Saman Abbas, an 18-year-old Pakistani woman living in Italy, vanished without a trace in April 2021. Hopes for her safe return turned to horror a year later when her remains were discovered near her father's workplace. The grim discovery unleashed a story of forced marriage, forbidden love, and a family's twisted sense of honor.
Authorities believe Saman was the victim of an "honor killing," a brutal practice driven by the belief that family members can murder those who bring shame upon their community. Saman, it seems, defied her family's wishes by refusing an arranged marriage and pursuing a relationship with a local Italian boy. This act of defiance, in their eyes, was punishable by death.
This week, in a chilling conclusion to the case, an Italian court found Saman's father, Shabbar Abbas, guilty of murder and sentenced him to life in prison. Her mother, Nazia Shaheen, believed to be back in Pakistan, was tried and convicted in absentia. Saman's uncle, Danish Hasnain, also faced justice, receiving a 14-year sentence for his role in the tragedy.
Shabbar, extradited from Pakistan for the trial, maintains his innocence. "Never in my life did I think of killing my daughter," he reportedly claimed in court. However, prosecutors painted a different picture, highlighting the family's rage upon discovering Saman's secret relationship.
Saman's story is a stark reminder of the devastating consequences of cultural practices rooted in control and domination. It's a story that demands attention, raising crucial questions about individual freedom, family duty, and the lengths to which some will go to preserve a twisted sense of honor.
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