A British beauty therapist allegedly murdered in an 'honour killing' in Pakistan was definitely strangled, police have confirmed.

Samia Shahid, 28, suffered a 7.5ins gash to her neck in her ancestral Punjab village, which experts believe could have been inflicted by a rope.

She died suddenly when she went to see her sick father a fortnight ago. Her family said she died of a heart attack or a severe asthma attack and had her buried.

But her husband Syed Mukhtar Kazam insists she was murdered by her family because they disapproved of their marriage.

Shocking: Samia Shahid's dead body (left) shows a 7.5 inch red mark on her neck, and police say she was murdered while visiting her family in Pakistan

Tragedy: Her body was found in the family home in Pandori, a village in northern Punjab (pictured)

He released a shocking picture showing a 7.5 inch red mark around Samia's neck, which her husband said proves she was strangled.

The beautician, from Bradford, West Yorkshire, also has saliva and blood oozing from her mouth and nostrils.

Mr Kazam, 30, told MailOnline: 'I am releasing this picture of my wife's dead body because I want the world to know that she didn't die of natural causes. She was murdered.

'The police told the media and everybody here that the body did not have any visible marks on it.

'Well, this proves that it did. What sort of heart attack leaves a bruise like that? It is obviously murder. Her family killed her because they weren't happy that she had married me.'

Police said the latest forensic report had confirmed Shahid did not die of natural causes.

Abubakar Khuda Bakhsh, the chief investigator, said today: 'The forensic report has been received by a three-member special investigation committee set up by chief minister Punjab and according to it Samia Shahid's death occurred due to asphyxia'.

Bradford West Labour MP Naz Shah, who has campaigned for the case to be thoroughly investigated in Pakistan, told BBC Look North: 'We're actually very pleasantly surprised at the way the Pakistan authorities have responded to this and the urgency that they've placed on this investigation, which is quite impressive.

'The communication, to say we're so far apart, has been pretty good.'

The News newspaper, in Pakistan, said today a forensic report has confirmed that she was murdered.

It said the report 'stated clearly that her death had been caused due to suffocation, as she was stopped from breathing'.

Arrested: Ms Shaid's father Mohammed, whom Samia had been visiting in Pakistan, has been arrested by detectives investigating the 23-year-old beauty therapist's death. He has been released on bail

Grief: Syed Mukhtar Kazam, pictured today, said he wanted to release the shocking photograph to prove that she had been strangled and was the victim of an honour killing. He married Samia in Leeds in 2014

Marriage: Samia's second husband Syed Mukhtar Kazam claims she was killed by her family because they refused to accept their marriage. He said he was made to feel like an outsider

Her father Mohammed Shahid and her first husband Mohammed Shakeel have both been arrested on suspicion of murder.

A cousin Mobeen Mohammed has also been arrested in Pakistan. All three have been bailed.

Bradford West MP Naz Shah, who has called for Samia's body to be exhumed, said: 'I have seen some pictures which are quite graphic in detail - that does really really raise some serious concerns. We need to get to the bottom of it as soon as possible'.

The post mortem report said Ms Shahid suffered 'marks of violence' in the form of a 'reddish brown bruise' around her throat and was found dead with 'froth coming from her mouth'.

'The body of the deceased was found at midday in her home and froth was coming from mouth and nose. There is horrible mark on the right side of the neck of reddish discoloration,' it said.

The author added that her mouth and face may have been 'congested' - a technical term for being smothered.

An external examination of the body revealed she had signs of asphyxia. Samples from her major organs and toxicology tests were taken, and results will take several more days to come back.

Marks: A post mortem found a 7.5 inch wound on Samia's neck. Police in Pakistan initially claimed she had suffered no injuries and allowed the family to bury her. But detectives have now launched a murder probe

First marriage: Samia is pictured at her first wedding to cousin Mohammed Shakeel, whom she left after a year of marriage. Shakeel has been arrested on suspicion of her murder and released on bail

A senior doctor at the Jhelum hospital where her body was inspected, who asked not to be named, said her neck injury was consistent with a murder.

He said: 'Cause of death looks like strangulation of the neck with a narrow rope-like object'.

Pakistan Interior Minister Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan has said the report confirms claims she died of natural causes are 'wrong'.

He said: 'The family's claims that she died of natural causes are apparently wrong and we have ordered a reinvestigation.

Grave: Samia's relatives reportedly said she died from a heart or asthma attack and buried her in the village (pictured). But her local MP wants her body exhumed

'The reinvestigation is aimed at a murder case rather than a natural death case. The new investigators are sure the family's claims about natural death are not true.

'I have been told to apply for permission to exhume her body. I will do that if necessary.'

Mr Kazam claims she was killed for marrying him against her parents' wishes after leaving her first husband from an arranged marriage.

Her family have claimed the large bruise was 'probably from a hair clip' and strongly deny the claims of an honour killing.

Police officer Aqeel Abbas said bruising found on Ms Shahid's neck could have occurred while her body was being moved or buried.