Leeds vigil in memory of pregnant murder victim Fawziyah Javed to be held on baby's due date

The vigils will be held in Leeds and near Arthur’s Seat in Edinburgh, where flowers and candles will be laid in tribute to 31-year-old Fawziyah Javed, who died in September.

Fawziyah’s mother, Yasmin, said: “It’s five months ago and it still feels as though it's not happened. It feels so, so surreal and the pain is as raw as it was on that day.

“As her mother I feel so helpless. It's really, really difficult. She was an only child and about to have a baby.”

Fawziyah was on a short break to Edinburgh from her home in Pudsey when she died following an alleged incident on Arthur's Seat.

Her husband appeared in court in September charged with her murder. Kashif Anwar, 27, made no plea as he appeared in private during a short hearing at Edinburgh Sheriff Court.

Each of the vigils will be held at 4.30pm, with Fawziyah’s friends and loved ones gathering on the steps of Leeds Civic Hall in Millennium Square.

There will be poems, speeches and music, as well as an opportunity to lay flowers, candles, teddies, and letters for Fawziyah and her baby son. The memorial will then conclude with a minute's silence.

Yasmin said: “The baby’s due date was February 4. Since this happened we have been absolutely grief stricken and we still are, but a lot of friends said why don't you do something on that day to bring people together and remember Fawziyah and the baby, so we decided to have this vigil in Leeds and also in Edinburgh.

"It has touched the hearts of many, many people that knew her and didn't know her. I have been inundated with messages from all round the world. People have contacted me via the GoFundMe page and have emailed me.

"It's going to bring together everybody that wants to be there and there are going to be speeches by various people and it's going to be very emotional.”

In the run-up to Christmas, Fawziyah’s parents decided to honour her memory with donations to bring seasonal cheer to homeless people and sick children in the city where she died.

Fawziyah, who worked as an employment lawyer, had been involved with many charities, including ones working with the homeless, vulnerable young people and women and children.

Yasmin said they had given money to homeless charity Social Bite and the Edinburgh Children’s Hospital Charity, as well as Leeds homeless charity St George’s Crypt.

She said other family and friends had given to various charities in memory of Fawziyah.

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