Web Desk
Muhammad Iqbal, a resident of Muzaffarabad in Pakistan-administered Kashmir, was taken aback when he saw a set of pictures on his sister Naseema Bibi’s Facebook account a few weeks ago.
The images announced her marriage to a man he had never seen before.
What shocked Iqbal the most was that his sister had been missing for some time. He had already filed a police report and was desperately trying to locate her.
His repeated attempts to contact her had failed, leaving him increasingly anxious about her safety.
Naseema had returned to her family home after divorcing her former husband, Muhammad Safeer, but had vanished just days later.
The Muzaffarabad police had previously traced her to Islamabad and brought her back.
She had then expressed her wish to marry the man in the pictures, but Iqbal had insisted she complete her mandatory waiting period (‘iddah’) before proceeding with any marriage plans.
Unbeknownst to him, the sister he was tirelessly searching for had already been killed—allegedly by the very man she had hoped to marry.
How Was Naseema Bibi’s Murder Discovered?
Islamabad police first became aware of the case when Iqbal lodged a missing person report.
He informed them that Naseema had disappeared and had recently posted wedding pictures on Facebook.
Investigators soon discovered that before marrying the suspect, Naseema had previously been wed to Muhammad Safeer, a resident of Garhi Dupatta, with whom she had three children.
How Did the Police Track Down the Suspect?
Lead investigator Muhammad Mukhtar explained that police initiated a cyber investigation, tracing the mobile number used to upload the Facebook pictures.
This led them to the suspect’s residence in the Bara Kahu area of Islamabad.
When police arrived, they found the man from the pictures living in a rented house.
Mukhtar revealed that the suspect was an electrician and plumber originally from Murree.
Upon entering the house, officers were met with an overwhelming stench, making it difficult to remain inside.
When questioned about the smell, the suspect feigned ignorance. However, the police detained him and the landlord for further investigation.
The Chilling Confession: A Wife Murdered and Hidden in a Trunk
During interrogation, the suspect admitted to strangling Naseema with a scarf, suspecting she had been unfaithful.
According to police, the couple had fought over the alleged affair, and in a fit of rage, the suspect killed her.
Forensic evidence supported the confession, as scratch marks from Naseema’s nails were found on the suspect’s hands.
After killing her, he deliberated for hours on how to dispose of the body. Since he lived on the upper floor of a rented house, carrying the body outside would have drawn attention.
Instead, he stuffed it into a wooden trunk used for storing blankets and winter clothing and covered it with fabric to conceal the smell.
For a week, the suspect remained in the house, sleeping just outside the room where the corpse was hidden.
Muhammad Iqbal later identified his sister’s body at Polyclinic Hospital in Islamabad.
The investigation revealed that the suspect had been married three times before—one wife had passed away, and he had divorced the other two. Most disturbingly, he confessed that he had paid PKR 150,000 to “purchase” Naseema before marrying her.
Police recovered the murder weapon—the scarf—based on the suspect’s directions.
A preliminary medical report confirmed asphyxiation as the cause of death, and forensic samples have been sent to a lab in Lahore for further analysis.
Islamabad police have presented the suspect in a local court, which has granted a two-day physical remand for further investigation.
The Broader Picture
This tragic case highlights the dangers of gender-based violence, the risks associated with social media interactions, and the critical role of law enforcement in tracking digital footprints.
Naseema Bibi’s fate serves as a stark reminder of the vulnerabilities women face, even in relationships they enter willingly.
