Daily Times

An Islamabad district and sessions court on Thursday said the statement of Shahnawaz Amir, the prime accused in the murder case of Sara Inam, would be recorded on October 18 due to the defence counsel skipping Thursday’s hearing.

Sara, a Canadian national, was allegedly murdered by Shahnawaz, her husband and son of renowned journalist Ayaz Amir, in Islamabad a year ago.

Shahnawaz was arrested on September 23 last year over the alleged murder at a farmhouse in Islamabad’s Shahzad Town, only a day after her arrival in the country from Dubai where she had been working.

He was initially remanded to police custody a day after his arrest and the period of his physical remand was extended several times.

His father was discharged from the case and his mother Sameena Shah, nominated as co-accused in the case, was granted post-arrest bail in November last year. On December 5, both Shahnawaz and his mother were indicted in the case. In January, Dr Bushra Ashraf who conducted Sara’s post-mortem, told an Islamabad court that the victim had multiple fractures on her head.

In July, Shahnawaz’s lawyer completed the cross-examination of Sara’s father, Inamur Rahim, and her uncle Ikramur Rahim. Sara’s father, Inamur Rahim has ruled out compromise with the defence, which he has also blamed for delays in the case’s conclusion.

Last month, Investigation Officer (IO) Habibur Rehman testified before a trial court, informing the judge that Shahnawaz had confessed his crime. He had further said that the police had recovered a bloodstained dumbbell, which was used to kill the victim. According to the medical report, Sara died due to a head injury.

A day ago, Sessions Judge Azam Khan had concluded recording statements of the IO and the prosecution witnesses in the murder case. The defence counsel had concluded the cross-examination of the IO, who testified that he did not commit any negligence nor fabricate any evidence. Therefore, Shahnawaz was due to record his statement today. On Thursday, Judge Khan presided over the hearing, during which prosecutor Rana Hasan Abbas was present. However, the defence counsel in the case, Basharatullah, did not appear before the court.

Basharatullah’s assistant lawyer informed the court that the counsel had prior engagements at the Supreme Court and urged the court to adjourn the hearing, which the court accepted. “We will submit accused Shahnawaz’s statement under section 342 (power to examine the accused) [of the Code of Criminal Procedure] in the next hearing,” the assistant lawyer assured the court.

Subsequently, the court issued directives that Basharatullah appear before the court at the next hearing, fixing it for October 18 when Shahnawaz’s statement would now be recorded.