GUJRAT: The autopsy report of Samia Shahid, a British national of Pakistani origin who was allegedly murdered for ‘honour’ near Mangla on July 20, says there was a bruise mark on the neck and blood-stained froth was leaking from her mouth.

To reach a conclusion regarding the actual cause of death, the lady doctor who conducted the autopsy at the Jhelum DHQ Hospital sought forensic report of samples collected from her body.

Police have already sent a sample to the Lahore Forensic Science Laboratory.

Dr Sana who wrote the six-page post-mortem report (a copy of which is available with Dawn) said there was no mark of torture on the body except for the bruise measuring 19×0.5cm.

According to the post-mortem report, Ms Shahid’s eyes and mouth were found open.

A retired medico-legal officer says that blood-stained 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 did have some heart-related issues previously.

Ms Shahid’s father had told police on July 20 that she died of heart attack.

Meanwhile, Chaudhary Shakil, the former husband of the deceased and nominated suspect in the FIR, has got an interim bail from the Rawalpindi bench of the Lahore High Court till Aug 6.

He appeared before the investigation officer at the Mangla police station to join the investigations.

Two other suspects in the case, Ms Shahid’s father Chaudhary Shahid and cousin Mobin, joined the investigations on Wednesday and recorded their statements before senior police officials.

It is learnt that Ambreen, a close friend of the deceased, was also grilled by the police because Ms Shahid had spent the first night at her residence in Dina Town near Mangla on July 14 after her arrival from abroad.

Complainant Mukhtar Kazim, the second husband of Ms Shahid, alleged in the FIR that his wife had told him by phone after arriving in Dina Town that she had handed over her passport and other documents to her friend. However, sources said Ambreen had denied having any documents of her deceased friend.

APP adds: Punjab Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif has constituted a committee to probe the death of Ms Shahid.

Published in Dawn, July 29th, 2016