A local court in Islamabad on Monday extended the physical remand of prime suspect Shahnawaz Amir in the Sarah Inam murder case, for three more days.

Senior journalist Ayaz Amir's son Shahnawaz allegedly killed his wife Sarah at home after a row over a family issue on September 23.

Shahnawaz — who was detained by the police from a farmhouse in Islamabad's Chak Shahzad area for being a suspect in his wife's murder — confessed to committing the crime and said that he "thought" his spouse was having an affair with someone else. The couple was married for just three months.

The next day, a trial court approved the arrest warrants of Ayaz Amir and his former wife Sameena Shah, as the two were nominated as suspects by Sarah's family. However, the court granted Sameena an interim pre-arrest and directed her to join the probe, while Ayaz Amir was discharged from the case on the basis of "no evidence" against him in the murder.

In the police report registered following the murder, an additional clause of Section 109 (punishment for abetment) of the Pakistan Penal Code was added at the request of Sarah's uncles — Colonel (retd) Ikram and Zia-ur-Rahim — who have blamed Ayaz Amir and his former wife for their niece's murder.

The police presented suspect Shahnawaz before the court of civil judge Aamir Aziz upon the expiry of his physical remand, and requested a three-day extension for further interrogation.

"Police have to recover the passport of Sarah Inam," the investigation officer informed the court.

He said that the passport is "major evidence" as it would show Sarah's travel history.

Meanwhile, the lawyer of the complainants contended that Sarah was murdered in Shahnawaz's house. He said that the suspect would get away if the police failed to recover Sarah's passport even 14 days after the murder.

At this, the judge remarked that the case shouldn't be ruined due to shortcomings in investigations. Later, the court accepted the police's request to extend Shahnawaz's physical remand.

Earlier, a district and sessions court extended the interim bail plea of Shahawaz's mother, Sameena Shah, till October 7.

At the outset of the hearing, Sameena appeared before the court with her lawyer, Arsal Amjad Hashmi, while Advocate Rao Abdur Raheem represented Sarah's father.

Advocate Raheem said that Sarah's family doesn't want to involve any innocent person in the case. He said that the defence should be given more time to present whatever they want to present as evidence of non-involvement in the matter, while he will look into some evidence in the meantime.

At this, the court adjourned the hearing till October 7, extending Sameena's bail till then.