Murder Trial: 'No Plan' To Marry Off Shafilea

A relative of Shafilea Ahmed - the 17-year-old found dead nine years ago - has denied that there were plans to "marry her off".

Speaking via video link from Karachi in Pakistan, Abdul Razak told a jury at Chester Crown Court that he had discussed the possibility with Shafilea's father of an arranged marriage.

Mr Razak said he wanted his son to marry "any one" of Iftikar Ahmed's daughters and agreed that, although no names were mentioned, custom dictated that it would be the eldest daughter.

The witness claimed that Mr Ahmed said his daughters were not old enough, were still studying and that British law required the woman to consent.

Iftikhar Ahmed has denied any plans to force his daughter into an arranged marriage. He and his wife Farzana have pleaded not guilty to murder.

Shafilea lived with her family at Warrington in Cheshire, and went missing from home in September 2003. Her body was found five months later by a river in Cumbria.

During cross-examination Mr Razak, who is Mr Ahmed's uncle, occasionally became emotional saying his head "was not working properly" and that he did not want to answer certain questions.

At one point the judge asked him to remove his hands from his face.

Mr Razak told the court that when Shafilea attended a wedding during a family trip to Pakistan a few months before she went missing she seemed happy and helped out with the event.

He denied that there had been a plan for his son to meet Shafilea to "see how they got on".

Prosecuting barrister Andrew Edis QC asked: "In your culture, if parents agree to a marriage and the marriage doesn't happen is that something they should be ashamed of."

Mr Razak answered: "Yes, that's right. It is shame."

The court has already heard that Shafilea drank bleach while in Pakistan - allegedly as a suicide attempt because she feared being forced into a marriage.

Mr Razak said he was not there when the incident happened. The trial continues.