Tragic homecoming: Sabika Sheikh laid to rest in Karachi

Sindh governor, CM, political, social personalities take part in her funeral

KARACHI: Sabika Shiekh, a Pakistani exchange student killed in a mass shooting in Texas last week was buried in Karachi on Wednesday, her coffin draped with Pakistan's green and white flag.

Sabika, 17, was among eight students and two teachers killed in Texas when Santa Fe High School, southeast of Houston, on Friday joined a grim list of US schools and campuses where students and staff have been gunned down.

Sabika’s father Aziz Sheikh received her coffin at the cargo terminal of Karachi’s Jinnah International Airport along with his wife and sister-in-law. At the airport, the Airport Security Force (ASF) personnel performed a guard of honour for Sabika after the flight landed.



The foreign airline — TK-708 — carrying her from Texas was earlier delayed by a day due to bad weather. John E Warner, the acting US consul-general in Pakistan, was also present at the airport.

The body was then transported to her residence in Gulshan-e-Iqbal in the ASF’s ambulance in special protocol. At her home bereaved family and mourning friends and relatives were present.

Her funeral prayers were held at Karachi’s Hakim Said Ground where Sindh Chief Minister Murad Ali Shah, Governor Mohammad Zubair, US Ambassador David Hale as well other political and social personalities were present.

After the prayer, her body was brought to Azeempura Graveyard at the city’s Shah Faisal area, where she was buried next to her grandparents. Later, Sabika's father thanked the media and government for their support in helping the grieving family cope with their loss.

"I am grateful to the government, the prime minister, the media for extending their support to us and helping us cope with our grief and loss," he said talking to the media. The incident, he said, would not deter him from sending his other children abroad in pursuit of education.

Aziz said earlier the thought of school shootings had never crossed his mind when he sent Sabika to study in the United States. "But due to bad luck in a country that accuses the world of terrorism, she became a victim of terrorism herself. Sabika's case should become an example to change the gun laws," he told Reuters.

"Terrorism is a global threat," Sabika's paternal uncle said, as he urged the world to unite to combat terrorism. "This is the [only way] we can ensure a better future for our coming generations."

"This innocent girl had gone to brighten the name of Pakistan," Muttahida Quami Movement’s Amir Khan told reporters at the funeral.

Sabika was part of the YES exchange programme funded by the US State Department, which provides scholarships for students from countries with significant Muslim populations to spend an academic year in the US. .



She was due to return to Pakistan on June 9. "I have no words to express my feelings," family friend Mohammad Ali said after the coffin arrived at the family home. "It is a great loss to Pakistan. She wanted to do a lot for this country."

Funeral prayers held in Houston, Texas

Earlier on Sunday, Houston’s Muslim community gathered to offer funeral prayers which were attended by a large number of Pakistani Americans. About 1,000 people, many with Pakistani roots and wearing traditional Muslim dress, converged at an Islamic centre in Stafford to honour the student.

Among the mourners was the late teen’s first cousin, twenty-six-year-old Shaheera Jalil who lives in the US. She came along with the body to Pakistan.  The commander of US CENTCOM, General Joseph Votel, also called on Pakistani army chief, General Qamar Javed Bajwa, to offer his condolence.

US Embassy Islamabad tweeted that the US President Donald Trump directed the American flag to fly at half-staff worldwide as a mark of solemn respect for #SabikaSheikh and the nine other victims of the Texas shooting.