KARACHI, Aug 05 2006: An elderly woman was stabbed to death by her son, brother and nephew on a dispute over her daughter’s marriage last month, an incident illustrating just how so low our society has stooped. The incident took place on Wednesday, July 5, and the alleged murderers were still at large when this report was filed. Dilfroz Bibi, 55, was a resident of Makkah-Basti, Orangi Town. She was fatally injured when one of her younger sons, Muhammad Jan, along with her brother Saleem and her nephew Fazeer, attacked her with a sharp-edged object. The attack took place inside her house situated within Pirabad Police Station limits. The trio have not been seen ever since.

Dilfroz had been taken to Abbasi Shaheed Hospital soon after the attack but was pronounced dead on arrival. Pirabad police station has registered a case on the complaint of the womanÂ’s elder son, Shahjehan, and FIR number 114/06 has been lodged against her three next-of-kin. Medico-legal experts told the police after the post-mortem that Dilfroz had been attacked with a sharp-edged weapon and excessive loss of blood was one of tmajor causes of her death. They informed the police that daggers and choppers might have been used.

Shahjehan, better known in his locality as Shah Jan, is approximately 25-26 years of age. He told the police that his family belongs to Mehmund Agency in the Federally Administered Tribal Areas. Shajehan himself was born in Karachi as his parents had migrated here in the mid-eighties in order to earn a better living. He told the Sub Inspector and Investigation Officer, who did not wish to be named, that his 75-year-old father, Main Jan, lived nearby in an industrial wood-cutting unit and worked at the same factory for a living.

He added that due to some dispute, his parents were living separately for the last four-five years. He stated that his father regularly paid visits to the house for a get-together with his grandchildren. Main Jan was informed of the death by some of the area people three days after the incident. He said that his younger brother Muhammad Jan, a jobless person, was living separately from his family. So too his unmarried cousin, Fazeer. All those nominated in the murder case lived in Fareed Colony, near Makkah-Basti.

Shah Jan recorded in his statement that his younger brother, maternal uncle Saleem and his son Fazeer came to his house on July 5. Shah Jan was not at home and according to his wife, they behaved with his mother very harshly. The three were interested in getting Shah Jan’s sister married with Fazeer, a proposition not acceptable to Dilfroz and her other sons. One of her daughters was already wedded to Fazeer’s elder brother Naseer and she was not happy. She had even left her husband’s house and started living with her mother and siblings.

Quoting his sister (Naseer’s wife), Shah Jan told the police that his brother Muhammad Jan, Naseer and Fazeer were all drug addicts and unemployed. The area police raided Bilal Colony, Korangi Industrial Area, where Naseer resided but found the house vacated. Police said they had raided the place the same day but could not lay their hands on Naseer. The whole family had moved to some unknown location.

According to the recorded statement, Dilfroz Bibi was busy with Shah Jan’s infant daughter when the three accused came to discuss the matter. She had refused their proposal on previous occasions but they insisted that she reconsider her decision. The investigation officer said that on Dilfroz’s refusal, they threatened her with dire consequences. They said they would not allow Dilfroz to arrange her daughter’s marriage outside the family.

Dilfroz, who had already fixed her daughter’s marriage outside the family, persisted with her refusal. This led to an exchange of hot words and subsequently the unfortunate woman was treated with slashes of hatchet and carving knives. Police said once the accused are caught and their version taken, it will help solve the murder mystery.
Source: The News
Date:8/5/2006