Sajida Tasneem was reportedly killed in front of her father in a house she shared with her in-laws in the city of Sargodha, 250 kilometers south of the Pakistani capital, Islamabad, on June 11. Tasneem’s father, Sher Muhammad Khan, said his son-in-law, Ayub Ahmed, forced his daughter to travel to Pakistan with her three children from their home in Perth, Western Australia. Khan told the Guardian that when his daughter arrived in Pakistan, his son-in-law returned to Perth. Tasneem’s father-in-law, Mukhtar Ahmad, allegedly confiscated Tasneem’s passport. “After my daughter returned, Ahmad started demanding all the documents,” Khan said. “With his repeated insistence, his documents were handed over.” He told police that on June 11, he allegedly saw Ahmad throwing his daughter. Around 1.45 in the afternoon he had found them in a bathroom. Ahmad allegedly put a cloth in Tasneem’s mouth and threatened to kill Khan if anyone tried to stop him. “I was afraid for our lives and I did not move.” It is alleged that Ahmad struck Tasneem in the head with an ax. He died on the spot. A deputy police chief, Syed Saqlain Jaffer, said Mukthar Ahmad had been arrested and charged with murder. Jaffer told the Guardian: “The tool of crime, the ax through which the murder was committed, has also been recovered. It shows Ahmad’s involvement. “ He added: “The investigation is ongoing. “We are investigating the presence of other family members at the crime scene.” Khan said Tasneem’s three children were now with him and the Australian embassy was in contact. The Australian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade has confirmed that officials have “contacted the family of an Australian woman killed in Pakistan” and expressed their condolences. “The family is provided with consular assistance. “Due to our privacy obligations, we will not comment further.” With Ben Doherty In Australia, the National Domestic Violence Counseling Service is located at 1800 737 732. In the United Kingdom, call the National Domestic Violence Helpline on 0808 2000 247 or visit Women’s Aid. In the US, the domestic violence hotline is 1-800-799-SAFE (7233). You can find other international helplines at www.befrienders.org.
