Thursday, June 13, 2019

Strict Muslim father 'inflicted a campaign of controlling psychological abuse on his own family after two of his eight daughters refused to enter into arranged marriages'

  • Salamat Khan, 63, and son Abbas, 34, allegedly controlled females in the family
  • Abbas is accused of following Madira Khan, 21, after she finished working 
  • He allegedly tried to punch his own mother and sent her tumbling into a cabinet 
  • The defendants deny controlling or coercive behaviour and common assault 
Salamat Khan (pictured outside Manchester Magistrates' Court yesterday) is accused of using coercive behaviour to control women in his family
Salamat Khan (pictured outside Manchester Magistrates' Court yesterday) is accused of using coercive behaviour to control women in his family 
A strict Muslim father and his son psychologically abused their female family members when two of eight daughters refused arranged marriages, a court heard.
Salamat Khan had married off three of his daughters to selected spouses but 'cast out' two of his other children when they married men he did not 'approve of.'
The 63-year-old allegedly claimed the sisters were 'dead to the family' from December 2015 to June 2018 and vowed to enforce a 'traditional' upbringing on two other unmarried daughters who wanted to lead a Western lifestyle.
He refused to let Madina and Maryha Khan go out in the evening or meet their friends and made then cook and clean for him and made them feel they were 'living in a prison,' it was said. 
Mr Khan is accused of demanding properties in the names of female relatives be transferred to him and his only son Abbas.
The 34-year-old is said to have insisted his sisters were not welcome in the family home adding: 'They made their choices'.
Police were called to the family home in Oldham, Greater Manchester, to reports of  a violent argument when Abbas demanded one of the property to be transferred to his name so he could facilitate his own wife emigrating to the UK, jurors heard. 
During the row Salamat's wife Zahida was pushed backwards by Abbas with such force, it caused a cabinet to fall off the wall, it was claimed.
Officers later spoke to Salamat about his two rebel daughters and he said: 'They can marry whoever they wish - but I want nothing to do with them.'
Salamat and his wife Zahida Begum, who have been married for 50 years, moved to the UK from their native Pakistan in 1979, Manchester Magistrates' Court heard.
Three of their daughters, Nasreen, Nasir and Zadine, all wed in Pakistan under arranged marriage but two others Bushra and Ishiat married other Muslim men who were not 'arranged' for them.
Madina and Maryha would stay for long periods in Pakistan where no arrangements were made to sort out their education, the court heard. The couple's eighth daughter is disabled.
Housewife Mrs Begum told the hearing: 'Bushra and Ishiat are not welcome by my husband or son. He doesn't allow me to meet up with her, but I can speak to her on the phone.
'Ishiat was married in England and I wanted to go to her wedding. I also wanted to go to Bushra's too but I wasn't allowed to go. My husband makes the decisions as does my son and I was encouraged not to contact my daughters after they got married without my husbands permissions. My husband doesn't want me to keep in contact.
Abbas Khan (pictured outside Manchester Magistrates' Court yesterday) allegedly threatened to kill his younger sister
Abbas Khan (pictured outside Manchester Magistrates' Court yesterday) allegedly threatened to kill his younger sister 
She added: 'On June 17th there was an incident and the police were called. There was arguing from my son and husband about the property. They were demanding me to transfer to name over. They called me and my daughters "bitches".' 
Madira Khan, 21, said: 'I have a mixture of friends both Muslim and non Muslim, girls and boys but my friends aren't allowed to come for tea. 
'They weren't allowed to come and visit me at home. I would have to come straight home and I wasn't allowed to socialise with friends outside of college.
'My father said I should always keep my college friends at college. Those were the rules and my brother enforced these rules when my dad was in Pakistan. 
'I would go to college then come home and he'll look after the household, I didn't socialise at all. I would be invited out by friends and I would have to make excuses as I knew my dad would say no.
'My sisters did date their husbands but it was a secret and my dad didn't know about this. My dad and brother didn't approve. 
'I went to Bushra and Ishiat weddings but I didn't ask for permission to go. My brother wouldn't let me go. I was scared to ask my dad as I was scared of him. I was scared in case it was a no.
'When they found out I went they were angry, they were cursing and shouting. They said no one was allowed contact with them and they were not welcome in the family home. They said: 'They make their choices'. My brother enforces that rules more than my dad. I go to see my sisters without asking my father or brother but I'm scared they might follow me. I'm scared what they might do.
'My brother used to follow me when I finished work, I told my dad and he didn't say anything to him, he didn't tell him to stop.'
She said that her brother tried to punch her mother, but she deflected it and was pushed into the cabinet instead. Ms Khan added that her brother threatened to kill her on multiple occasions during the row. 
Alan Bakker, prosecuting, said: 'Madina and Maryha were simply expected to look after dad, the house and to cook and clean. 
Salamat Khan told the hearing: 'I have been accused wrongly by my wife and daughters. They have intended to get rid of me and my son from the house and this is all just accusations. Often when I went to Pakistan, they were planning in my absence and I found out later about my daughters getting married but I couldn't do anything about it. When I heard about all those things I had a heart attack and I was in hospital.
'I gave my daughters the choice and the opportunity to carry out what they wanted to do. If they are married on their own wishes, I have no objections or complaints, they can live their life. But when I found out Bushra and Ishiat had married, I was upset and was crying for it. They spit in my face and they didn't even tell me about it. It was shame and I was concerned about my status. I don't know why they didn't tell me.'
Salamat and Abbas deny engaging in controlling or coercive behaviour and common assault. The case continues.

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