Samia Shahid: Uncle arrested in 'honour killing' case

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Samia ShahidImage source, Family photo
Image caption,

Samia Shahid, from Bradford, died while visiting relatives in Pandori in northern Punjab

The uncle of a British woman who died in Pakistan in a suspected so-called "honour killing" has been arrested on suspicion of falsifying medical files.

Samia Shahid, 28, from Bradford, died in July in northern Punjab.

It is understood that Haq Nawaz was held by police in the Punjab city of Jhelum after an alleged attempt to prove she died of natural causes.

In a second development, the policeman who initially headed the murder investigation has also been arrested.

Aqeel Abbas is being held for allegedly trying to conceal evidence relating to Ms Shahid's death.

Ms Shahid had been visiting family in the village of Pandori when she died, and her relatives initially claimed she had suffered a heart attack.

Image caption,

Ms Shahid's father and first husband have been held in Pakistan in connection with her death

Her second husband, Syed Mukhtar Kazim, believes she was the victim of a so-called honour killing as her family did not approve of their marriage.

A post-mortem examination confirmed she died as a result of being strangled.

On Friday, police told the BBC they intended to proceed with a prosecution against both Ms Shahid's father and first husband for her murder.

He added he was seeking to have her mother and sister returned to Pakistan to be questioned in relation to the investigation.

Her former husband, Chaudhry Muhammad Shakeel, is accused of murder and is reported to have confessed to strangling her with her scarf, according to local police.

Chaudhry Muhammad Shahid, her father, is being held as an accessory to her murder.

Both have been remanded until 5 September.