Latest news with #AbdulShakoor
Daily Mirror
08-07-2025
- Daily Mirror
'My wife and five kids were killed at home - I still don't know what happened'
Dr Abdul Shakoor and his family were fast asleep at home in Harlow when suddenly their property was set ablaze. The father attempted to rescue his wife and five children, but they all tragically died It's been 13 years since Dr Abdul Shakoor devastatingly lost his wife and five children in a house fire, and the murder investigation, called Operation Shakespeare, still remains unsolved. On the night of October 15, 2012, at 1.40 am, the Shakoor family were sound asleep in their terraced home in Barn Mead, Harlow, when a blaze took over the ground floor. Around the same time, a silver Ford Focus was also set alight, alarmingly close to the house fire. Their residence was rapidly consumed by flames and smoke. In a desperate bid to alert others and get help for his family, Dr Shakoor managed to leap from an upstairs window. He landed on a car parked below and attempted to re-enter his home with a neighbour to rescue his beloved family. He suffered minor burns as he battled to free his family, but tragically, the fire spread too quickly and his wife and their five children did not survive. Dr Shakoor's wife, Dr Sabah Usmani, 44, and sons Sohaib, 11, Rayyan, six, and daughter Hira, 13, were killed in the house fire, while his son, Muneeb, nine, and daughter Maheen, three, died later in hospital. At first, it was suspected arson, but after a laptop bag was found at a nearby estate that contained photos belonging to the family, a murder investigation was launched. Detectives also said that a burglary had taken place at the house on that fateful day, believing it to be the same person who could have set their house on fire. However, to this day, police have yet to find the culprit responsible. On a BBC podcast, Who Killed the Shakoors?, 13 years later, claims were made about how forensic evidence was gathered from the scene. Fire investigator David Hajakostas examined the scene at the house but raised concerns about the cordoned areas where vital evidence needed to be collected. He said on the podcast: "There was an outer and inner cordon in place... but when I arrived, there were people inside the outer cordon who shouldn't have been there." Ian Peck, from Prometheus Forensic Services, reviewed the scene of the fire at the time but spoke of his own concerns on the BBC podcast regarding how evidence was preserved. He criticised how some evidence was packaged and said, "If it had come to me for analysis, I probably would've rejected it." Further concerns were raised, but Essex Police told the BBC podcast that "heat damage significantly compromised forensics. Items were examined on scene before being moved and no accelerants were detected." Dr Shakoor also appeared on the podcast and spoke of his unimaginable loss and the heartache he faces every day, not knowing who is behind the devastating fire that saw him lose his beloved family. On the podcast, he said: "I'm really shocked because I never thought they wouldn't have done it properly. We have put our own trust in them. But when you hear these sort of things, really, it gives a very shocking feeling of dismay." Dr Shakoor, who is originally from Pakistan, added: "When we came to England, we thought it is the most safest country. We felt really safe and then that thing happened. "But when we hear something like that, so it really brings some waves of shock, feeling of helpless, you know. We are waiting for a long time, it has an impact on not only myself, but as a community." Speaking about the case last year, Detective Chief Inspector Louise Metcalfe, from the Kent and Essex Serious Crime Directorate, said: "Dr Shakoor lives with the unimaginable pain of losing his entire family; a wife who he had planned to grow old with; children who he imagined growing up and going on to do great things. But that future was taken from him exactly 12 years ago. For 12 years, no one has faced justice for what happened but I remain committed to changing that." She continued: "I have met with Dr Shakoor and I see his unwavering determination to see someone – or some people – held accountable for his family's deaths. I am committed to doing all we can to give him that." DCI Metcalfe added that "no case is ever closed."
Khaleej Times
01-06-2025
- Business
- Khaleej Times
Dubai: Some Qurbani prices start at Dh12,000, surge up to 80% ahead of Eid Al Adha
Muhammed Azam, an Indian expat and engineer working at a payment gateway firm, was taken aback when he visited the Al Qusais cattle market on Saturday evening. The reason? The prices of sacrificial animals ahead of Eid Al Adha had jumped far beyond his expectations. 'I bought a Somali ox for about Dh6,000 in 2023, and it weighed almost 450kg. But now, the same size starts at Dh10,000. That's over a 60 per cent increase,' said Azam. He had traveled to his hometown in Kerala in Eid 2024 and missed last year's market pricing. 'I thought I could manage with a budget of Dh10,000 this year. But here, even the goats are starting from Dh1,200,' he added. Khaleej Times visited Al Qusais livestock market and spoke to several buyers and sellers, who confirmed the sharp price increase. Compared to just two years ago, the cost of sacrificial animals has increased by 60 to 80 percent. At the market, here are the current prices: Significant price jump Pakistani resident Abdul Shakoor, who was visiting the market to buy a sacrificial animal for Eid Al Adha, said this is the third year he has been buying from the same seller, and the price jump is significant. 'Two years ago, I paid around Dh1,600 for a decent goat. Now, they are asking Dh2,800 for the same size — and that's after bargaining,' he said. 'This Eid is important to us, but it's getting harder for middle-income families to afford the qurbani (sacrifice). I might have to share with a friend and buy an ox,' he added. Why have prices increased? Mohammed Usman, a livestock trader from Pakistan who has been selling animals in the UAE for eight years, explained that the price hike was inevitable this year. 'We are getting animals from suppliers at much higher rates. (Costs for) feed, transport, taxes have all increased. For example, transporting animals from Pakistan or India is much more expensive than it was three years ago,' he said. Traders also pointed to the limited availability of animals. 'There is high demand this year and limited supply. Prices rise automatically when there are more buyers and fewer animals,' he added. Lala Khan, another trader at the market, said he has been in Dubai for fifteen years and hasn't seen this kind of price increase before. 'We have sold goats for Dh500 to Dh700 in previous years. Now, even the smallest Somali goat is at least Dh1,000 to Dh1,200. People are angry, but we also have no choice,' he said. With prices expected to rise further as Eid approaches, shoppers are advised to book early. 'Demand for sacrificial animals is huge now, and buyers have already started purchasing. Due to the surge in demand, prices may rise even more as Eid Al Adha nears,' said Khan.
Express Tribune
28-05-2025
- Business
- Express Tribune
Cattle markets buzz, but prices soar
As Eidul Azha approaches, the cattle markets are setting up in different specified places of Islamabad Capital Territory (ICT), including Sangjhani, Sector I-15, Bharakahu, Lehtrar Road and Islamabad Expressway. At I-15 cattle markets, Abdul Shakoor, who brought his animals from Arifwala, said: "We are satisfied with the market setup, especially the availability of basic facilities like water and electricity." He emphasised that water is crucial for maintaining the health and vitality of the animals when the temperature is at its peak. Moin Khan, the manager of the Mandi, highlighted that the market spans over 1,000 kanals and is divided into blocks to streamline management. "We have focused particularly on ensuring the availability of water, electricity, and proper security arrangements," he said. Each trader has been allotted around 150 to 200 square feet of space to conduct business in an organised way, he said, adding that additional measures have also been taken to ensure safety and prevent any untoward incidents. The different sizes of cow, goat, and sheep are available in this mandi but prices are high as compared to last year. Sardar Shah, a goat seller from Mianwali said that the prices of goat are between Rs50,000 and Rs350,000 according to their specifications. While Muhammad Imran, another seller, who brought their cows from Multan, offered prices Rs230,000 to Rs600,000 or their bulls depending on their weight and size. However, residents are enthusiastic about the market's setup, but got frustrated over the high prices of both small and big animals. A customer, Abdul Manan, who was looking for a sacrificial animal, said: "The market is impressive in scale, but the prices are shockingly high. A goat of average weight is being sold for Rs120,000, significantly more than what I paid last year for a similar one." On the other hand, traders argued that the cost of raising animals has increased, which has forced them to increase the prices. Sardar Shah explained that fodder, transport, and other essentials are expensive which affects the final price of the animals. Despite high prices, buyers are struggling to find suitable animals for the Islamic ritual. They are actively bargaining to negotiate better prices and remain hopeful of finding their desired animal in the large cattle markets, where animals of all sizes are available.
