Sindh Caretaker Minister for Law and Human Rights Muhammed Omer Soomro has confirmed that the DNA samples of Pir Asad Shah, the prime suspect in the murder case of nine-year-old housemaid Fatima Furro, have matched with the semen obtained from the clothes of the victim.

The deceased girl was employed as a domestic worker at a haveli (mansion) owned by Asad Shah — a local influential — in Khairpur’s Ranipur area and was found dead under mysterious circumstances on August 14.

Later, a post-mortem report confirmed the minor was also sexually abused.

A case was lodged on the complaint of her mother, Shabnam Khatoon, under Sections 302 (intentional murder) and 34 (acts done by several persons in furtherance of a common intention) of the Pakistan Penal Code (PPC) at Ranipur police station and an investigation was initiated.

During the investigation, the police arrested suspects Pir Asad Shah, his wife Hina Shah, his father-in-law Pir Fayyaz Shah, and Imtiaz Mirasi.

Soomro, while addressing a press conference on Wednesday, claimed that initially, the DNA samples of the prime suspect did not match as the officials of the health department had destroyed the specimen due to the influence of the suspect.

The same, however, matched when the DNA samples were processed at a facility in Punjab, he added.

Earlier, a DNA report issued by the Liaquat University of Medical and Health Sciences in Jamshoro, a copy of which Dawn.com has seen, had stated that “mix DNA profiles” were obtained from semen stains on the clothes of the deceased girl.

The case

The girl’s father, Nadeem Ali Furiro, had initially claimed that the girl was afflicted by some stomach-related ailment, as indicated by doctors when she was taken to a local private hospital on the night of Aug 14-15.

Later, the girl died in her house after having been discharged from hospital.

Claims about her death transpiring as a result of torture came to the fore when videos of a girl bearing torture marks went viral. It was not known who leaked the videos. These videos were obtained by the police team, which also met some social activists from the area.

After the videos went viral in the district, police took notice of the matter and Sukkur Counterterrorism Department Deputy Superintendent of Police Abdul Qudoos Kalwar met the girl’s parents. He later met social activists and viewed the viral videos, subsequently reporting to DIG Jiskani that the matter was serious and the exhumation of Fatima’s body was required.

On Aug 17, Khair­pur police also arrested a key suspect in the case, who was later remanded into police custody.

Another teenage housemaid alleged that she was tortured by Syed Asad Shah and his wife, Hina Shah, who have been detained.

Khairpur SSP Khoso said the 13-year-old girl made the claims in a video and police were making her statement part of the case file of the FIR lodged by Fatima’s mother against Asad Shah and his wife.