Islamabad, Aug 1 (IANS) The former husband of a Pakistani-origin British woman who was allegedly killed for "honour" in Punjab province on July 20, had a criminal record, investigations showed.
According to the police investigations, locals in Pandoori -- the native village of the 28-year-old victim, Samia Shahid -- said that the accused, former husband and also a cousin Chaudhry Shakil, had faced an 18-month jail term on charges of firing and injuring a person, Dawn online reported on Monday.
Their claim was confirmed by Pandoori authorities who said the shooting had taken place over a land dispute.
The locals also said a paternal aunt of Samia 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.
The aunt was later found dead at her parents home but her brother Chaudhry Shahid, Samia's father, 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, Dawn online reported.
Chaudhry Shahid, also a nominated suspect in the case lodged by Syed Mukhtar Kazim, Samia's second husband, had initially said that his daughter had died of heart attack and kept on saying so until Saturday when he reportedly changed his statement by telling the probe team that Samia had committed suicide.
Police are yet to record the statements of two female suspects in the case -- Samia's mother Imtiaz Bibi and sister Madiha Shahid.
Investigation in to the alleged murder was launched on the orders of the Punjab Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif.
According to the reports, the 28-year-old woman had bruise marks on her neck which suggested she had been strangled to death.
