By: ISRAR AHMAD
The wife of a retired colonel of Pakistan Army was stabbed to death here on Saturday by unknown assailants, police said.
The deceased was identified as Saeeda Rahat Qadeer, 38, the spouse of Col (Retd) Rahat Qadeer. Police and officials of other law enforcement agencies rushed to the scene, cordoned off the area and later shifted the dead body to hospital for autopsy.
Station House Officer (SHO) Police Station Morgah, Mehar Zulfiqar said that police found the dead body of the woman lying in pool of blood. He said that the incident occurred at noon when unknown persons entered the house of Col (Retd) Rahat at Lane Number 2 of Officers Colony and stabbed his wife to death. After committing the crime the killers managed to escape from the scene, he said.
He said that the lady was alone at the home at the time of murder. Police collected some evidence and other proofs from the murder scene.
On a query, the SHO replied that it seemed the lady was killed over property dispute as litigation was in process for the ownership of the house in which the couple was living. However, police would move forward in the light of statement of Col (Retd) Rahat, who was not in a state to speak with police so far.
A second door neighbour of the victim family, who also visited crime scene, while talking to The Nation said that Saeeda was stabbed to death at the time of lunch.
The house was owned by the brother-in-law of Col (Retd) Rahat Qadeer but the couple used to live it, the neighbour said adding that the dispute was decided by a court of law on Saturday in favour of Mrs Rahat and she was murdered hours after of court verdict.
“Usually Saeeda keeps the door locked from inside as her husband runs a school in Murree but opens it when the maid came for work. Today, some visitors knocked the door seeing whom auntie opened it and the visitors sat in the drawing room where they were presented meal which showed they were close relatives of the family. During eating meal, the unknown guest attacked on auntie stabbing dagger into her neck” he said in addition with the half-eaten pots were laying on centre table while blood spots were found on the walls and locks of the doors when he visited the crime scene after murder. The couple had no issue, he added.
