SHANGLA: The exhumation of a girl’s body has confirmed she was murdered allegedly by her family for honour – contrary to earlier claims that she died of cardiac arrest or by suicide.

SHO Karora police station Amjad Alam told Dawn on Saturday that after the girl’s body was exhumed on Thursday and the medical report confirmed the cause of death, an FIR was lodged against four people, including her father, mother, uncle, and a brother.

“We were not informed by anyone from the family, and the girl’s body was secretly buried. It only came to light after a few days, and we started an investigation,” he said.

According to the FIR, a copy of which is available with Dawn, an inquiry under Section 174 of Code of Criminal Procedure was launched, prompting the police to seek the court’s approval for exhuming the body. The investigation confirmed the cause of death.

Girl’s body exhumed after public backlash

The FIR states that the body was exhumed in the presence of Alpuri judicial magistrate and a woman medical officer from the District Headquarters Hospital, Alpuri, who confirmed that Fatima Bibi had been shot dead.

The inquiry revealed that Fatima, who had married Saeedullah six years ago, was unhappy with the marriage and had been living at her father’s house, reluctant to return to her husband’s. The FIR further disclosed that the deceased had been in contact with someone else, who reportedly died shortly after her murder.

Initially, the police suspected both deaths to be suicides or natural causes. However, after public backlash and social media pressure, the police began a formal investigation, which ultimately proved the public’s claims to be accurate.

The Karora police have filed the FIR under sections 302 (murder), 201 (causing disappearance of evidence), 202 (causing delay in production of evidence), 311 (causing hurt with intention), and 109 (abetment) of the Pakistan Penal Code, and further interrogation is underway.

SHO Alam confirmed to Dawn that four individuals – Fatima’s father, Sher Zada; her brother, Bakht Nawab; her uncle, Pir Zada; and her mother, Bakht Taja – had been arrested. “The police have obtained a three-day custody of the men and one day for the woman for further investigation.”

Regarding the man’s death, SHO Alam said that the investigation was also continuing, and more developments would follow in the coming days.

Meanwhile, Shangla policemen on Saturday donated blood to save lives of thalassaemia patients during a camp organised by a charity organisation from Peshawar.

Published in Dawn, April 13th, 2025