NOWSHERA: Pashto singer and stage actress Resham Khan was shot dead allegedly by her husband in the limits of Nowshera Kalan police station here on Wednesday.

Police said that Resham’s brother Obaidullah, a resident of Charsadda and presently living in Hakimabad, named his brother-in-law Fayda Khan in the first information report about murder of his sister. They said that Resham married Fayda Khan, who was working abroad, one year ago.

Obaidullah said that the suspect had recently returned to the country and convinced his wife to visit his ailing father. He said that he went to Resham’s residence when she didn’t return after some time and found her murdered. The suspect managed to escape, he added.

The body of the deceased artist was shifted to the district headquarters hospital for autopsy.

Besides rendering several popular songs, Resham Khan had played role of university student in a 350-episodes drama serial “Zhobal Goluna”. She was not only popular in Pakistan but also in other countries as she performed there as well.

Police started investigation into the case after registering a case.

In another incident, a woman was shot dead on Tuesday allegedly by her husband. The relatives brought the body to the office of district police officer, where they blocked the main GT road to traffic to protest the incident.

Amir Iqbal, a resident Nizampur, told Nizampur police station that Zard Ali and Gul Mohammad entered his house and opened indiscriminate firing on his sister Wahida Bibi, who was living in her parents’ house after she developed differences with her husband.

The body was shifted to district headquarters hospital for autopsy.

The protesters ended the protest after DPO Dr Zahidullah Khan assured them that the suspects would be arrested soon.

It is the 20th incident of violence against women in the province in the current year, according to data compiled by a non-governmental organisation.

In February this year, Sumbal, a singer, was shot dead in Sheikh Maltoon town in Mardan for refusing to attend a private musical show.

Published in Dawn, August 2nd, 2018