Suvechha Sarkar
The disappearance of 18-year-old Saman Abbas in May 2021 became one of Italy’s most closely followed criminal cases, raising questions about honor killing, forced marriage, and a string of betrayals. During the ongoing missing person’s investigation, her brother, Ali Haider, informed the officials that Saman was actually killed. HBO Max’s ‘Saman: The Hidden Truth’ sheds light on Haider’s statements, which helped shed light on the circumstances surrounding her death. The episode also features an interview with him, in which he discusses how his sister’s death continues to affect his life.
Ali Haider’s Statements Shifted the Focus of the Officials to His Family
Ali Haider was born in a small rural village in Pakistan sometime in 2005 to Shabbar Abbas and Nazia Shaheen. He grew up playing and laughing alongside his beloved sister, Saman Abbas. According to Haider, although Saman was 3 years older than him, he always felt she was just like a friend. In 2007, Shabbar moved to Novellara in Italy’s Reggio Emilia province to work at a farm. By 2016, Haider, Saman, and Nazia had joined him in Italy. Soon after, Shabbar’s brother, Danish Hasnain, and Saman and Haider’s cousins, Ikram Ijaz and Noman Ul Haq/Nomanoulaq Nomanoulaq, relocated to Shabbar’s home in Novellara.
As per Haider’s statements on the show, in 2019, during Saman’s visit to Pakistan with their parents, he was shocked to learn about his sister’s engagement to a cousin. The brother stated that his sister was unhappy with the engagement and often protested it, which led her family to consider her “rebellious.” Reports state that things took a turn on May 1, 2021, when Saman suddenly went missing. On the show, Haider admitted that he initially told officials his sister had left alone because his aunt had insisted he say so, a claim substantiated by text messages. However, things changed when he eventually told the officials that he saw Danish pulling Saman by her neck and then killing her.
Over time, digital forensic experts discovered multiple text messages from Saman’s phone, indicating that she was afraid of her family. It was also revealed that she had been staying at a youth community home before arriving at her family’s house on April 20, 2021, to collect her documents. CCTV footage from her residence further captured her walking out with Shabbar and Nazia shortly after midnight on May 1. Although Shabbar, Ikram, Nomanoulaq, and Danish were not present in Italy, they were all later taken into custody by 2022 for the murder of Saman, while Nazia remained a fugitive. In November 2022, Danish led the authorities to the burial location of Saman’s remains near the farm where Shabbar worked.
Ali Haider Served as a Key Witness For the Prosecution in His Family’s Trial
The trial of Shabbar, Nazia, Ikram, Nomanoulaq, and Danish commenced on February 10, 2023. During the trial, Haider served as the prosecution’s star witness and testified that he had seen his parents, uncle, and cousins holding meetings. In his testimony, he stated that on the morning of April 30, his parents asked for his cellphone to review the text messages between Saman and the people she was talking to. Haider testified that he saw everything on the night of the murder while standing at his home’s door and didn’t try to stop his family because he allegedly feared they would kill him too.
However, the defense contested Haider’s testimony, raising the question of how he could see the homicide taking place clearly when he was standing at some distance from the crime scene. Although Shabbar and Nazia were found guilty of murder and sentenced to life imprisonment, Ikram and Nomanoulaq were acquitted, leading to their release on December 19, 2023. On the other hand, Danish was also convicted of murder but was sentenced to only 14 years in prison. In May 2024, Nazia was notably taken into custody in Pakistan before being extradited to Italy.
Things changed during the appeal hearing, where Haider’s testimony played a significant role. In April 2025, the court convicted Shabbar and Nazia on the additional charge of concealment of a corpse and upheld their life sentences. Danish’s sentence was also increased from 14 years to 22 years. Lastly, the Court of Appeals overturned Ikram and Nomanoulaq’s acquittals and convicted them of murder and concealment of a corpse. Both of them were ultimately sentenced to life in prison.
Ali Haider Dreams of Becoming a Chef to Honor His Sister’s Legacy
While recalling the night his sister passed away, Haider stated, “That same night he (Danish) was sleeping next to me, wearing the same clothes. He was snoring, I was crying. I really wanted to kill him.” During the first trial, he was assisted by a lawyer, who helped him bring a civil action, seeking compensation for the harm he suffered as a result of the murder. Reports state that the Bologna Court of Appeal eventually awarded him a €50,000 provisional payment. However, it is essential to note that the public reports do not mention whether he received the money.
After the conviction of the killers was affirmed by the Supreme Court in July 2026, Haider expressed his wish to apply for compensation from the Crime Victims Fund through the Ministry of Justice. Reports state that after the ordeal, he has been residing outside the province of Reggio Emilia. He initially received help from the Union and is now under the protection of Novellara Adult Services. From time to time, Shabbar and Nazia continue to call their son while in prison, insisting they are innocent and often express their despair.
On the show, Haider revealed that he has gotten a tattoo symbolizing his sister’s courage for choosing to live her life on her own terms. In another interview, he shared that he aspires to become a chef one day and join the restaurant industry because it was also his sister’s dream. Haider believes choosing to follow this particular path will be his way of honoring Saman’s legacy. He currently appears to have chosen to shield further details about his private life away from the spotlight.
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