Court hands death sentence to Shahnawaz Amir for murdering Sarah Inam

A district and sessions court in Islamabad on Thursday handed down death sentence to Shahnawaz Amir, son of renowned journalist, Ayaz Amir, for murdering his wife Sarah Inam, reported 24NewsHD TV channel.

Judge Nasir Javed Rana pronounced the verdict, which was reserved last week on December 9.

The court also slapped a fine of one million rupees on Shahnawaz which would be paid to the bereaved family. but acquitted his mother, Samina Shah, who was also nominated in the case. due to lack of evidence. She was indicted in December last year by the sessions court and was named co-accused in the case

Sarah Inam had been murdered by her husband Shahnawaz Amir September 23, 2022 in Islamabad. Shahnawaz, who was later arrested from a farmhouse in Islamabad's Shahzad Town, was indicted in the case on December 5, 2022.

Sarah’s parents and Shaukhat Mukadam. father of another victim of gender-based violence Noor Mukadam, were among those who were present in the packed courtroom.

Sarah, a 37-year-old economist and a Canadian national, was murdered by Shahnawaz in Islamabad a year ago. Shahnawaz was arrested on September 23 last year from a farmhouse in Islamabad’s Shahzad Town.

Speaking to media persons after the verdict was announced, Sarah’s father Inamur Rahim said he was satisfied with the sentence awarded to Shahnawaz but demanded that Samina Shah should have been punished as well. “At least the convict will go to jail and will be hanged,” he said. “But we suspect Samina also played a part in the murder and she should be punished.”

 “There were three people at the farmhouse on the night of the murder: Sarah, Shahnawaz and his mother. How can we believe what they are saying? We have no idea what happened that day,” he said.

Rahim noted that the Noor Mukadam case in the Supreme Court was still pending and urged the chief justice to take notice of it.

Talking about the case proceedings, Rahim lamented the several delays in the case. “But overall, it is not bad. At least, Shahnawaz has been punished,” he added.

The verdict was reserved on December 9 last week by Sessions Judge Nasir Javaid Rana. 

Sarah Inam was murdered with multiple blows of dumbbells by her husband Shahnawaz Amir on September 23, 2022. Shahnawaz was detained by the police from a farmhouse in Islamabad's Chak Shahzad area for being a suspect in his wife's murder and later confessed to killing her, saying he "thought" his spouse was having an affair. The couple was married just three months before.

The next day, a trial court approved the arrest warrants of Ayaz Amir and his former wife Samina Shah, as the two were nominated as suspects by Sarah's family. Amir was arrested while his former wife later acquired pre-arrest bail.

However, during a hearing on September 27, 2022, an Islamabad court discharged Ayaz Amir from the case citing "no evidence" against him in Sarah's murder.

On February 6, 2023, Shahnawaz was indicted in the case involving the possession of a Kalashnikov firearm that was obtained illegally and he pleaded not guilty to the charge. However, on November 27, 2023, the court granted the benefit of the doubt to Shahnawaz and acquitted him in the case. The court highlighted the prosecution's failure to prove its charges against the accused, terming its evidence "doubtful".

Sarah Inam's profile

Sarah Inam, 37, was a Canadian national and a successful economist who worked with Deloitte and USAID at different points in her career. She was married to Shahnawaz for just three months before being murdered.

Sarah had a master's degree from the University of Waterloo and was employed in the government sector in the United Arab Emirates (UAE), as per friends and family.

Reporter: Hashir Ahsan