Justice for Hina & Anaya!

Hina and Anaya were found murdered on Tuesday 5th January 2021. Hina’s body was tortured, bloated, her face had blackened and she had been set alight to stage the scene as her death was caused by a gas-leak blast. This is the state her father, Muhammed Ashfaq, found his daughter and granddaughter in, he mustered up every bit of strength he had to bury their bodies that same day.

Hina was murdered by her husband, Mujahid Ali of 4 years, no one would have thought their marriage would have led to Hina and Anaya’s death and in such a way. Her family couldn’t even fathom Hina’s husband would be capable of such a vile act, evil can disguise itself in many ways. Mujahid didn’t act alone, his family went on to help him cover up the murders and get rid of the bodies.

This is the sad reality for women of domestic abuse in Pakistan and around the world. Society shuns them for wanting to walk away from the abuse yet when a life is taken it becomes near impossible to make sure justice is served and the perpetrators are made accountable.

Further detail can be found below if you can spare a few minutes to read. I am asking for support from all our brothers and sisters of the ummah, friends, acquaintances, anyone who has been/is/suffered domestic abuse or lost a loved as a result from it and can help us stand up against this injustice. Please help support Hina’s father in fighting for justice for Hina and Anaya’s murder. Mujahid’s family have connections with Government officials and financial means to thwart the course of justice. It becomes harder and harder for people like Muhammed Ashfaq, who are trying to get from one day to the other, to fight for justice and expect no obstruction in doing so. The day Hina and Anaya were found dead the local police didn’t arrest or question Mujahid despite Muhammed Ashfaq filing a case against him. They let him go free as they ‘knew’ Mujahid.

Legal fees alone are extortionate but when you’re fighting against the rich the poor can’t compete. I want to give Muhammed Ashfaq the best fighting chance to bring his daughter and granddaughters murderers to justice, set an example to the rest of the world that any kind of abuse is not acceptable and there are consequences for taking a life, two lives in this case.

Please help me by signing this petition and using the link below to donate whatever you can spare to this cause. In these final days of Ramadan and Laylatul Qadr please help us stand up against injustice.

Click here to donate to help bring justice

It says in the Quran (4:135):

"O you who believe! Stand out firmly for justice, as witnesses to Allah, even as against yourselves, or your parents, or your kin, and whether it be (against) rich or poor: for Allah can best protect both. Follow not the lusts (of your hearts), lest you swerve, and if you distort justice or decline to do justice, verily Allah is well-acquainted with all that you do."

There is a lot we can do to help from afar (especially the countries in the West) we can share, raise awareness through social media platforms and help fundraise.

Further details around Hina & Anaya’s murder below.

On Tuesday 5th January 2021 Muhammad Ashfaq and his family’s world fell apart when he found his daughter, Hina Ashfaq, dead alongside his granddaughter Anaya Ali.

Hina aged 27 years and Anaya aged 18 months were found murdered at their home shared with Hina’s husband Mujahid Ali in Islamabad, Pakistan.

Muhammad Ashfaq (resident of Faislabad) has worked tirelessly his whole life to provide for his family of four daughters and one son. He fought hard to ensure not only his son but also his daughters were educated to the highest level opposing the stigma, in developing countries like Pakistan, that there is no value or importance to educate women.

In Islam our beloved Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) stated:

“When a boy is born, then he brings one Noor (light) and when a girl is born, then she brings two Noors.”

“Daughters are a gift from Almighty Allah. Those parents who are kind towards them, then Almighty Allah is generous towards such parents. Those who are merciful to their daughters, Almighty Allah is Merciful towards them.”

Muhammad Ashfaq truly knew and appreciated the blessings of four daughters and endured many hardships to provide for all his children in hope that they will become intelligent, responsible and good humans in this world leading by their good examples. He was incredibly proud to see Hina graduate from University in Economics and even more so when she got married to Mujahid becoming a wife and mother.

But little did he know that the man entering Hina’s life, who had the responsibility and privilege to care, protect, love and provide for his wife would turn out to be a monster in disguise. Little did he know to the full extent of the domestic abuse and violence his daughter would have to endure in the four years of her marriage to Mujahid, which led to the following events being unfolded. Please read an extract from what was reported in the news below.

Muhammad Ashfaq grew concerned when had not been able to contact Hina since 3rd January, no more than a few days would pass that father and daughter wouldn’t speak to each other. He tried calling Hina’s husband Mujahid but his phone was powered off, he then tried Mujahid’s family who told him they haven’t heard from the couple either. Knowing this is very unlike Hina and feeling uneasy at not hearing back, Muhammad Ashfaq then decided to travel to Islamabad on Tuesday 5th January to physically check in on them.

When he reached the couples house he saw people gathered around the building, upon entering the home he saw the wounded dead body of his daughter and granddaughter in the adjoining room. Told by the crowd that Mujahid stated they died from a gas-leak, however was not present himself due to admitting himself into hospital under the pretext of having coronavirus. Upon seeing the state Hina was in her father immediately called the police and asked for a post-mortem report.

The Police spokesperson stated the victim’s husband claimed cause of death to be a gas-leakage blast but he has been taken into custody as the facts did not match his claims. He also falsely admitted himself into hospital claiming he had coronavirus to avoid being questioned. Mujahid then later confessed strangulating his wife and 18-month old daughter during the investigation.

The above should be enough to ensure justice is received for Hina and Anaya, but sadly it does not seem the case. Mujahid has since withdrawn his confession to the police denying any involvement. Mujahid’s family are exploiting every possible avenue to ensure they free him of all claims, because they have the connections and financial means to do this they have been able to disrupt the path of justice.  An occurrence that is unfortunately too common in developing countries like Pakistan that justice is only for the rich or those who have the right connections.

Hina’s body was tortured, bloated, her face had blackened and she had been set alight to further cement the claim of her death being caused by a gas-leak blast and destroying any evidence to link him. This all evidenced she had been dead for a few days. Mujahid admitted that he strangled daughter, Anaya of 18 months, a few days later when he struggled to look after her. Mujahid continued to live and sleep with Hina’s body until the smell became unbearable, he then sought help from his family who forced him to get the bodies buried and then stage the scene as a gas-leak blast. Mujahid remained unaffected by the supposed gas-leak.

I cannot express the pain my heart feels knowing this happened to Hina and Anaya and the outrage that Mujahid and his family are trying to escape the consequences of their actions! Muhammad Ashfaq knew Mujahid would berate and abuse Hina for not giving him a son and not providing money because he wanted a bigger house. He did everything he could to make things better for Hina and even provided financial support from the very little he had so it would make things better in her marriage. But it would never have made a difference because Mujahid and his family had other intentions and their greed, ignorance and arrogance would not be satiated.

What does this say to the daughters of our ummah around the globe? Are they worthless and not valuable? Is domestic abuse acceptable? Because they may not be rich or famous then justice can slide? Is giving birth to a daughter and not son shameful? And so shameful that the woman is blamed? I strongly suggest those who support this notion get themselves a basic education in biology as the gender of a child is not determined by the female but the male. And this is predetermined by Allah swt, regardless of gender each child is an enormous blessing. To abuse that blessing in such way is incomprehensible. Allah doesn’t even overlook a harsh word or tone towards an innocent child.

I constantly hear of campaigns around the world when injustice is done and people rallying around to support the victims and families, this restores my faith in people. How lucky they are to have the support of others in their time of hardship whether it be through their own support network, through social media or Organisations that support criminal justice, women’s rights and human rights. Because of such campaigns, visibility and support more and more people are speaking up shunning any stigma around what some may be deemed as a ‘shameful’ or an ‘embarrassing’ situation.

I am campaigning and rallying support for Muhammad Ashfaq so he is not alone in this fight, so everyone knows that every mother, daughter, sister and loved one is a precious gift, a gift from Allah swt. And no one, absolutely no one has the right to abuse this gift in any way. Please help support a strong, heart broken but determined father to fight for justice for his daughter and granddaughter. Let the ummah and anyone who feels his pain show him he is not alone. Not only should Mujahid be brought to justice but also the family members who helped him to cover up the crime, obstructing the course of justice.

Please help sign this petition so we can bring this case to light with the Pakistan Prime Minister. All he asks for is for the culprits to be brought to the stand to answer for their actions and the path of justice not be manipulated.

If you can spare even as little as £1 to help Muhammed Ashfaq it will give him a fighting chance to obtain justice for his daughter and baby granddaughter. Please donate using this link - Click here to donate to help bring justice

Please please share as much as you can.

Finally my last request to you all is to keep Hina and Anaya in your prayers, keep Muhammad Ashfaq in your prayers that they may receive justice and peace from this ordeal. Only a parent who has suffered such loss can know the loss of a child and that even after justice is served that things will never be the same for Hina’s family again, especially for her father who has to live with this for the rest of his life.