‘Honour’ crime: Farzana’s sister asked to prove Iqbal’s guilt

Court directs Khalida to join police probe, orders IO to proceed as per law.

LAHORE:

Additional District and Sessions Judge (AD&SJ) Abdul Qayyum Khan on Tuesday directed Khalida Bibi—a sister of deceased Farzana who was bludgeoned to death by her relatives near the Lahore High Court last week—to share with the police any evidence she had to prove her claim that the deceased’s husband, Muhammad Iqbal, and his accomplices had murdered Farzana.

Khalida had petitioned the court to seek registration of a case against Iqbal and others for Farzana’s murder.

On Tuesday, Iqbal reached the court along with his counsel to oppose the petition by Khalida, whose lawyer strongly objected to his presence. He said Iqbal had been declared a proclaimed offender on the allegation of abducting Farzana and he should first get a bail in the case. He said Iqbal was not a party to the petition and had no authority to appear in the case. The opposing counsel said Iqbal’s son Orangzeb had petitioned the Lahore High Court (LHC) to get the abduction case quashed as his father had married Farzana with mutual consent. He said the accused granted bail in such a case could defend themselves. The counsel sought some time to appear with Orangzeb. He returned to the court shortly afterwards with Oranzeb and contended that the murder charge against Iqbal and others was a conspiracy to implicate Iqbal.

After hearing the arguments, the judge directed petitioner Khalida to join the police investigation, record her statement and produce any evidence she had before the police to prove her claim that Iqbal and his accomplices had killed Farzana. He ordered the investigation officer (IO) to proceed as per the law in view of the material presented and the petitioner’s statement.

The Mozang station house officer (SHO) informed the court that a case had already been registered on the complaint of Iqbal, and if Khalida had any objection, she should join the investigation and record her statement and provide evidence to support her claim. In previous proceedings, Khalida’s counsel had submitted that Iqbal and his accomplies, and not Farzana’s family had murdered her.

Separately, Free Legal Aid, Assistance and Settlement, an NGO, offered free legal help to Farzana’s husband Iqbal in order to bring the slain woman’s killers to justice. In a statement on Tuesday, Advocate Anis Saasi said they would provide free legal assistance to punish the killers. He said the government must make it a test case if it wanted “to stop such barbarism”. He said Farzana’s murder had maligned the country’s name.

Published in The Express Tribune, June 4^th, 2014.