Body exhumed for postmortem in Sidra murder case

Rawalpindi: In a significant development in the ‘honour killing’ case of Sidra Arab, the authorities exhumed her grave in Chathi Graveyard of Pirwadhai area here Monday.

The exhumation, conducted under strict security with Elite Force personnel deployed and the grave site cordoned off, aimed. A medical team, led by Lady Dr. Misbah from Holy Family Hospital, was present to oversee the process.

Following an inspection by the judicial magistrate, TMA staff began digging the grave. Samples were collected from the body and will be sent to a forensic laboratory for detailed analysis. Two accused, grave-digger Rashid and graveyard committee secretary Saif-ur-Rehman, were brought to the scene for identification purpose. Also present were Sidra’s second husband, Usman, and his father, Ilyas, for body identification. Authorities confirmed that the body would be reburied after the postmortem examination.

Police have made substantial progress in the investigation by arresting three more suspects including former vice chairman Ismatullah, bringing the tally to eight.

All the arrested suspects were brought to the graveyard for grave identification. The victim’s second husband, Usman, has also surrendered to the police. Police presented the suspects before the Judicial Complex to seek their physical remand.

According to City Police Officer Syed Khalid Hamdani, Sidra was murdered on the night of July 17-18 in the jurisdiction of PS Pirwadhai and subsequently buried quietly, with all traces of the grave meticulously erased.

CPO during a Geo TV show said that police received information about the unnatural death on the same day. However, the family filed a kidnapping report three days later. “The woman was murdered at home and buried during heavy rain. All the traces were removed but police uncovered the murder,” CPO stated.

He added that suspects attempted to divert attention by fabricating claims. “This is clearly a murder case,” he said. Investigation indicates that Sidra was murdered on the orders of a jirga for allegedly running away from home.