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#JusticeForZahra: Journalist Held As Main Suspect In Wife’s Alleged Murder

Wahaj Ahmed July 9, 2020 No Comments
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Now Reading: #JusticeForZahra: Journalist Held As Main Suspect In Wife’s Alleged Murder

Journalist Ali Salman Alvi has been arrested late last month for the alleged murder of his wife – Sadaf Zahra Naqvi. This was recently confirmed by the Rawalpindi police as they promised to provide a detailed investigation for the case. The incident took place on June 29 in Yousuf Colony of Rawalpindi, the area where the police arrested the journalist after an FIR was registered by Zahra’s sister.

According to said FIR, Zahra’s sister – Mahwish – has accused her brother in law, Alvi, for murdering her sister and covering it up as a suicide. The FIR stated that, “The deceased was found with ‘marks on her hand and face’ along-with the one on her neck, which became the cause of the death”. Mahwish added that Alvi called her from her sister’s phone at 2 pm saying he was “ruined” and that her sister had “done something”. She added that upon entering the house along with her mother, she saw Zahra’s body hanging from the ceiling fan of her bedroom, with a bed sheet tied around her neck. Furthermore, Mahwish stated that she was “absolutely sure that he [Alvi] was behind the murder.”

Police Assures A Just Investigation

On July 8th, journalist Arshad Sharif – while talking about the incident – expressed the hope that the officers of Rawalpindi police will not ignore this case and the evidence of the murder and will do justice to the investigation.

Replying to this, the police assured that ‘justice will be assured, most definitely‘. “The case is being investigated thoroughly, and evidence being closely analyzed. CPO @AhsanPSP and Rawalpindi Police have ‘time and again’ exhibited our absolute zero tolerance against abuse on women & children,” they said. The police also revealed that the accused was arrested on the same day of the FIR.

Zahra Was Suffering From Domestic Abuse Prior To her Death

Sadaf’s sister confirmed that her sister was suffering from domestic abuse and that she had only shared about it with close friends. She also maintained in the FIR that Alvi used to physically abuse her sister, resorting to beating her several times and that her family told him to stop but he didn’t listen. She said;

 “We had told him to abstain from this, but he would continue to torture her.” 

One of Sadaf’s friends also made a thread in which she shared the ‘tragic tale’ about how the deceased’s husband trapped her in the marriage and eventually killed her. In the thread, she revealed how during 3 years of marriage, Sadaf caught her husband blackmailing women for money, flirting and pleasing them for money and how many chances she gave him even after he beat her over and over again. Here’s the full thread:

Sadaf herself shared an entire thread about domestic violence at the start of the year, as if calling for help, talking about its rise in current society and spoke against how girls are asked to suffer and ‘be patient’ in the face of their degradation. In said thread, she also mentioned that she was going to attend the Aurat March for the very same reason even though she had not supported the march in the past.

#JusticeForZahra Trends As Public Heartbroken

#JusticeForZahra trended in the country throughout the day as people are heartbroken over the incident.

It was also noted by people that she had a one year old daughter who she loved and that no mother would leave their child behind like this and asserted that it was a murder. Furthermore, a person who knew her added that she was a humble and helping woman and that it was clearly a case of murder.

Moreover, Alvi was a producer of journalist and human rights advocate Asma Shirazi’s program who, after reading about the case, has fired him from his position and has asserted that “Justice must prevail”.

“Look what we ignored again”, said one person.

Its heartbreaking that our society has turned into a nightmare for women. Only silver lining is that many brave young women are becoming more vocal against such abuse. Unfortunately, even this silver lining seems not all that much as the abuser is now in jail while the victim is in her grave. We were too late. Let’s pray that however unlikely it is, its the last time that his happens and also that #JusticeForZahra bears fruit.

 

Read also: Multiple KIPS Teachers Called Out For Harassing Female Students

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