The Italian justice minister announced on Thursday that a man accused of killing his 18-year-old daughter has been extradited from Pakistan to Italy, where he will stand trial.
Shabbar Abbas was apprehended in his village in eastern Pakistan in November of the previous year on suspicion of being involved in the death of his daughter, Saman Abbas. She had disappeared in April 2021 after refusing to travel to Pakistan for an arranged marriage.
Justice Minister Carlo Nordio stated in a release, “This is a significant step toward allowing justice to take its course after a heinous crime,” and he confirmed that the suspect was en route to Italy.
The young victim was identified through dental records after human remains were discovered near her family residence in the northern Italian town of Novellara over a year following her disappearance.
Prosecutors contend that the family became incensed upon learning that Abbas had a boyfriend in Italy. They allege that she was killed when she returned to the family home to retrieve some documents after residing nearby under the care of social services for a period.
The father has consistently denied any involvement in his daughter’s death. Additionally, her uncle was extradited from France to face trial, alongside two of her cousins.
