Dr Maha’s death seems a murder, she had frequent quarrels with father: key suspect

The case of Dr Maha who allegedly ended her life by shooting herself in the head last month took a new turn after the key suspect nominated in the case accused her father of having differences with her over a property dispute.

Junaid Khan said at a news conference at the Karachi Press Club on Monday that it seemed she was murdered and it was not a suicide. He alleged that Dr Maha’s family also refused to hand over her cell phone to the police investigations.

He demanded the constitution of a joint investigation team to probe the incident, and suggested that drug tests be carried out on him and Dr Maha’s brother. Dr Maha’s tragic demise has been widely discussed on social media. Police are thoroughly looking into the case. The mystery is now converging into something much more than a simple suicide case.

Khan, nominated in the FIR registered on behalf of Maha’s father, alleged that Dr Maha and her father had differences over separation with her mother and property, and that she used to fight with her father for leaving her mother.

He said the first fight between Dr Maha and her father was over leaving her mother for a 20-year-old woman. “Maha’s mother sat down and discussed the whole matter with me,” he claimed.

“Some of my voice notes were also run. Fights and quarrels happen in every relationship. Maha used to call her father in bad words. Maha’s brother Nad Ali should also have a drug test.”

Khan said Maha’s father also wanted to sell the property. “Fights started over the property dispute. Maha was demanding a house but she was shifted to a rented house. I got a call from Maha’s brother on August 18. I gave chocolates at her home that night, which her brother received.”

Khan added: “I was told by Maha’s brother that she shot herself. The police officers were present when I reached the hospital. Maha’s brother introduced me to their father at the hospital. Her mother came and told the police Maha forbade to give her mobile phone.”

He claimed that as soon as Maha’s mother came, she fell at her feet. “I paid for the ambulance and other things while she was alive. I took care of everything for her. I loved her,” he said, adding that she used to say she would not take a single rupee from her father.

The prime suspect said Ali had sent him a picture of Maha’s grave from Mirpurkhas. “When the police called me for interrogation, I cooperated. Maha’s father did not cooperate during the interrogation,” he alleged.

Last week, Dr Maha’s father had held a press conference, accusing Khan of blackmailing his daughter. “My daughter is gone now, but people should save their daughters from men like Junaid. He treated my daughter horribly. He physically abused her as well. My daughter shared what happened with her with her friends,” he had claimed.

Police have decided to go for the exhumation of Dr Maha’s body and carry out a fresh autopsy to find the real facts after her father cast doubts on the medical report. Investigations SSP Bashir Barohi has written a letter to a court in Mirpurkhas to exhume the body and conduct a fresh autopsy.