THE grandfather of Shafilea Ahmed told the inquest that there had been talk of a potential 25-year-old suitor for his granddaughter a few months before she came to Pakistan.

Mian Khan, who lives in Pakistan, said: "Iftikhar replied that the girl is young and is studying and when she has completed her studies then we'll look at it."

He also revealed that there was a rift between himself and his son, Iftikhar Ahmed, and said: "The don't talk to me."

Mr Khan also said arranged marriages within his family were the norm but that Shafilea was not subject to an arranged marriage when she visited Pakistan.

He said he was not aware Shafilea had swallowed bleach in Pakistan but knew she had become ill.

John Bassett, the lawyer representing Cumbria and Cheshire police, asked Mr Khan: "Amongst the things you've told the coroner is that Iftikhar Ahmed is your son?"

"Yes," he replied.

"Is that the truth?," Mr Bassett asked.

Mr Khan's legal representative interrupted and reminded his client he did not have to answer incriminating questions.

Mr Khan declined to answer the question, saying: "I do not want to reply."

He told Mr Bassett, in answer to his questions, that he was a practising Muslim and that he believed in the Koran.

Mr Bassett said: "I note that you did not take the oath on the Koran. Is it the case you're not prepared to lie about your relationship with Iftikhar Ahmed after taking the oath on the Koran?"

Mr Khan's legal representative interjected again and reminded his client he did not need to reply. Mr Khan declined to answer the question.

Coroner Ian Smith asked Mr Khan if his son had been "willing and happy" to marry Farzana. He said yes.

The coroner then asked Mr Khan: "Had he not been married in Denmark to a Danish lady?"

Mr Khan replied: "He had a woman, I do not know whether he had been married to her or not, I would have heard about it."

Mr Smith said: "Was family pressure put on Iftikhar Ahmed to marry?"

Mr Khan replied: "No, there was no pressure in my opinion, there was no pressure at all."

The body of Shafilea was found in a stream at Sedgwick, near Kendal in the Lake District in February 2004 after she went missing from her Warrington home.