The father of Sana Cheema, a 25-year-old Brescian of Pakistani origin who died in Pakistan in April, has confessed to murdering the woman, Pakistani media reported on Thursday.
The father, Ghulam Mustafa, an Italian citizen like his daughter, was arrested in Pakistan three weeks ago on suspicion of being behind an honour killing.
An autopsy report, extracts of which ANSA has received, shows that the "neck bone was broken", suggesting Cheema was strangled. The woman was killed by relatives for refusing an arranged marriage, according to her friends. Her brother, Adnan Mustafa, and uncle, Mazhar Iqbal, were also arrested. The father, brother and uncle have reportedly been charged with murder and unauthorized burial. The father and brother risk the death penalty, police inspector Furqan Shahzad told ANSA. Another two people are reportedly involved, the doctor who signed the death certificate and the driver who drove a car to the burial site. Sana's cousin was said to be the driver. Cheema, who became an Italian citizen in September after living for years in the northern city of Brescia, had returned to her birth country two months ago where she died of "natural causes", according to initial reports from Pakistan. However, members of the Pakistani community in Italy have said she was "killed by her father and brother because she refused an arranged marriage". Local media outlets also said she had a boyfriend in Brescia.
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