Police exhume Pakistani-Italian woman’s body

Police launches an investigation into the death of Sana Cheema

GUJRAT: Police exhumed the body of a 26-year-old Pakistani-Italian women, over claims she had murdered by male relatives for honour, on Wednesday.

Earlier this week, in a case that has made headlines across Italy, police had launched an investigation into the death of Sana Cheema after allegations claiming she had been murdered went viral online.

"After the news of her death spread on social media, police found the family and started an investigation," said police officer Waqar Gujjar.

Cheema's father Ghulam Mustafa, uncle Mazhar Iqbal and brother Adnan Mustafa are currently being held in custody for questioning but have not been charged, added Gujrat police officer Mudassar Sajjad. "Now it depends on the post-mortem report. If it determines the cause of death is due to murder, only then will we charge the suspects," said Sajjad. According to family members, Cheema died earlier this month after succumbing to an unspecified illness.

Published in The Express Tribune, April 26^th, 2018.