Naz Shah asks UK govt to raise murder cases of Fahad Malik, Samia Shahid with Pakistan

LONDON: Member of Britain’s Home Affairs Select Committee and Labour MP Naz Shah has called on Britain’s new Home Secretary Sajid Javid to raise the issue of killings of two British nationals in Pakistan, Barrister Fahad Malik and Samia Shahid.

The Labour MP from Bradford West has written to the new home secretary reminding him of the promise made by Amber Rudd during her last appearance before the Home Affairs Select Committee, prior to her resignation in the last week of April, where she had pledged that she will take up the issue with the Pakistani government on behalf of Jawad Malik, the younger brother of the murdered barrister who is running a campaign to get justice.

In her letter, MP Shah has asked the home secretary to use his office to ensure that families of Fahad Malik and Samia Shahid "get justice and that the cases are heard as quickly and as openly as possible."

The Labour MP wrote that Samia Shahid was raped and killed on 20th of July, 2016 in a so-called "honour killing" and there were serious allegations of a cover-up in relation to her death and "a speedy burial had been carried out with early suggestions ruling her death as of natural causes."

"On the 14th of August 2016 British national Barrister Fahad Malik was shot and killed outside a police station in Islamabad. Fahad’s shooting was most certainly a targeted killing. He was chased by cars along a road which they had blocked and his car was then shot at with automatic weapons. I believe he was shot 6 times and died at the scene. Again, nearly two years on from the murder and the family are still pursuing justice for Fahad Malik," she said.

"Both of these cases involve British nationals who were murdered abroad in Pakistan. I am sure you can appreciate why these case have such significance and the delay in judicial proceedings in both these cases causes immense stress and anguish to those who were left behind and those who cared for them deeply."

MP Shah stated: "Your predecessor Amber Rudd showed a great commitment and understanding especially with regards to the appalling rape and murder of Samia Shahid. She committed to raising both these cases with her counterpart in Pakistan following her appearance before the Home Affairs Select Committee. I am writing to seek your commitment and support and ask whether you would be kind enough to engage your counterpart in Pakistan so that these cases are not forgotten or delayed further so that we can finally get justice."

Speaking to this correspondent, the Labour MP said that both these cases damaged Pakistan’s international reputation and that serving justice to the victims’ families will help Pakistan.

She commended Jawad Malik for running a relentless and difficult campaign to get justice for his slain brother. "I commend Jawad Malik for the efforts he has made to get justice. He has faced extreme difficulties but he has not given up. He met me in London and then in Pakistan. The whole family continues to suffer. It’s important they should be given speedy justice and killer brought to their fate. We need justice for the victims."

MP Shah hoped that the Home Secretary Javid would fulfil the promise made by his predecessor and take up the issue with his counterpart of current caretaker setup in Pakistan, Azam Khan.

She said that Samia Shahid’s husband Syed Mukhtar Kazim has faced extreme difficulties including threats to his life.