GUJRAT: As police investigation into the alleged murder of Samia Shahid, a British national of Pakistani origin, continues in Jhelum, more details about the past of slain woman’s family have surfaced.

Some people of Pandoori (the native village of Samia Shahid in Mangla police precinct) told some newsmen on condition of anonymity that accused Chaudhry Shakil, a cousin and former husband of Samia, had a criminal record.

They said Shakil had faced 18-month jail on charges of firing and injuring Gul Zaman, a resident of Dhok Sahi near Pandoori. Their claim was confirmed by Mangla SHO Aqeel Abbas who said the shooting had taken place over a land dispute.

Shakeel had also contested the last local bodies elections for the slot of a general councilor of his village in November 2015 but lost.

The villagers said a paternal aunt of the deceased woman had also died under identical circumstances nearly 25 years ago since she had also sought divorce from her husband which her family was not ready to accept.

Villagers recall an identical death in Pandoori 25 years ago

That aunt was later found dead at her parents home but her brother Chaudhry Shahid, the father of Samia, and other family members had then declared that she (aunt) had committed suicide. They said the matter went unnoticed at that time as nobody approached police. SHO Abbas said he was not aware of the fate of Samia’s aunt.

Chaudhry Shahid, also a nominated suspect in the case lodged by Syed Mukhtar Kazim, the second husband of the deceased woman, had initially told police on July 20 that her daughter had died of heart attack and kept on saying so until Saturday last when he reportedly changed his statement by telling the inquiry team comprising some senior police officials that Samia had committed suicide. “Samia’s family including her father and cousins are known for using strong arm tactics to maintain their influence in the area,” a resident of Pandoori said.

Dawn tried to seek comments of accused Ch Shahid and Shakeel but their cell phones were switched off.

Sources said the inquiry team had grilled Shakil, on an interim bail till Aug 6, during his personal appearance on Saturday to record his statement. The investigation team had also recorded the statements of two other suspects Shahid and Mobeen and complainant Kazim.

Two female suspects in the case, including Imtiaz Bibi, the mother and Madiha Shahid, the sister of the deceased, were yet to record their statements. Both had reportedly returned to Pakistan after Samia’s death. To counter the argument of Shakil that Samia was his wife until her death as there was no divorce between them, complainant Mukhtar Kazim had produced divorce certificate and documents of his marriage with the deceased before the investigation team.

Sources said police had sent the documents to the Ministry of Interior for their verification from the UK. The ministry would approach the Foreign Office which would assign the task to officials concerned in the Pakistan High Commission in the UK.

Sources said the Jhelum police had requested the Lahore Forensic Laboratory to complete its analysis of Samia’s body samples to determine the cause of her death.

They said since the case was under international spotlight, they wanted to conclude investigation at the earliest.

The investigation team headed by DIG Abu Bakar Khuda Bakhsh will resume its work in Jhelum on Monday (today).

Published in Dawn, August 1st, 2016