GUJRAT: Police have detained the father of the woman who was allegedly gunned down over an honour-related issue near the sessions court compound here on Monday.

Afzal Cheema, the father of deceased Muneeba Cheema, has been taken in custody for investigation since he is nominated in the case lodged with the Civil Lines police under sections 302, 311, 148 and 149 of the Pakistan Penal Code on the report of the murdered woman’s husband, Adnan, District Police Officer (DPO) Umar Salamat told Dawn on Tuesday.

The DPO said raids were being conducted to arrest the two other suspects — Imran Afzal Cheema and Khalid Cheema — the brother and a cousin of the deceased, respectively, who were still at large. One of the suspects, Khalid, has been a constable of Gujrat police and was posted at Jataria police post of Lalamusa Sadar police station, he added.

Muneeba, 25, a resident of Kunjah, had contracted court marriage with Adnan of the same town more than a week ago. Earlier, she had eloped with Adnan around a couple of weeks back and her family got a kidnap case registered against Adnan and his brother Rizwan with Kunjah police. The police had later arrested Rizwan.

Her brother, cousin still at large

According to police sources, on Monday she arrived along with her husband at a local court to record her statement that she was not kidnapped and had left her house of her own will to contract court marriage with Adnan.

However, according to initial police investigations, soon after leaving the court, Muneeba asked her husband to bring a water bottle for her, while she was in a car parked near Kutchery Chowk.

Meanwhile, the suspects opened fire on the car, leaving her dead on the spot, whereas her husband survived for being away.

Later, on the complaint of her husband the police lodged a case against the three suspects.

The police revealed that Muneeba’s family had actually planned to snatch her from her husband, but her brother Imran, in a fit of anger opened fire, killing her on the spot. Her father was also present near the crime scene, the police added.

Police have also obtained footage of the incident captured by closed-circuit TV camera installed in the area.

Published in Dawn, November 10th, 2021