Nisha’s case to close unsolved, just like her mother’s 18 years ago? | Pakistan Press Foundation (PPF)

Pakistan Press Foundation

Nisha’s case to close unsolved, just like her mother’s 18 years ago?

* Police still clueless as Nisha’s US relatives step in
* No friends or family willing to come forward in Karachi

KARACHI: Members of Nisha’s family from her mother Seema’s side, who live in the US, have been following the case and wish to pursue it in Pakistan.

Nisha’s US-based cousin Erum contacted Daily Times Sunday night and on Monday evening her father Dr Nazir S. Bhatti also inquired about the case. Bhatti is the editor of the Pakistan Christian Post and president of the Pakistan Christian Congress.

This is the first time members of her family have expressed interest in pursuing the case.

Nisha’s cousin Erum maintained that she could not believe that Nisha had committed suicide. The police said, however, that it was important to examine Nisha’s cell phone records just before her death as they would be able to shed some light on her potential state of mind. The cell phone records have yet to be pulled up despite the passage of a week after her death on Sunday Feb 4.

The Gulistan-e-Jauhar investigations police have just recorded the statements of some of Nisha’s neighbours and her father. They have not contacted her fiancé Faisal in Dubai yet and neither have they contacted her friends who stayed in touch with her almost 24 hours a day. Her sister Sara and brother-in-law Zaheer have yet to be contacted also.

A week after her death the police submitted on Monday Feb 12 the viscera samples from Nisha’s post mortem to a lab for chemical analysis. This report is likely to take a month to surface.

“The post mortem report will only be able to tell us whether she was poisoned or not,” said SSP Investigations Niaz Khoso. “But the most important information for us are the cell phone records.”

Furthermore, her final post mortem report is also awaited. A supplementary post mortem report has been received however, its results are reserved until the chemical reports come in. “The supplementary post mortem established that Nisha was a virgin,” said the Gulistan-e-Jauhar SIO.

Daily Times contacted Raja Sohail, who is the brother of Nisha’s fiancé Raja Faisal, on Monday. He was exceedingly reluctant to speak about the case and said that Faisal was too, as the person he was involved with had left this world.

Nisha’s brother-in-law Zaheer, her sister Sara’s husband, was also reluctant to talk to Daily Times. He was of the opinion that her death was an accident. He said that all inquiries should be directed to the police or her father Qazi Amin.

Ever since Daily Times learnt about the case at about 11:00 p.m. Sunday night Feb 4, these reporters have been attempting to contact and meet anyone who knew Nisha and could shed some light on her death. Two of her closest friends were willing to speak behind closed doors but did not agree to speak to the police. Her sister Sara could not be contacted as her husband Zaheer was against it. Her fiancé could also not be contacted on the number provided by Nisha’s father. His brother Raja Sohail declined to provide his number in Dubai. Daily Times spoke at length with Qazi Amin, her father, but he was inclined to say she committed suicide. From her mother’s side Daily Times spoke to her maternal aunt Romana. However, a legal notice which appeared in 2004 in a local Urdu newspaper from Nisha and her sister Sara said that they had no links with both their parents’ families (Seema and Qazi Amin). This could mean that if Romana wishes to register an FIR in the case there could be legal restrictions.

Daily Times interviewed as many neighbours as possible from Nisha’s Hoor Palace apartments. However, aside from accusing Nisha’s father they could provide little evidence. Some of their statements were recorded by the TPO Gulshan. Daily Times also spoke to the woman medico-legal officer, who performed the post mortem but she could offer little except that Nisha was burnt 80 percent.

Nisha’s mother Seema was found dead in 1989. Her tortured body had been packed into a gunny bag and was thrown in some part of New Karachi. Considering this background, Nisha’s death by burning in her kitchen merited in-depth investigations. However, surprisingly none of her family or friends in Karachi are willing to champion her case. As such, Daily Times believes that unless someone steps forward Nisha’s death, like her mother’s, will remain an unsolved mystery.

Source: Daily Times

Date:2/13/2007