Chitral's girl 'suicide' sparks outcry

PESHAWAR:

The mysterious death of a promising female student from Chitral district of Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa has triggered widespread concern and prompted demands for justice, as her family accuses a young man of abducting and murdering her.

According to details, 22-year-old Shehla, a BS English student and resident of Nishku, Morkho, in Upper Chitral, went missing on August 14. Her body was recovered seven days later from a stream in the Bumburet area of Ayun, Lower Chitral. Known for her academic excellence and high grades, Shehla's tragic end has shocked the villagers and drawn attention on social media.

Initial reports suggest that Shehla had allegedly committed suicide. However, her father, Muhammad Yaqoob, dismissed the suicide theory and lodged an FIR at Morkho police station, alleging that his daughter had been abducted and murdered by a local youth.

Upper Chitral DPO Hameedullah Khan, while speaking to The Express Tribune, confirmed that Shehla was a student at Government College Upper Chitral and had been in contact with a young man, which was verified through her mobile phone records. However, she had recently become engaged elsewhere, which reportedly left the youth distressed.

DPO Khan said that Shehla was being harassed over the phone and had been mentally disturbed in the days leading up to her disappearance. Locals claimed she jumped into a canal on August 14. Her family initially registered a missing persons and abduction case on August 21. The following day, the FIR was updated to include murder charges under Section 302 of the Pakistan Penal Code.

According to police sources, mobile data has been retrieved and a preliminary post-mortem indicated death due to drowning. However, forensic samples have been dispatched to Khyber Medical College's forensic unit and Punjab Forensic Science Agency to determine if there were signs of physical violence or foul play.

Shehla's father, speaking to The Express Tribune, said, "I want justice for my daughter. She had dreams of a bright future. The cruelty of society took her away from us. I will not rest until her killer is punished."

Shehla had recently been engaged, but her marriage had not yet taken place. The case gained traction only after it went viral on social media, prompting police to take swift action.

Chitral has witnessed a disturbing rise in suicide cases, particularly among women. Between 2015 and 2019, 83 suicides were reported, with 44 involving women. Over the last five years, Lower Chitral alone reported 63 suicides, 54% of which were female victims. Mental health issues and domestic violence were cited as major contributing factors in most of the cases.