UK MP accuses Pakistani officials of ‘possible cover-up’ in Shahid's case
- By Web Desk -
- Jul 29, 2016
Shah accused local officials of colluding in ‘a possible cover-up’ of what the Bradford MP believes was the ‘honour’ killing of a local from her constituency because she married against her family’s wishes.
Shahid, 28, died last week after allegedly being tricked by her own family into travelling to Pakistan. Her family had allegedly disapproved her love marriage to a man from a different Islamic sect.
A post-mortem report on Thursday revealed that Shahid’s body had a “reddish brown linear horizontal bruise measuring about 19cm extending from just below [the] right ear and around the neck”.
“I originally intervened in this case to demand that there was a proper investigation into my constituent’s death, saying it had all the hallmarks of a so-called ‘honour’ killing. Having seen the autopsy report, I think we are now also looking at a case involving a potential cover-up,” said the British MP.
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Shah continued and said she had spoken to the Pakistani high commissioner to the UK, Syed Ibne Abbas, about the case.
“I have asked for the police officer and the physician who did the first post-mortem to be investigated,” the MP said.
“Just a few days ago they were telling us the autopsy was inconclusive and that there were no visible signs on her body and now the autopsy report shows that there were marks on her neck.”
Shahid’s family claimed she died of a heart attack or an asthma attack. However, Syed Mukhtar Kazam, Shahid’s second husband, demanded a fresh post-mortem.
“They are trying to cover up this murder,” he said. “My life has been threatened, but there is no question of being quiet. It is a question of justice and my agenda is she was killed and I need justice for her.”
Kazam alleged his wife was tricked into travelling to Pakistan by close relatives.
On Thursday, Shahid’s first husband, Mohammed Shakeel, presented himself to the local authorities for questioning after getting a pre-arrest bail by a Rawalpindi court.
In 2014, Shahid had divorced her first husband and then married Kazam the same year, after converting to Shia Islam. Her family is Sunni.
Police also gave one family member in Bradford a harassment warning in September 2015 when Shahid, who was then living in Dubai, returned to the UK to patch things up with her family, claimed West Yorkshire police.
Two people, possibly her cousins, were arrested in Bradford this week on suspicion of threatening Shah to be later bailed on Wednesday.