LAHORE - Police on Monday arrested a man for allegedly strangling and shooting a British woman dead over turning down his marriage proposal.

According to police, Zahir Jadoon was held over the death of Mayra Zulfiqar, 25, who was found shot and strangled at her rented accommodation in Defence Housing Authority (DHA), Lahore on May 3. Zahir Jadoon is suspected to have been in a relationship with the British woman of Pakistani origin as her uncle, Muhammad Nazeer, has blamed Jadoon and another man for threatening his niece over turning down their marriage proposals.

Jadoon’s lawyer, on the other hand, denies his client’s involvement in the murder. The police had previously detained his brother and driver for investigating the incident.

In legal documents, Mayra’s uncle Muhammad Nazeer had named Zahir Jadoon and another man as suspects in the case. The second man named by Muhammad Nazeer has not been arrested and is currently cooperating with the investigation, according to the man’s lawyer.

Mayra Zulfiqar, a law graduate, had been threatened by two men who both wanted to marry her, according to legal documents.

It is to be noted that Mayra had asked police for protection after she was allegedly abducted by a man at gunpoint who also attempted to assault her sexually.

She said she managed to run away by alerting bystanders, but the man threatened her, saying: “You won’t be able to escape; I will kill you.”