In a major breakthrough in the investigation of 26-year-old UK national Maira Zulfiqar murder case, the main accused Zahir Jadoon has now confessed in police custody of murdering Maira, reported 24NewsHD TV channel.

Police arrested prime accused Zahir Jadoon and during the interrogation, he said he had an argument with Maira while she was drunk.

In a confessional statement, Jadoon said, “I killed Maira on the morning of May 3. A friend Iqra was also aware of the murder,” he added.

Zahir Jadoon said he committed murder along with a friend of the slain Maira.

Police said that Zahir Jadoon had also been nominated in an FIR in the past and his family also had a tradition dealing with an old enmity.

“Since 2019, Maira’s family knew that Maira was in Dubai and they had no contact with Maira. Maira blackmailed me with video and I killed her after I fed up with the blackmailing by her,” the confessional statement reads.

Police have said that the main accused in the murder of UK national Maira fled to Islamabad after the murder.

Earlier in the day, Punjab IG shifted the inquiry of the Maira murder case from Cantonment CIA Police to Model Town CIA Police after the father of Maira met with the IGP and expressed his dissatisfaction over the CIA Cantt Police.

The father of Maira said her daughter’s life would have been saved if Cant CIA police had acted on her complaint in which she conveyed to police about threats to her.

Earlier, another accused Saad Amir Butt appeared before the police and recorded his statement.

The accused Saad Amir Butt after availing interim bail in the case appeared before the police and recorded his statement.

Saad said he was sleeping at his house when Maira was murdered and he did not kill Maira.

“Maira was my friend but later our friendship was broken,” he added. "I never tried to kidnap Maira", Saad said while recording his statement before the police.

Accused Saad Butt said Maira lodged a case against him on the behest of Zahir Jadoon, which was written by the lawyer of Zahir Jadoon. Police allowed Zahir to go after recording his statement.

It may be mentioned here that Maira Zulfiqar, 26, moved from London to Pakistan a year ago after attending a friend's wedding in the country. She was killed after four men allegedly broke into her home in Lahore and shot her.