POLICE in Pakistan charged the former husband and father of a British woman believed to have been the victim of an “honour killing” with her murder today (3).
Samia Shahid, a dual national, died in July during a visit to her family village in Punjab province.
Her second husband, Mukhtar Kazam, claims she was murdered for bringing “dishonour” on her family.
Kazam has said his wife had angered her parents by converting to Shia Islam, his sect, before their wedding.
“We have completed our investigation and concluded that her ex-husband Muhammad Shakeel and father Muhammad Shahid were involved in her killing,” said Abubakar Buksh, deputy inspector general of police in the region.
“Her ex-husband has also been charged with raping her,” he said.
“The abetment of Samia’s mother and sister in the crime has also been proved, but they have fled to the UK. We have also arrested the chief of the local police station for helping them escape.”
Kazam and Shahid, both dual British-Pakistani citizens, met in London before marrying two years ago and had been living in Dubai.
Shahid worked as a beautician there and her second husband said the couple had received threats from her family because they were unhappy with her marriage.
She flew to Pakistan last month after being told that her father was ill and died the day before she was due to fly back to Dubai.
Kazam told Eastern Eye last month: “She died because she loved me.
“People should learn a lesson, what crime did she do? She wasn’t selling drugs, all she did was love a person and marry a person, and she was leading a very happy life.”
He added: “It’s not fair, it shouldn’t have happened, and we have to stop this practice (of honour-killing).”
Shahid’s father has denied the charges, claiming his daughter died of natural causes.
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