RAWALPINDI: A local court on Tuesday granted police a four-day physical remand of Ahsan Tahir, husband of 92 News senior anchorperson Rabia Ahsan, who was found shot dead at her home in Gulshanabad on Sunday.
Police from Saddar Bairooni presented the suspect before Civil Judge Muhammad Nasrullah Wattoo after his earlier one-day physical remand expired. The investigation officer sought further custody to question him and collect evidence. The court approved the request and directed police to produce him again on November 13.
Rabia Ahsan, 41, was found dead with a gunshot wound below her neck in the bedroom of her house in Sector 2, Gulshanabad, along Adiala Road, on Sunday afternoon. Her body was found lying on the floor.
A first information report (FIR) was registered at Saddar Bairooni police station under Section 302 of the Pakistan Penal Code and the relevant provision of the Punjab Arms Amendment Ordinance on the complaint of her brother, Khurram Ahmed.
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According to the FIR, Rabia’s mother and sister were sitting in the lawn when they heard a gunshot from the bedroom at around 2:30pm. Her sister rushed inside and found her lying in a pool of blood, while Ahsan Tahir was holding a pistol.
Police recovered a locally made .30-bore pistol from the scene. The suspect reportedly failed to produce a licence for the weapon.
Ahsan Tahir, a Grade-18 officer of the Overseas Pakistanis Foundation, has told investigators in his statement under Section 161 of the Criminal Procedure Code (CrPC) that the shooting was accidental. He denied killing his wife and said their two daughters, who were present at the time, could support his account.
Initial police findings showed no blackening around the wound, suggesting that the shot was not fired from close range. However, Investigation Officer Syed Muntazar Zaidi said the investigation had yet to establish whether the shooting was intentional or accidental.
Reports have also emerged that the family may withdraw the case. Police, however, said they had not received any formal written application in this regard, adding that any decision on the matter rested with the trial court.
First Lady Aseefa Bhutto-Zardari had earlier expressed deep sorrow over Rabia’s killing and called for a thorough, impartial and transparent investigation.
Rabia Ahsan previously co-hosted the current affairs programme Muqabil on 92 News with senior journalists, including Amir Mateen. Her funeral prayers were offered on Sunday at Gulshanabad Central Jamia Mosque, after which she was buried in the same locality.
