An 18-year-old married woman, Nabeela Khalid, was stabbed by her father in Jugian Nagran in Nawankot police precincts on Monday, for allegedly giving birth to an illegitimate child.
The police said that the deceased had married Shan, a resident of Joray Pul in Harbanspura. Police said Nabeela gave birth to a premature child who subsequently died. Police said Shan claimed the child was not his son since he had married Nabeela six months ago, whereas the child born suggested a seven month pregnancy.
Nabeela and Shan were at odds over the matter. Soon after, Nabeela shifted to her parents’ after her son’s funeral since her in-laws did not want her in their house.
A number of people had been taunting Nabeela’s father Khalid for his daughter’s alleged ‘bad’ character. On Monday, while Nabeela was sleeping at her parents’ house, Khalid stabbed her and fled.
Nabeela’s mother, with the help of some locals, shifted her to the hospital where doctors declared her dead. Police shifted the body to the morgue for autopsy, after which it was handed over to heirs.
Nawankot Police registered a case on the complaint of deceased’s mother, Sakeena, and started an investigation.
Case Investigation Officer Sub-Inspector Ijaz Ahmed told Pakistan Today that they conducted a raid at Khalid’s house but he managed to escape. He promised Khalid’s arrest, expecting him to surrender within a couple of days. He said Sakeena may forgive her husband after accepting blood money for their daughter as such was norm in such cases.
Nabeela was the eldest among Khalid and Sakeena’s four daughters. Talking to media, Sakeena said she was in a quandary since she had registered a case against the family’s only breadwinner.
Nabeela’s paternal uncle Zulifqar said that Khalid was a ‘noble man’, who had been pressurized by Nabeela’s in-laws. He said that no one could prove the child was illegitimate. “The child was so weak that the date of pregnancy could not be confirmed,” he said.
Investigation Police sources told Pakistan Today that Khalid had surrendered himself before the police but police would reveal his arrest in papers later to show ‘efficiency.’
