LAHORE: Suspect in the murder of a Pakistan-origin British woman in the Defence Housing Authority (DHA) neighbourhood earlier this month appeared before the police on Monday to record his statement.
In his statement, Saad Ameer Butt — one of the two suspects, who appeared after securing pre-arrest bail — said he was sleeping at his house the night Mahira Zulfiqar, 24, was shot dead.
He said he did not kill Maira and that the deceased was a friend but the bond had been strained.
“I never attempted to kidnap her”, he told the investigation team. He further informed the team he had put the matter before an Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP) in Zulfiqar’s life after she accused him of kidnapping attempt.
Zulfiqar was found dead on May 3 after four attackers reportedly barged into a bedroom in the home of her friend where she was staying the night.
Zahir Jadoon and Butt were two of the four accused of being behind the murder in the first information report (FIR) filed by Mohammad Nazeer, a relative of Zulfiqar.
Nazeer said Zulfiqar had told him she had become embroiled in a dispute with two male friends after she had refused their marriage proposals, and that they had threatened her with “dire consequences”.
The case was registered under sections 302 and 34 — premeditated murder and common intention, respectively — of the Pakistan Penal Code (PPC).
