Nazia Jamil's mother Nasim was murdered in her home by a man she had taken in like a son. Nazia found her mother's body and has struggled deeply with the trauma ever since. She describes being haunted by vivid memories of finding her mother dead and is plagued by fear, insomnia, and a loss of her previous personality. Nazia hopes by sharing her story she can help others appreciate the time they have with their parents.

1. 12 Monday, December 6, 2010 1S
BROKEN HEARTS . . .
tragic Nasim with daughter
Nazia, left, and son Omar,
right, and with both as
kids, above. Bottom, Nazia
and Omar still struggle to
cope with the killing today
By KAREN BALE just can’t move on — all I can see mother and father. He said he frightened. My mum offered him Mum raised us on her own — she
is a dark, grey cloud. On the day was bringing up his brother’s breakfast and he just snapped never thought about herself.
WHEN Nazia Jamil thinks of of the funeral I unzipped the children as his own, and that he back at her. He left very rudely, “She had so much to give. If
her beloved mum, she body bag and I saw my mother’s was living with a strict aunt and but still checked what shift I was somebody was hurt, she
face and her injuries. I wouldn’t uncle in Stirling. working the next day.” couldn’t take away the pain,
struggles to remember the TRAPPED BY wish that experience on anybody. “In actual fact he was living in On December 9, Sarwar but she would comfort them.
bubbly and caring person A KILLER . . . “I held her and bathed her a big house in Glasgow with his appeared at the top-floor flat and “She was the heart and soul
Nasim with because in our religion it’s tradi- parents, wife and three children Nasim invited him in for dinner. of Awaz FM.”
she loved with all her heart. tion for the daughter to do that. and is a pathological liar desper- The kind-hearted mum cooked Nazia has never gone back
Instead she is haunted by Sarwar and “But I had to mentally switch ate for sympathy. But we had no him lamb chops and washed his to the family home and
the horrific memories of Scottish Sun off or I couldn’t have done it. reason to doubt him.” plate before he pounced. He had admits she has struggled to
finding her lying dead on headlines “She was my mum, my best Towards the end of 2008 Sarwar brought a hammer and screw- keep going.
the kitchen floor. friend and I just wanted to hug began to change. He became with- driver in his pocket and launched She said: “There are days
her and hold her.” drawn and his visits became less into a frenzied attack. I wonder why I’m here.
Mum Nasim was murdered on frequent. Nazia said: “He looked Nazia sobbed quietly: “He really The thing that keeps
December 9 last year and, as the Pausing to compose herself,
Nazia added: “This has destroyed deathly pale and sick. We were damaged her, she suffered a lot. me going is know-
first anniversary of her death really worried and even suspected “Our only comfort is she went ing that it would
approaches, Nazia has opened me. Me and my brother’s lives
have been turned upside down. he was taking drugs.” down with the first blow. break her heart
her heart about her pain. In January 2009 Omar fell out to know this is
With tears in her eyes, she
said: “I don’t have a life any Orphan with Nasim and Nazia and moved
into his own flat with wife Sophia
Helpless how I feel.
“The inner
more. My brother Omar and I “I can’t sleep at night, it’s taken and three-year-old son Adam. “He damaged her head so much strength she
believe that when we buried our away my personality. I can’t Nazia said: “Sarwar loved that the police said she would have gave us is all
mother, half of us went with her. laugh or joke. I’m utterly broken there was a bit of a family feud. been a vegetable if she survived. I have to
“She was our life, our back- as a person. “He told us he was the real son “He took out her eye with the hold on to.
bone, and our strength. I wish I “I’m scared to go out in the and brother to us. Looking back, claw end of the hammer. He “I just
could have been there for her statistic in Scotland’s brutal past. I opened the kitchen door and dark, I can’t get my messages smashed her jaw to bits.
But Nazia, 36, will never forget. found Mum lying on the floor, he milked it.” want to tell
and saved her.” without thinking someone is out But Sarwar’s behaviour became “The most hurtful thing is she people to
Popular agony aunt DJ Nasim, She said: “Every day since next to the washing machine. to get me. I check my flat con- was breathing for 30 minutes
more and more erratic. He began cherish the
54, who had her own show on then, it’s a like a video playing “I saw a glass next to her and stantly. I look under bins, beds, after he left. He left her to die. time you
thought she’d passed out trying to demanding money from Nasim
Glasgow’s Asian radio station in my mind. in wardrobes, on window ledges and would storm out in a rage if “I feel so helpless knowing I have with
Awaz FM, was bludgeoned and “I see her lying dead on the get water. I thought she’d had a every day of my life. she said no. was at work while that was your parents
left to die in a pool of blood. kitchen floor, in the mortuary, at heart attack. “Until then I can’t sit down and Nazia said: “He asked Mum for happening to Mum.” as you don’t
She was hit 150 times with a the funeral. She’s always there.” “I screamed and touched her even then I don’t have peace of £2,000 and was rude and sullen Nazia says she will never forget know when
screwdriver, a claw hammer, Nazia made the devastating dis- cheek and I knew she’d gone. mind. I miss her every moment of when he didn’t get it. finding her mum lying dead. they might
knives from her own kitchen covery when she returned to the “The neighbours said my every day.” “The day before he killed Mum She said: “If I could say be snatched
drawer and a smashed glass family home in Glasgow’s West screams were like a lion roaring, Sarwar had been a close work he turned up and started telling anything to Sarwar I’d ask why? away from
bottle by a man she had virtu- End after a late shift in the the sound that came out of my pal of her brother Omar. all these delusional stories. “Nobody deserves to die the you.
ally adopted as her own son. supermarket where she works. mouth.” Omar, 31, met him back in 2002 “He told her that his mum and way she did.” “I’d do any-
The trial and life sentence of She said: “I immediately knew Nazia struggles to talk, but and within months he was visit- dad had killed his baby. Smiling at happier memories of thing to have
killer Khalid Sarwar, 29, made something was wrong when the insists she wants people to know ing the family on a daily basis. “She said to me, ‘Nazia, what’s her mum, Nazia added: “She was Mum back.”
headlines across the country. landing light was out. how such a brutal act affects Nazia said: “He said he was an he talking about, his mum and so loving and caring. Our dad died scotsfeatures@
Since then it has become a “I was starting to panic. Then those left behind. She said: “You orphan and had lost his brother, dad are dead’. She was really of brain cancer when I was 12 and the-sun.co.uk