On Friday (September 23) morning, the son of a renowned Pakistani journalist killed his wife of 3 months in Shahzad Town of Islamabad in Pakistan.
As per reports, the accused was identified as Shahnawaz Amir. He is the son of renowned Pakistani journalist Ayaz Amir and his wife Sameena Shah. Shahnawaz had married the victim, identified as a Canadian national Sara Inam, about three months ago. She worked in Abu Dhabi but moved to Islamabad at the insistence of Shahnawaz’s parents.
A day before the brutal murder, Sara had a fight with the accused after the latter changed the ownership of her Mercedes car to his name without her knowledge. On Friday morning, they fought again over the same issue and an angry Shahnawaz then bludgeoned her to death.
My heart bleeds to see this beautiful soul have been brutally murdered, no words can express my anger. We want exemplary justice and the public hanging of her killer Shah Nawaz Amir and Zahir Jaffer also #JusticeForSarah #AyazAmir #JusticeForNoor #JusticeforSara pic.twitter.com/AlkIr2PdJw
— M.Zahaib Nabeel (@zahaibnabeel) September 25, 2022
Reportedly, the Station House Officer (SHO) of the Shahzad Town police station, Nawazish Ali Khan, was informed by the accused’s mother about the gruesome killing of Sara Inam. On receiving information, he rushed to the farmhouse with a team of police officials.
The cops detained Shahnawaz, whose hands were said to be soaked in blood. As per reports, the accused confessed to killing his wife with a dumbbell and hiding her dead body in the bathtub of his bathroom.
The police recovered the body of the deceased, besides the murder weapon that was hidden under the bed. Sara’s body was sent to the Polyclinic Hospital in Islamabad for autopsy.
Arrest warrant issued against parents, Shahnawaz remanded to 2-day custody
On Saturday (September 24), a local court in Islamabad issued warrants for the arrest of Shahnawaz Amir’s parents. The court had also remanded the accused to 2-day police custody.
However, the police had initially sought 10 days remand of Shahnawaz. They also sought custody of his parents under the belief that they could influence the probe in the case. According to a police official, the duo went into hiding after the issuance of the arrest warrant. The police official confirmed that efforts were underway to nab them at the earliest.
Calls for Justice for Sara took the Pakistani internet by storm
The incident sparked a massive social media outrage, with celebrities and influencers speaking out about the plight of women in the Islamic republic.
Artist Muniba Mazari wrote, “Another day. Another life. Another hashtag. This society has raised monsters & this ongoing vicious cycle of violence & terror seems never-ending. While Noor Muqaddam still awaits justice, we’ve lost Sara, another soul, another human killed by her own husband! #JusticeForSara”
Another day. Another life. Another hashtag. This society has raised monsters & this ongoing vicious cycle of violence & terror seems never ending. While Noor Muqaddam still await justice, we’ve lost Sara, another soul, another human killed by her own husband! #JusticeForSara 💔
— Muniba Mazari (@muniba_mazari) September 24, 2022
Feminist Maheen Ghani questioned the deafening silence on the murder of Sarah Inam. “Is it because he’s Ayaz Amir’s son? #JusticeforSara”, she asked.
Why is there deafening silence on Sarah’s murder? Is it because he’s Ayaz Amir’s son? #JusticeforSara
— Maheen Ghani (@maheenghani_) September 24, 2022
“We haven’t yet gotten justice for Noor Muqaddam and #JusticeforSara is trending. How many hashtags is it going to take as the dead bodies of brutally murdered Pakistani women pile up? Justice through hashtag isn’t working. Systemic rot is delaying justice. Take a look at that,” wrote journalist Saba Eitizaz.
We haven’t yet gotten justice for Noor Muqaddam and #JusticeforSara is trending. How many hashtags is it going to take as the dead bodies of brutally murdered Pakistani women pile up? Justice through hashtag isn’t working. Systemic rot is delaying justice. Take a look at that.
— Saba Eitizaz (@sabaeitizaz) September 24, 2022
Journalist Asma Ali Zain pointed out, “We believe that when a woman is educated and financially independent, it becomes easier to walk away from toxic relations. But neither could Noor do that nor Sarah. Toxic men just don’t stop until a woman stops existing. #JusticeforSara”
We believe that when a woman is educated and financially independent, it becomes easier to walk away from toxic relations.
— Asma Ali Zain (@asmaalizain) September 24, 2022
But neither could Noor do that nor Sarah.
Toxic men just don’t stop until a woman stops existing 💔#JusticeforSara https://t.co/uhMOzdRkIU
Journalist Hamza Azhar Salam pointed out the political connection between Imran Khan’s Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaaf and murder accused Shahnawaz Amir.
“Unfortunate that most PTI leaders are not condemning Ayaz Amir’s son for murdering his wife just because the father-son duo enjoy a close relationship with Imran Khan. Ayaz Amir once sought a PMLN ticket for his son but it was rejected by the party,” he emphasised.
Unfortunate that most PTI leaders are not condemning Ayaz Amir’s son for murdering his wife just because the father – son duo enjoy a close relationship with Imran Khan.
— Hamza Azhar Salam (@HamzaAzhrSalam) September 24, 2022
Ayaz Amir once sought a PMLN ticket for his son but it was rejected by the party. #JusticeforSara pic.twitter.com/GES1hVW6wB
Earlier, the high-profile murder case of Noor Mukadam had generated shockwaves across Pakistan. The 27-year-old woman was killed on the night of July 20 by her boyfriend Zahir Jaffar.
Mukadam was the daughter of former Pakistani diplomat to South Korea and Kazakhstan, Shaukat Ali Mukadam. She was shot then stabbed and mercilessly beheaded with a sharp weapon by Jaffar. The accused is the son of the chief executive officer of a leading construction company in Islamabad.
Reports suggested that Jaffar had brutally murdered the victim after she broke up with him. He could not handle the refusal and killed her. He was arrested on the spot and taken to the police station.
