The family of Asma Rani pardoned her murder on Sunday (5th September) who was a third-year MBBS student.
Asma was studying medicine at the Ayub Medical College, Abbottabad. Mujahid Afridi shot her in Kohat on the 27th of January when she rejected his marriage proposal. Mujahid Afridi was convicted and sentenced to death for this crime.
According to the father of Asma Rani, Ghulam Dastageer claimed that he had received many threats, however, he has decided to pardon the killer of her daughter for the sake of Allah. He made this decision after talking with ulema and local notables.
The incident
Mujahid Afridi assassinated Rani on January 27, 2018, in Kohat after she declined his marriage proposal. Mujahid was the name given by the young prodigy in her final message recorded on tape.
Dastageer said that the family of Mujahid Afridi visited him many times so he can pardon their son for the murder. He said, “They wronged my daughter, but I have decided to pardon the culprit for the sake of Allah’s blessings.”
He added, “I was also receiving threats in connection with the case, and I was also told that ‘we are in the government, so you should consent to the settlement’ but I was adamant that I will see Asma’s killer at the gallows.”
Dastageer said that after a lot of thinking and after consulting with ulemas, he has decided to pardon Mujahid for the sake of attaining the blessings of Allah. He was also thankful to everyone for the consistent and constant support from all the people who stood with him through every obstacle.
The Kohat Police and the family of Mujahid Afridi have confirmed a settlement between the two parties.
According to the Police, Dastageer pardoned the death of his daughter at a Jigra while the formal declaration of the settlement will take place at the Kohat Tabligi Markaz.
Who was Asma Rani?
Asma Rani was a 3rd– year student at Ayub Medical College Abbottabad, undertaking her medicine degree (MBBS). The family of Asma Rani belongs to Lakki Marwat which is a district of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, but they were settled in Kohat.
Mujahid Afridi was caught through the help of the video statement that Rani recorded during her last breaths. She clearly took Mujahid’s name who fled to Saudi Arabia. After fleeing, he was arrested by Interpol at the request of Pakistan. He was extradited in March 2018.
After the first few hearings, officials decided to relocate the murder trial from Kohat to Peshawar due to security concerns. Mujahid Afridi was sentenced to death by Peshawar court in June 2021, despite the acquittal of two other suspects, Shahzeb and Siddiqullah.
Judge Ashfaq Taj had announced a death sentence and a fine of Rs300,000 to the murderer.
Settlement
On Sunday, 5th September 2021, a murder dispute settlement function was held in Naurang town.
The settlement was attended by:
- Maulana Mohammad Anwar,
- MNA Jamiat Ulema-i-Islam-Fazl.
- Malik Ali Sarwar Awami National Party Lakki marwat Chief.
- Amirzada Khattak Qaumi Watan Party District President.
- Other religious Scholars.
In a meeting on Aug 30, the members of Marwat Qaumi Jirga had an objection to settle the murder dispute out of court.
Mujahid’s family members along with some religious scholars from Kohat went to Naurang town to request forgiveness. Both family members hugged each other after Ghulam Dastagir, Father of Asma Rani announced to pardon the murderer.
