Family's fury at murders probe

Senior News Reporter

Thursday 1 November 2012

FAMILY and friends of a Scots businessman murdered with his wife in Pakistan exactly a year ago believe police corruption is stopping the killers from being brought to justice.

JUSTICE: Family and friends of Saif Rehman and wife Uzma are frustrated that their killers have not been found.

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MARTIN WILLIAMS

They have spoken out on the first anniversary of the murders of Glasgow mobile phone repair centre boss Saif Rehman, 31, and his American wife, Uzma Naurin, 30, who were shot dead in Punjab, Pakistan. The killings are said to be linked to a bitter dispute over their marriage.

Friends and family offered prayers for the couple at a private service in the Khizra Central Mosque in Govanhill, Glasgow, last week. There will be a house gathering today.The family is frustrated over the absence of moves to extradite the chief suspect, Mr Rehman's father-in-law Muzafar Hussain, who lives in New Jersey, USA. He denies any involvement.The couple were gunned down while in Pakistan for the wedding of one of Mr Rehman's brothers. They had planned to settle down to a new life in the US, having had a long-distance marriage over the previous three years. Ms Naurin, who lived in New York, was the first woman in her family to shun a traditional arranged marriage and wed someone outside of the family. It is said her parents could not accept it and she moved out of the family home.Saif Ali, of Cumbernauld, North Lanarkshire, who is a friend of Mr Rehman's family, said: "Nothing has happened, especially not in Pakistan. It's far too corrupt."Amnesty International has previously raised concerns that gender-based violence – including rape, forced marriages, honour killings, acid attacks and other domestic violence – are being committed with impunity in Pakistan because police are reluctant to register and investigate complaints.Mr Ali said: "There is nothing else we can do. We have put as much pressure as possible, with Majid's father and uncle con-tacting the embassy to try to get things moving, but nothing has come of it."They have wasted money. You have to pay for these things. If you want something done in Pakistan you have to pay."Everything is with the Pakistan police and investigators, but if they aren't going to do anything then nothing is going to get done."Mr Rehman, a Pakistani citizen, was shot dead in front of his sister, Fauzia, and two-year-old niece after their car was ambushed by gunmen in the city of Lalamusa. The attackers bundled his wife into their vehicle and killed her at a spot nearby before dumping her body by the roadside.The driver of the couple's car was suspected of involvement, but has since been released.Mr Rehman and Ms Naurin were married in a private ceremony in Glasgow, with just three witnesses, four years ago.They had hoped Ms Naurin's family would accept their marriage, after her father flew from the US to attend a specially organised walima (marriage banquet) at the Kabana Restaurant in Kinning Park, Glasgow, in June last year.

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Family's fury at murders probe

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