The Investigation Officer (IO) in the murder case of Prof. Zakia Zeba Abidi of the University of Karachi (KU) has sought three days (till May 8) to submit the challan in court. The victim was allegedly kidnapped by her servant and his wife, who reportedly killed her and then dumped her body in some bushes within the jurisdiction of the Sachal Police Station.

Prof. Abidi retired from the KU political science department and had been missing since the morning of January 28. Her chauffeur and his wife were also nowhere to be found. A Suzuki Cultus car owned by Prof. Abidi, as well as some household items from her residence were also missing.

The next day, the professor’s body was found in a desolate place within the jurisdiction of Sachal Police Station. On January 31, an FIR (No. 55/2008) under Section 365 of the Pakistan Penal Code (PPC) was lodged at the Gulshan-e-Iqbal police station on the complaint of Prof. Abidi’s maternal nephew. He blamed his aunt’s driver, Saleem, and the latter’s wife, Khalida, for Prof. Abidi’s mysterious disappearance.

Meanwhile, the Sachal police had also lodged an FIR (No. 50/2008) under Section 302 of the PPC after finding the (then-)unidentified body. The assailant also threw acid on Prof. Abidi’s face, ostensibly to eliminate evidence.