7/31/2019 Pak-origin Muslim couple in UK killed daughter for her western lifestyle

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Pak-originMuslimcoupleinUKkilleddaughterforherwesternlifestyle

22May2012

AteenagerwaskilledbyherPakistan-bornparentsbecausetheybelievedherWesternisedlifestylehadbroughtshameonthefamily,acourtheardyesterday.

NineyearsaftertheirdaughterShafileavanished,IftikharandFarzanaAhmedhavegoneontrialaccusedofmurder.

ThecourtheardthatpolicemadeabreakthroughinthecasewhenShafileassistertoldthemshesawthemkillthe17-year-old.

Shafileahadwantedtogotouniversitytostudylawandhaveboyfriendslikeothergirlsherage,ajurywastold.

Butherparentsareallegedtohaveresortedtoviolenceintryingtoforcehertofollowatraditionallifestyle,sendinghertoPakistanforanarrangedmarriage.

TheresheswallowedbleachandwasflownbacktoBritainformedicaltreatment.ShevanishedfromthefamilyhomeinSeptember2003justdaysaftersheenrolledatcollegeandstartedapart-timejob.

Herparentsfailedtoreporthermissing,andthealarmwasraisedaweeklaterbyateacher.Herdecomposedbodywasfoundfivemonthslaterinundergrowthonthebanksofariver.

AndrewEdis,QC,prosecuting,saidShafileahadbeenathoroughlyWesternisedyoungBritishgirlofPakistanioriginwhowassubjectedtoviolenceforrefusingtoconformtoherparentsexpectations.

Thedefendants,havingspentthebestpartof12monthstryingtocrushherwill,realisedtheywerenevergoingtobeabletosucceedandfinallykilledherbecauseherconductdishonouredthefamily,bringingshameonthem,headded.

Theeldestoffivechildren,ShafileawasakeenstudentatherschoolinWarrin

gton,Cheshire,andenjoyedtripstoshoppingcentresandwearingWesternclothes,ChesterCrownCourtwastold.

Inparticularshewantedtohaveboyfriendsasmost16and17-year-oldgirlsdo,MrEdissaid.

Thatcausedintensefriction,stressandangerinthisfamily.Herparentsbegantoseektocontrolher.

Theywouldtakeawayhermobilephonetostopherringingboysandshecomplainedthattheystolemoneyfromherbankaccount.

Friendsandteachersbecameconcernedwhenshewenttoschoolwithinjuriesthat

shesaidhadbeencausedbyherparents,MrEdisadded.Shafileathenbegantorunawayfromhome.

InFebruary2003,shefledinthenightandattemptedtocuthertieswithherparentsentirely,onlyforherfathertoabductherinhistaxiwhenhesawherwalkingtoschool,theprosecutorsaid.

MrEdissaiditwasatthatpointthatherparentsputtogetherahastilyarrangedplantoflytoPakistanwithShafileaandpersuadeherintoanarrangedmarriagewithacousin.

7/31/2019 Pak-origin Muslim couple in UK killed daughter for her western lifestyle

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HoweverwhilestayingwithhergrandparentsinruralPakistan,shedrankfromabottleofbleach,causingseveredamagetoherthroat.

Ifitwasnotasuicideattempt,itwasanactofdesperation,MrEdissaid.ItputanendtotheideathatshewasgoingtogetmarriedandliveinPakistan.

ShafileaflewhomeinMayandspentthesummerreceivingregularhospitaltreatmentbeforeenrollingatsixth-formcollegetostudyA-levelswhilealsoworkingintelesales.

ThecourtheardsheresumedherWesternlifestyle,bringingherintofreshconflictwithherparentsconceptofshameandhonour.

ShewaslastseenaliveontheeveningofSeptember11whenher49-year-oldmotherpickedherupfromwork.

Aweeklater,MrEdissaid,oneofShafileasteachersreportedhermissingafterhearingthathersisterAleshahadtoldfriendsherparentshadkilledher.ButAleshathen15retractedherclaim,andherparentsinsistedtheydidnotknowwhereShafileawas.

MrEdissaidthefamilymadenoefforttofindShafileaandevenputtheirhomeonsale.

OnepotentialbuyerwastoldbyMrAhmed,52,thattheyweremovingbecausetheirdaughterhadbroughtshameonthefamily.

ShafileasremainswerefoundinFebruary2004nearSedgwickinCumbria,closetowheretheM6leadsnorthfromWarrington.

MrEdissaidanalysisofthesceneshowedshehadbeendumpedthereshortlyaftergoingmissing.

NomorelightwasshedonherkillinguntiltwoyearsagowhenAleshathen22wasarrestedoverarobberyatthefamilyhome.Shelatertoldpoliceshehadwitnessedthekillingofhereldersisterbyhertwoparents,bothofthemactingtog

ether,MrEdissaid.

http://www.malaysia-chronicle.com/index.php?option=com_k2&view=item&id=33526:parents-murdered-westernised-teenage-daughter-in-front-of-her-sister&Itemid=4

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