Husband of Dubai resident dead in Pakistan honour killing seeks justice

The husband of a British woman who was killed in Pakistan called for the UK and Pakistani governments to ensure his wife received justice Thursday, as he sought to keep the spotlight on so-called honour killings.

Mukhtar Kazam presented a copy of the post-mortem report into his wife Samia Shahid's death, seen by AFP, at an emotional press conference, which said the 28-year-old had marks on her neck, and suggested she had been strangled.

Kazam has branded her death an "honour killing", a near daily occurrence in Pakistan in which a relative is murdered by another for bringing the family "dishonour".

The practice was dragged into the international spotlight earlier this month with the killing of Qandeel Baloch, a polarising Pakistani social media star.

Her brother has confessed to the murder, saying his sister's behaviour had been "intolerable".

Kazam sought to keep international attention on "honour" killings when he spoke to media assembled in the garrison city of Rawalpindi, close to the capital Islamabad Thursday.

"I request the British and Pakistani governments to conduct a fair trial," he said.

Kazam and Shahid, both British-Pakistani dual citizens, had been married for two years and were living in Dubai, police told AFP, adding that it was Shahid's second marriage.

Kazam said his wife converted to Shia Islam, his sect, before their wedding, which had irked her parents.

In a complaint to police he has claimed she was murdered during a visit to her family in their village in Punjab province on July 20.

Shahid's father has denied the charges and said he did not want an investigation, claiming his daughter died of natural causes.

The victims of "honour" killings are overwhelmingly women, with hundreds killed each year. They have long polarised Pakistan, with progressives calling for tough legislation against them and conservatives resisting.

But the murder of Qandeel Baloch appears to have spurred politicians to take action. Last week the law minister announced that bills aimed at tackling loopholes that facilitate "honour" killings would soon be voted on by parliament.

Rights groups and politicians have for years called for tougher laws to tackle perpetrators of violence against women in Pakistan.

Dad and cousin arrested

The father and cousin of Dubai resident allegedly murdered in an 'honour killing' have been arrested.

Pakistan police has also launched a manhunt for her first husband.

Samia Shahid, a British national, living in Dubai, died last week while visiting relatives in her ancestral village.

Her husband, Syed Mukhtar Kazam, claims Samia's family and relatives disagreed with her choice to marry for the second time, to a man from outside the family.

Her father Mohammed Shahid, is in custody with an unnamed cousin, but her first husband Mohammed Shakeel, who she married in 2012 and left a year later, is on the run and a wanted man.

The murder investigation and arrests came just a week after police had initially claimed Samia's death was not suspicious.

Samia was buried in Pandori, a village in northern Punjab, after a post-mortem examination found no signs of injury and her local MP Naz Shah has led calls for her body to be exhumed.

Her second husband Syed Mukhtair, who lived with her Dubai, has alleged that his wife is a victim of 'honour killing' and claimed his wife's family had always opposed their relationship.

He told the Guardian: "I am sure my wife is killed by the family. She was healthy. And she had no disease. I believe she was killed because her parents were not happy with our marriage."

Yet her maternal uncle told MailOnline these claims showed a lack of respect for Ms Shahid, and that he completely trusted the Pakistani authorities.

Now Ms Shahid's local Labour MP wants answers. Naz Shah has demanded the body is exhumed and an independent autopsy is done, reported Guardian.

Samia's family allegedly refused to accept their marriage because he was an 'outsider' and was often harassed by relatives.

He said his wife had gone to Pakistan because she thought her father was ill.

Syed Mukhtar Kazam said he asked his wife not to stay in Pakistan and waiting for her to come home "was the longest week of his life".

"She was naïve. She always thought about other people, not herself, maybe that's the reason she got killed", he told BBC.

Syed Mukhtar Kazam said he heard from her family that his wife had died of a heart attack after travelling from Dubai to Pakistan.

He is calling for another post-mortem examination to be carried out.

The couple was married in Leeds two years ago, after Samia Shahid divorced the cousin she married in Pakistan.

Follow Emirates 24|7 on Google News.