Multan man who murdered nine says returned from Saudi to kill wife over 'dance video'
July 03, 2019
MULTAN: A man who murdered his wife and eight others from his in-laws' family, said in his initial statement to the anti-terrorism court on Tuesday that he returned from Saudi Arabia to kill his wife over a "dance video" he received in the Kingdom.
Ajmal — the primary accused who had two other accomplices, including his father, Zafar, and brother, Ashmal — was handed over to the police on a seven-day physical remand by the special ATC No. 2.
In his statement, Ajmal explained that he received a "dance video of his wife" from a party she reportedly went to while he was residing in Saudi Arabia. He commented about the characters of his sisters-in-law, saying they were "women of bad character" and "wanted my wife to join them in their indecent acts".
After watching the said video, he added, he was furious and could not control his anger, which is why he immediately returned to Pakistan and killed his wife.
Ajmal allegedly had suspicions over his wife's character, which is what led him to attack his in-laws' residence along with his two accomplices on Monday. His wife was his paternal uncle's daughter with whom he had three daughters and a son in total.
Three suspects absconding
Separately, the post-mortem report of the deceased stated that six of them either died of suffocation or burnt to death after Ajmal and his accomplices shot them and locked them up in a room before setting it on fire.
Three others, however, died due to the gunshot wounds.
Apart from Ajmal's father, Zafar, three others have been named in the first information report (FIR) of the tragic incident. These include his sister Farhat, his brother Ashmal, and the brother's wife Anila, all three of whom are absconding.
The FIR was registered in the New Multan police station on behalf of Ajmal's 24-year-old brother-in-law Ali Raza, who was wounded in the incident and is under treatment at a local hospital. It contains clauses of murder and terrorism.
Searches and raids are being conducted to nab the remaining three suspects.
14-year-old succumbed to injuries
In the early hours of Monday morning, Ajmal killed his wife and eight others of her family in the Hasanabad Gate No. 1 area before locking them up in a room and setting it on fire, allegedly over honour and having suspicions about his wife's character.
The incident had occurred at 1AM, Monday morning, when Ajmal entered his in-laws' residence along with Zafar and Ashmal and opened fire, police had said at the time.
City Police Officer (CPO) for Multan Imran Mahmood said Ajmal had returned from Saudi Arabia to Pakistan a couple of days ago. Both he and his father Zafar were arrested and weapons recovered, Mahmood added.
Eight people, including two children, had died on the spot and three critically wounded when Ajmal opened fire but a 14-year-old child succumbed to his injuries later on Monday, bringing the total number of fatalities to nine, according to Nishtar Hospital.
Among the nine deceased were Ajmal's wife Kiran, daughter Maira, mother-in-law Tasleem, sisters-in-law Saima, Asma, and Roma, son Adil, niece Naima, and 14-year-old nephew Sayem.
Four relatives, including children, tried to save those who were set on fire by Ajmal but he shot and wounded them.
Hang to death in public
Raza, the 24-year-old wounded brother of Ajmal's wife, Kiran, spoke to media earlier on Monday and demanded Ajmal be immediately hanged to death in public.
Raza explained that Ajmal often argued with his wife, Kiran. "Last night, our mother was sick so all the sisters had come to visit. One of my sisters was cooking food and he fired at her first.
"Then, he proceeded inside and shot everyone else," Raza added, saying Ajmal was accompanied by his father, Zafar, and brother, Ashmal.
