Sania Zehra murdered, no signs of suicide found by forensics: Punjab information minister

Punjab Information Minister Azma Bokhari has revealed details regarding the murder case of 20-year-old Syeda Sania Zehra, a pregnant mother of two — was found dead at her residence in Multan last month.

The provincial minister, addressing a press conference in Lahore on Monday, said that the woman’s death was not a result of suicide but that of homicide.

The victim, who was found dead hanging by a ceiling on July 9, was alleged to have been killed by her husband — a claim her father, who was a complainant in the initial first information report, has repeatedly made.

Bokhari, however, has said that the suspect is, in fact, the culprit along with his mother, as all evidence points towards their role in Zehra’s killing.

“No evidence of suicide has been found in the Sania Zehra case. The mother-in-law and husband had put a noose around the girl’s neck together,” she said during the presser.

The minister made the revelation two days after the Punjab government constituted a six-member committee to oversee probe in the murder case. The committee, comprising forensic experts, was formed after discrepancies found in the FIR’s contents and victim’s post-mortem report, adding fuel to controversies.

The committee was tasked with monitoring the investigation on a daily basis.

The minister, addressing the press conference — flanked by Chairperson of the Women Protection Authority Hina Pervaiz Butt — said that the wounds on the girl’s shoulder and neck are not due to the noose.

Bokhari, who mentioned being a criminal lawyer herself, said a homicide case can longer be forged as one of suicide. “Forensic lab traces such cases. Forensics have found evidence against Sania’s mother-in-law and husband.”

She insisted that the suspect tried very hard to escape and there was immense pressure with regard to the case.

“Now, permission won’t be given by hiding one’s crime after killing women,” she added.

Butt also endorsed Bokhari’s statement, saying that she knew it was not a suicide case after seeing photographs of the crime scene.

“Evidence later revealed that the girl was murdered and hanged. Mother-in-law and husband polygraph test positive.”

Source: The News