Conte writes to Pakistan for Sana

(ANSA) - Rome, February 19 - Premier Giuseppe Conte on Tuesday wrote to Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan asking him for justice for a 25-year-old Pakistani-Italian woman from Brescia whose male relatives were acquitted of killing her after she refused an arranged marriage despite her father having reportedly confessed to strangling her.
    "The death of young Sana Cheema has deeply shaken our country," Conte said.
    "For this reason I have sent a letter to the Pakistani prime minister to attest the Italian government's hope that light is shed as soon as possible on the responsibilities for her brutal murder".
    "He said Italian public opinion expects that "the culprits be brought to justice".
    A Pakistani court on Friday acquitted Cheema's father, uncle and brother.
    The relatives were cleared of the 'honour killing' because of a "lack of clear proof", the court in Pakistan said.
    Cheema's family claimed she had died of natural causes but an autopsy said she had been strangled to death.
    The centre-left opposition Democratic Party (PD)'s Alfredo Bazoli said the acquittals were "disconcerting" and urged the Italian diplomatic service to contact Pakistani authorities "over this murky affair", recalling that Cheema's father had confessed to her murder.
    Bazoli is PD chief on the House justice committee.