Death of Samia Shahid

On 20 July 2016, Samia Shahid, a British woman, was found dead in Punjab, Pakistan. Her former husband and her father were arrested; however, almost two years later they have still not been charged. Her father was released on bail by the high Court and later the Supreme Court confirmed in an appeal by the prosecution that there is no evidence against him.[1]

Death of Samia Shahid
Native name سامعہ شاہد
DateJuly 20, 2016 (2016-07-20)
VenuePandori, Jhelum
LocationPunjab, Pakistan
Also known asSamia Shahid murder case
Causeasphyxiation by strangulation
First reporterMukhtar Kazim
DeathsSamia Shahid
BurialPandori, Jhelum, Pakistan
Accused
  • Mohammed Shakeel
  • Mohammed Shahid
Charges

Personal background

Samia Shahid (aged 28) was born in the UK born in Bradford, West Yorkshire.[2] Shahid's family arranged her marriage to her first cousin, Mohammed Shakeel in February 2012 in Jhelum, in the Northern Punjab. She later obtained a divorce under Shariah law, married Syed Mukhtar Kazim in British court, and moved to Dubai to live with him.

Death

In July 2016, Samia Shahid received a telephone call, claiming that father was critically ill in Pakistan. In order to visit her father, Shahid flew to Islamabad airport against the advice of her husband, Mukhtar Kazim, who believed that the call was a lie because Shahid's family "felt a furious sense of shame towards their daughter" for divorcing her first husband, Shakeel.[3] On the day before Shahid was due to fly back, Kazim stated that the "constant stream of instant messages" Shahid had been sending unexpectedly ceased.[3] Shahid was found dead in her cousin's home in Punjab, Pakistan on 20 July 2016,[4] six days after landing in Pakistan.[3]

There are conflicting reports on the cause of Shahid's death. According to Kazim, Shahid's cousin Mobeen told him over telephone that Shahid had died of a heart attack. However, local press agencies reported that Shahid had committed suicide as a result of depression over not having children, a report which Shahid's family denies.[3] After receiving the news of his wife's death, Mukhtar Kazim alleged that Shahid was murdered by her family because they rejected their marriage. On the basis of his complaint, Samia's father, Muhammad Shahid, and Shakeel were arrested by Jhelum police and sent to jail on remand.[5] On 14 August 2016, police stated that Shakeel confessed to strangling Shahid.[6]

Investigation

Police report

Abubakar Buksh, the Deputy Inspector General of Police, stated: "We have completed our investigation and concluded that her ex-husband Muhammad Shakeel and father Muhammad Shahid were involved in her killing."[7] Buksh also stated that Shakeel had been charged with raping Shahid.[7] According to the report, a day before reaching Islamabad, Samia sent a text message to her friend saying that she was in fear for her life.[8]

“Pray I come bk alive on 21jul my psyco cuzzan u see”

— Text message sent by Samia Shahid to her friend[8]

The police report concluded that after arriving in Punjab her first husband Shakeel was told to watch Samia by her father. When Samia refused to tell Shakeel about her passport and plane ticket, he threw her on the bed and raped her. Samia then managed to run out of the room and told Shahid that she would go to the British High Commission. Her father was standing on the stairs where she told him that she was leaving. Shahid then gave Shakeel an indication and he strangled Samia with her scarf while Shahid held her legs. It was also revealed that Shakeel was disappointed because Samia divorced him and his chances of moving to the United Kingdom and becoming a British citizen were finished. The police also said that Shahid could have pardoned his nephew if he had been charged with Samia's murder under The Diyya law of Pakistan.[9]

Pre-trial court proceedings and death of father

In September 2016, Muhammad Shahid submitted an application in the court for getting bail. The application of bail was rejected for Shahid however the bail was granted to SHO Aqeel Abbas on 10 September 2016. The lawyer of Muhammad Shahid, Mian Muhammad Arif said that he will take the appeal to a higher court in Rawalpindi, Pakistan.[10][11]

Samia's father was released on bail in December 2016, as the evidence presented did not support refusal of bail.[12] He died in a Lahore Hospital in January 2018 at the age of 52.[13]

See also

Honour killing in Pakistan:

References
  1. Telegraph Foreign Staff (3 September 2016). "Pakistan honour killing: Samia Shahid's father and ex-husband charged as police chief arrested for 'aiding escape'". The Telegraph. Telegraph Media Group. Retrieved 1 October 2016.
  2. Mustafa, Jamil (2 September 2016). "'Honour killing' victim Samia Shahid raped before death, say Pakistan police". Telegraph.co.uk. Retrieved 12 September 2016.
  3. Boone, Jon (29 July 2016). "'I have to get justice for her': was this British woman a victim of 'honour' killing?". The Guardian. Islamabad, Pakistan. Retrieved 12 September 2016.
  4. "Police Say Briton Samia Shahid Was Raped Before 'Honour Killing'". Sky News. Sky UK. 4 September 2016. Retrieved 1 October 2016.
  5. Altaf, Arsalan (27 August 2016). "Samia Shahid murder case: Accused's family seeks case over 'illegal second marriage'". The Express Tribune. The Express Tribune. Retrieved 1 October 2016.
  6. Arshad Shaheen; Raja Nobahar (14 August 2016). "Ex-husband confesses to killing Samia Shahid for honour". Express Tribune. Retrieved 12 September 2016.
  7. Altaf, Arsalan (3 September 2016). "British woman raped before being killed for 'honour' in Pakistan". Express Tribune. Retrieved 12 September 2016.
  8. "British woman killed for 'honour' sent tragic text before death". Express Tribune. 9 September 2016. Retrieved 12 September 2016.
  9. Boone, Jon (6 September 2016). "Samia Shahid's father allegedly hoped to use blood money laws to get away with murder". The Guardian. Retrieved 12 September 2016.
  10. "Samia Shahid: Bail denied in 'honour killing' case". BBC. 10 September 2016. Retrieved 16 September 2016.
  11. "Bail plea of Samia Shahid's father rejected". The Nation. 10 September 2016. Retrieved 16 September 2016.
  12. "'Honour killing' father granted bail". BBC News. 2016-12-15. Retrieved 2018-07-21.
  13. "Accused in 'honour killing' case dies". BBC News. 2018. Retrieved 2018-07-21.
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