Notion of how wife should behave branded ‘medieval’

A MEDIEVAL notion of how a wife should behave lay behind Khan’s murderous refusal to accept her career, said the judge who jailed him for life.

In a series of texts, Khan tried to use religion to bend ‘defiant’ Nasreen.

But Judge Patrick Field QC said he doubted her murder really was a case of ‘cultural clash’, because his family were all supportive of devoted mother Nasreen.

The judge concluded that behind the ‘traditional’ facade Khan adopted, he was simply a controlling man.

On the day she was killed, Nasreen told her manager Khan wasn’t happy about her work, saying: “I can’t take it any more, I don’t know what to do.”

Her boss offered to speak to him but before she could, Nasreen got a text from Khan saying ‘It’s not halal for you to work with men. I don’t give you permission’.

At lunchtime he texted: “I have told you ten times there are three people whose prayers will not be accepted by Allah.

“A fleeing slave until he returns to his master, a woman whose husband is angry with her, until he is pleased with her, and a drunkard until he becomes conscious.

“If you don’t listen to me, I get angry.”

In another text, he said: “If you go to another man’s house again then you are doing haram [something forbidden]. Don’t ignore this again and again.”

That evening Khan confronted Nasreen for not replying to his texts.

A row developed, and when he asked her if she wanted him to get out, she said ‘yes’.

He said he had ‘nothing to lose’ – and minutes later, killed her.

The judge said: “Nasreen had been a devoted mother and worked hard.

“By contrast, the evidence suggests you are a selfish and controlling man.

“You did not want Nasreen to have contact with other men, even though her duties involved no more than administering medication and warming their food.

“It appears your disapproval was born out of some outdated, almost medieval notion of how a wife should behave.”

‘You did not want her to have contact with other men’