GUJRAT: Police on Sunday arrested at least six suspects involved in the brutal murder of two Spanish national sisters of Pakistani origin within 24 hours of the incident in Nothia village of Guliana police precincts.

The arrested suspects also include real brothers Shehryar and Asfand of slain women, two men, Hassan and Atiq, with whom their nikah had been done and paternal uncle Raja Haneef alias Goga and one Qasid. All of the arrested suspects were involved and booked in the murder case of both the sisters for their resistance in processing to get visas of Spain for their husbands.

Gujrat District Police Officer Ataur Rehman told the reporters at a news conference in his office that Arooj Abbas and Aneesa Abbas were married to their cousins last year but they were against their forced marriage. However, the suspects deceitfully called them to Pakistan from Spain and a day later (on May 20) killed both the sisters. Police had registered a case on their own and launched a search to arrest the fleeing suspects.

Chief Minister Hamza Shahbaz and Inspector General Police Rao Sardar had taken notice of the incident and directed Gujrat Police to arrest the suspects without any delay.

The DPO said a police team was constituted under Kharian Deputy Superintendent of Police Raja Zahid, which arrested six main suspects within 24.

Meanwhile, a spokesman for Punjab Police said IGP Khan has directed the DPO Gujrat to conduct investigation of the case under his supervision.

Published in Dawn, May 23rd, 2022