The court awarded death sentnce to Sania's husband and main accused Ali Raza and life term imprisonment to her mother inlaw Azra Perveen and her younger son Ali Haider. However, The court acquitted the father in law Syed Jeewan Shah, his daughter Dua Zahra and Ali Raza's ex-wife Madiha because prosecution failed to prove their involvement in this murder case.
The judgement was announced after 9 PM on Tuesday while it was to be announced on Monday due to the reasons best known to the concerned persons.
The 20-year-old Syeda Sania Zehra was found dead at inlaws home adjacent to Multan in a position which indicated that she committed suicide.Her body was hanging with ceiling fan Punjab Government took this case seriously and constituted a joint investigation team (JIT) comprising senior Police officers.
Punjab Information Minister Azma Bokhari said that her death was case of homicide and not suicide.Sania Zehra, on July 9, had died after being found hanging by a ceiling fan at her residence.
While addressing a press conference in Lahore , the provincial information minister said: “No evidence of suicide has been found in the Sania Zehra case. The mother-in-law and husband had put a noose around the girl’s neck together.”
The minister made the revelation two days after the Punjab government constituted a six-member committee to oversee probe in the murder case. The committee, comprising forensic experts, was formed after discrepancies found in the FIR’s contents and victim’s post-mortem report, adding fuel to controversies.
Bokhari, who mentioned being a criminal lawyer herself, said a homicide case can longer be forged as one of suicide.
“Forensic lab traces such cases. Forensics have found evidence against Sania’s mother-in-law and husband,” said the minister.
Bokhari insisted that the suspect tried very hard to escape and there was immense pressure with regard to the case.