ABBOTTABAD: Saima, the girl who eloped with the alleged help of her friend Ambreen in Abbotabad, reappeared on Sunday and stated the deceased Ambreen knew nothing about her marriage.
"She knew nothing about my marriage and she was not my friend," said Saima, while exclusively talking to DawnNews.
She also asked the authorities for security, as she said her husband's and her life is in danger.
"Those who burnt her are now threatening me, and we ask the authorities to provide us security." Saima told DawnNews.
Saima's brother and father are both in jail, arrested for the murder of Ambreen and later burning her.
The accused have yet to confess before the authorities. The evidence arranged against them may not be 'adequate', as the police officials arrested the accused individuals by going through their cell phone records.
Related: 16-year-old girl set on fire as 'punishment' by Abbottabad jirga
Ambreen's murder was linked to the orders of the jirga by the area police, the police said a 15-member jirga called by the Makol village councillor Pervez ordered for the deceased, Ambreen, to be killed and set on fire
District Police Officer (DPO) Khurram Rasheed had told Dawn that a couple eloped and left Makol on April 23 for Abbottabad with the girl’s help and a driver named Naseer. A jirga was called at Naseer’s home when the couple could not be found.
When the jirga ended after a six-hour meeting on April 28, the girl was taken from her home to an abandoned house where she was drugged, killed, and placed in the backseat of a parked van. The van was then doused with petrol and set on fire.
The mother of the ill-fated girl was among 14 persons arrested by the Abbottabad police in connection with the case.
Also Read: After 16-year-old Ambreen's chilling murder, fear grips Makol
A senior lawyer told Dawn last month on condition of anonymity that police investigation into the case was faulty as the suspects held in connection with the case were the people who had decreed against the girl who had run away with her paramour and had nothing to do with the murder of the girl.
According to the lawyer, police had based their investigation on the phone calls made by the councillor Pervez to call up the people to participate in the jirga.
However, police are sure to prove the case against the jirga members.
