her father was all right and she was feeling insecure there.
Police said that Shahid’s first husband, Mohammad Shakeel, is being investigated in the murder but received pre-arrest bail on Thursday.
Her parents and a cousin are also being investigated, said Jhelum district police chief Mujahid Akbar.
The chief minister of Punjab province, Shahbaz Sharif, brother to Pakistani prime minister Nawaz Sharif, has formed a special committee that is also tasked with investigating the murder, a senior government official said.
The victims of “honour” killings are overwhelmingly women, with hundreds killed each year.
They have long polarised Pakistan, with progressives calling for tough legislation against them and conservatives resisting.
But the murder of Qandeel Baloch appears to have spurred politicians to take action.
Last week the law minister announced that bills aimed at tackling loopholes that facilitate “honour” killings would soon be voted on by parliament.
Rights groups and politicians have for years called for tougher laws to tackle perpetrators of violence against women in Pakistan.
