By Staff Reporter
ISLAMABAD: An Islamabad court sentenced a man to death on Thursday for killing his Canadian wife in a high-profile murder case that has drawn international attention to the plight of women in the country who face violence at the hands of their partners.
Shahnawaz Amir, the son of a prominent journalist, was convicted of murdering 37-year-old economist Sarah Inam, who had moved to Pakistan from Dubai a year ago to live with him. He was also fined Rs1 million to be paid to her family.
The court acquitted Amir’s mother, Samina Shah, who was accused of being an accomplice in the crime.
The verdict was announced by District and Sessions Judge Nasir Javed Rana in a packed courtroom, where Inam’s parents and relatives of another slain woman, Noor Mukadam, were present.
Mukadam 27, the daughter of a former Pakistani diplomat, was beheaded by a friend in July in a separate case that sparked outrage and protests across the country.
As Rana read out the sentence, Inam’s father broke down in tears and hugged his wife. Police quickly escorted Amir out of the court amid tight security.
According to the prosecution, Amir killed Inam with a dumbbell at their farmhouse in Islamabad’s suburban Shahzad Town on Sept. 23, 2020, and hid her body in a bathtub.
He was arrested the next day after his mother informed the police about the murder.
Amir confessed to the crime during the investigation and said he had a heated argument with Inam over her alleged affair with another man, the prosecution said.
The defense lawyer argued that Amir was mentally unstable and acted under provocation.
He also claimed that Inam’s family had pressured the police to implicate Amir’s parents in the case.
The court rejected the defense’s arguments and said the evidence and witnesses proved Amir’s guilt beyond reasonable doubt.
Inam, who was born in Pakistan and had Canadian citizenship, had been working as a manager at a multinational company in Dubai before moving to Pakistan to marry Amir.
Her family said she was a victim of domestic abuse and had tried to escape from Amir several times. They said they had filed a complaint with the Canadian embassy in Islamabad but did not receive any help.
They also accused Amir’s father, Ayaz Amir, a former lawmaker and a columnist for a leading newspaper, of using his influence to protect his son and wife.
Ayaz Amir was initially named as a suspect in the case but was later discharged by the court. He has denied any involvement in the murder and said he was estranged from his son.
Inam case has highlighted the issue of violence against women in Pakistan, where hundreds of women are killed every year by their husbands, relatives, or other men for various reasons, often related to honor or money.
Activists have demanded stricter laws and better implementation to protect women’s rights and ensure justice for the victims.
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