HYDERABAD, January 19: Seventeen-year-old Safia, who is being interrogated in a case of multiple murder, of her mother and four step-sisters and brothers, has again denied of having slit throat of her mother.

She said that she was trying to snatch knife from her mother’s hand and it led to a cut in her throat, causing her death. Safia was speaking to journalists in the court of judicial magistrate-11 here on Wednesday after she was remanded to police custody till January 23 in the case.

She held opponents of her step-father, Saindad, a policeman, responsible for the predicament of her family and alleged that owner of the house in which they lived collaborated with the murderers.

Her father was indicted in the murder case of one Irshad Sheikh in Larkana and was cleared during investigation by police. However, he was again remanded to judicial custody after another FIR was lodged by Nazeer Sheikh, the deceased’s brother, under directives of the Sindh High Court. Saindad was granted bail in the case 22 months ago.

Safia said that her father had renteda house in Hyderabad to protect his wife and children. She said that relatives of Sheikh used to visit the house of their landlord and talk at a high pitch so that her mother could hear them. She added that on the night of the incident, they had visited landlord’s house.

Naseem, the second wife of Saindad, and her four children were found slain in their house in Sarfaraz Colony here on Sunday. The Market police have lodged a case on the complaint of Saindad under relevant sections of the Pakistan Penal Code.
Source: Dawn
Date:1/20/2005