Murree school teacher did not commit suicide: Fact finding mission report

ISLAMABAD: Murree school teacher Maria did not commit suicide, a Supreme Court Bar Association fact finding mission report declared on Wednesday, placing a question mark on police investigation over the case.

"Neither Maria’s hands were burnt nor her feet were burnt," Supreme Court Bar President Ali Zafar said during a press conference.

Due to flawed [police] investigation honour killings against women are on the rise, he added.

Police investigation revealed that Maria had committed suicide after an unfortunate break-up with the son of the main accused, Master Shaukat. Haroon who had married in 2014, continued a love affair with Maria, the report said.  After the two families had a fight, Haroon cut off all relations with Maria, which led to the suicide attempt, the report said.

Maria lost her battle with life on June 1 at the Pakistan Institute of Medical Science. She was brought with 85 percent burn wounds.

On her death bed Maria had named Master Shaukat for her alleged murder.

The case drew widespread criticism by the civil society over its similarity to several honour killings cases which made headlines in recent month.

Earlier this week, internet sensation Qandeel Baloch was strangled to death by her brother allegedly over her ‘bold’ Facebook posts.

In May, the gutted body of a girl was found from a vehicle in Abbottabad. Police investigation into the case revealed that the 9th-grader was kidnapped from her house, sedated, murdered and then set on fire following a decision of a local Jirga.

In April a disabled 22-year old under treatment girl from Swat was allegedly raped by a male nurse on night duty at PIMS. The hospital brushed the incident for two days before launching an inquiry and suspending their staff member.