Police have arrested Ali Raza, the husband of Sania Zehra, a 20-year-old pregnant mother of two whose body was discovered hanging in her home near Kumharanwala Chowk, New Multan, on July 9.
Following the arrest, Ali Raza was taken to an undisclosed location for further questioning. The investigation led to the arrest after mounting evidence pointed towards his involvement in the alleged murder.
The tragic incident gained significant attention on July 13 when Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz Sharif took notice of Sania’s alleged brutal murder. Sania’s body was found hanging from a fan at her in-laws’ house, prompting the chief minister to demand a detailed report from the Multan city police officer. Her body was exhumed on court orders, and medical samples were sent to a forensic laboratory for further analysis.
Dr. Munazzah, in charge of anti-violence for women, stated that the Punjab government exhumed Sania Zehra’s body to collect samples for forensic analysis following a complaint from Sania’s father, Asad Abbas. A case was registered against her husband and his family, with Ali Raza initially evading arrest.
“My daughter was killed at night and hanged in the morning to make it look like a suicide,” Abbas claimed. “A police scene was then created around the case. I appeal to the Punjab government and the district administration that the post-mortem has been completed. My daughter was tortured and hanged; I want justice.”
The exhumation was conducted in the presence of a magistrate, and the medical samples were sent to Lahore for forensic analysis. The New Multan police station has assured that the suspects will be prosecuted promptly.
