Dua Azam
LUMHS Jamshoro
Abstract
Domestic violence is one of the most serious forms of gender based violence (GBV) in Pakistan which often leads to serious physical violence and in extreme situations to intimate partner homicide. The case of the murder of Sania Zehra (FIR No. 1634/2024, Police Station New Multan) was a story that captured media attention and raised issues about domestic violence, forced control, forensic investigation and the reaction of the criminal justice system. To analyze criminological, social, psychological, legal and institutional aspects of the case, and the effectiveness of investigation and judicial processes. The qualitative case study design and interpretivist approach was used. Primary and secondary sources were identified such as the First Information Report (FIR No. 1634/2024), court records, official investigative documents, forensic reports, legal provisions, scholarly literature and credible media reports. The descriptive, thematic, comparative legal and interpretive analyses of documentary evidence were used. The results suggest that the case is consistent with the overall findings on domestic violence, gender inequalities, coercive control, and institutional issues to protect women from intimate partner violence. The article also illustrates the significance of forensic science, medical examination, DNA analysis and circumstantial evidence in proving homicide as opposed to alleged suicide and in establishing criminal liability. The study shows that there is a need for efficient collaboration among various stakeholders in domestic homicide investigation including police investigators, forensic experts, prosecutors, and the judiciary in order to achieve a successful investigation. It suggests that there should be increased capacity of forensic investigation, better procedures of inquiry in domestic violence, strengthening victim protection mechanisms and encouraging early intervention measures to prevent gender based violence and intimate partner homicide in Pakistan.
