THE FAMILY of murdered shopkeeper Asad Shah have called for answers after a memorial in his memory has stalled.

The shopkeeper was killed exactly three years ago today, when Muslim extremist Tanveer Ahmed attacked him at his newsagent shop in the southside of Glasgow.

Ahmed, who is serving 27 years in prison, stabbed the popular 40-year-old to death on March 24, 2016 having driven from Bradford to carry out the unprovoked attack.

Now Asad’s family have questioned why plans to erect a memorial in his memory have come to nothing, despite gathering support from politicians including First Minister Nicola Sturgeon in the days and weeks after the tragedy.

Asad’s brother Athar said he is desperate to find out what is happening after Asad’s wife of 13 years, Tayyaba, tragically passed away late last year.

Tayyaba, 38, lived with Athar and his wife and daughter following her husband’s death, but went to visit family in India when she became unwell.

After being rushed to hospital she was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer, and lived just two weeks before her death on November 13.

Athar, who witnessed his brother’s killing, said Tayyaba wanted to see the memorial to her husband built and now it is too late.

He said: “Asad’s wife really wanted to see the memorial, she kept asking about it and now she is gone, so I have to keep pursuing it.

“She was an amazing woman, and after my brother died she just wanted to be with him. I know now that she is. We have struggled to come to terms with her death so soon after Asad’s, it has been a very difficult time.

“She was fine, and then two weeks later she was gone.

“There were no symptoms, nothing. The only way they found out was through an MRI scan.

“When she went to India to see her family, she had a really good time. She was laughing and always smiling, and we spoke on WhatsApp every day. She wanted to speak to my daughter and she would tell us what she was doing, how her family was.

“We didn’t suspect anything, she was never ill really.

“Then all of a sudden she was told she had pancreatic cancer. We were all devastated.”

Struggling with the loss of his sister-in-law, Athar visited the First Minister in December to ask about plans for the memorial and to explain their latest family bereavement.

He said: “ I met Nicola and I showed her the plans that we were given. I said we had picked out flowers, we were asked to do that, and then we had heard nothing.

“She said she would find out what was happening but I’ve never heard back from her. I don’t understand. To be honest, we feel embarrassed and disappointed.

“At the time when my brother was killed, we were approached and asked about this memorial. It didn’t come from a suggestion by us.

“It is something that the local councillor Norman [MacLeod] talked to us about and the community wanted, and now we feel humiliated.

“My mum and dad, they are always asking about it. They also are getting older now and they want to see this happen in their lifetimes.”

SNP councillor MacLeod had been handling the plans and, according to the Shah family, he had shown them designs for the memorial and asked them to select flowers for the site.

It was hoped the tribute would be erected at Minard Road, in a small patch of grass metres from where the shopkeeper was killed.

Local community members at the time of his death spoke out in favour of the memorial, along with SNP MP Stewart McDonald and the First Minister.

McDonald has now offered to speak with the Shah family again, and said he was unaware that plans had been drawn up but was “saddened” to hear that no action had been taken.

A spokesman for Nicola Sturgeon said: “The First Minister’s thoughts remain with Mr Shah’s family for the devastating loss which they suffered, and it is absolutely right that there should be a lasting memorial to such a hugely respected member of the community.

“The First Minister would support any plans put forward for the memorial by either Glasgow City Council or Mr Shah’s friends and family.”

Despite repeated attempts to contact councillor MacLeod, The Herald on Sunday received no response to our questions.