A man who shot dead his mother-in-law on her doorstep in Pakistan has been found guilty of murder following a UK investigation.
On Monday 27 July at Woolwich Crown Court, Tariq Rana, 31, (06.01.84) (Photo) of Wolverhampton, was found guilty of murdering Ghulam Asia , 49, at the entrance to her home in Lahore, Pakistan on 27 July 2013.
Rana gunned her down after his wife walked out on him in the United Kingdom.
In revenge he sought to kill members of her family in Pakistan culminating in the death of his mother-in-law.
Although the murder took place in Pakistan, detectives used Section 9 of the Offences against the Person Act 1861 to prosecute him.
The Act provides authority to try a UK national for an offence of murder committed overseas.
The conviction of Rana is thought to be the first of its kind by a UK police force in recent memory for a crime committed in Pakistan.
Rana will be sentenced at 10:00hrs on Friday 31 July at the Old Bailey.
Detective Chief Inspector Tim Duffield, of the Met’s Homicide and Major Crime Command (HMCC), said: “The police investigation, which involved the deployment of officers across the UK and in Pakistan, revealed the true Tariq Rana – a violent and controlling man who was prepared to murder his mother-in-law outside her home in the most callous and brutal way.
“This was not a spontaneous event, but rather a revenge-driven premeditated attack aimed at causing the maximum distress and suffering to his estranged wife and her family.
“It is also important to recognise the considerable assistance we received from the Pakistani authorities, without which justice for Mrs Asia’s family would not have been possible.
“My deepest sympathies go out to Mrs Asia’s family who have shown great dignity and courage throughout.”
During a four-week trial, the court heard that on Saturday, 27 July 2013 Tariq Rana and another man who has not been identified went to Mrs Asia’s home in Lahore.
That second man was dressed as a delivery man, and they took with them an envelope addressed to Mrs Asia to use as a distraction (a handwriting expert would later conclude that Rana had been responsible for writing Mrs Asia’s name and address on the envelope).
The men rang on the bell and when Mrs Asia went to the gate to sign for the delivery, Rana shot her dead. At the time Mrs Asia was on the telephone to one of her sons in the United Kingdom.
Hearing the gunshots, Mrs Asia’s brother and one of her daughters ran outside. Both saw Rana and another man running away. Rana turned and fired further shots before fleeing on a motorcycle.
Mrs Asia died the same day of the shooting.
A post-mortem examination later revealed that she had been struck by two gunshots. The pathologist confirmed the cause of death was due to those firearms wounds resulting in major internal injuries.
Within hours, Rana made a series of telephone calls to his wife’s brothers in the UK, demanding that she return to Lahore within 48 hours, and if she didn’t he would kill them all.
Rana flew in to London Heathrow Airport on the 28 July 2013. Following a police operation, he was arrested in West Bromwich on the 5 August 2013.
During the trial Rana denied playing any part in the shooting, but rather that he and an unnamed bodyguard had travelled to the home of Mrs Asia in order to discuss a possible reconciliation with his wife.
An argument had ensued, during which two gunshots were fired by either the bodyguard or a member of Mrs Asia’s own family.
The court also heard that in January 2014, at Wood Green Crown Court, Rana was convicted of making threats to kill members of his ex-wife’s family, resulting in him being sentenced to a term of three and half years’ imprisonment.
Rana’s sister and brother-in-law, Nargus Ahmed, 33 (09.08.81), and Muhammed Adeel, 35 (01.10.79), were later arrested and charged with assisting an offender.
They were acquitted yesterday at Woolwich Crown Court