ISLAMABAD: A local court on Monday extended the physical remand of Shahnawaz Amir, son of senior journalist Ayaz Amir, who allegedly murdered his Canadian national wife, Sara Inam, at a farmhouse located in the limits of Shahzad Town police station.

Police produced Shahnawaz and his father Ayaz before the District and Sessions Judge Muhammad Aamir Aziz after expiry of their two-day and one-day physical remand respectively. The court also extended the physical remand of Ayaz for one day.

Police on Friday last arrested Shahnawaz for allegedly murdering his wife Sara over a “family issue” using dumbbells, a day after she arrived in Pakistan from Dubai.

At the start of the hearing, the judge inquired about the accused.

The investigation officer (IO) told the court that Amir and his son Shahnawaz are the two accused.

The judge asked the IO how many days’ remand you require. The IO said that we have requested an extension in the physical remand of the accused for seven days.

The IO told the court that remand is necessary for an investigation and recovery of the passport and the money that the accused has received through banks to be recovered.

The judge asked the IO that what is the relation of this case with Ayaz Amir. Ayaz has been nominated by the victim’s uncle and aunt in this case, the IO said.

He further asked where are the parents of the deceased. The IO replied that the parents of the deceased are in Canada and will arrive in Pakistan on Tuesday (today).

When the judge asked about the lawyers of the accused.Ayaz told the court that he will contest his case himself. I was shocked after getting the news of the incident and I myself informed the police. At the time of the incident, I was in Chakwal and immediately informed the Inspector General of Police (IGP), he said, adding that he informed the Superintendent of Police (SP) rural as IGP was not available.

He said that he guided the police about Shahnawaz’s residence. Police have registered the first information report (FIR) and he gave his stance to the police about the case.

Ayaz further told the court that he had asked the mother of Shahnawaz over the phone not to let him escape. He told the court that he is very fair in this case but the police have charged him under Section 109 of the Pakistan Penal Code (PPC). Police have asked nothing from him during the previous one-day remand, he said, adding that the police have arrested him yesterday and his mobile phone is in the custody of the police.

He said that his name is not mentioned in the whole case.

According to the police, his name was included in the case following the complaint of the deceased’s uncle, he said, adding that if allegations are levelled against him then they need to provide some evidence of the charges levelled against him.

Meanwhile, the court granted pre-arrest bail to Ayaz’s wife Samina Shah against surety bonds of Rs 50,000.

Samina filed a petition in a local court before additional session judge Sheikh Sohail seeking pre-arrest bail in the Sara Inam murder case in which her son Shahnawaz Amir is the prime suspect.

In her petition, she pleaded the court to accept her pre-arrest bail plea as she was facing health issues.

She said that her slain daughter-in-law’s uncle and aunt nominated her in Sara’s murder case.

She said that she had been living in the farmhouse for the past several years. She got information regarding Sara’s murder in a phone call which she received at 9:12 am.

She said that she ran towards her daughter-in-law’s room but by that time she had been murdered.

She stated that the police reached their farmhouse in a few minutes.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2022