Anchorperson Rabia Ahsan’s death probed - Why family seeks withdrawal now

A senior police officer told Dawn that the decision to end the case does not fall under the police department’s authority.

The statement came after reports that Rabia’s brother had decided to withdraw the murder case against her husband, Muhammad Ahsan, claiming that the shooting was accidental rather than intentional.

The officer said police had arrested the suspect, recovered the pistol and completed their investigation, adding that the trial court would decide whether to accept any request to withdraw the case.

Police findings and weapon recovery

According to the initial examination, Rabia had suffered a gunshot wound below her neck, and her body was found lying on the floor of her bedroom.

Police said there were no blackening marks around the wound, suggesting that the shot had not been fired from very close range.

Investigators also recovered a pistol from her husband, who allegedly pointed it at her before the shooting.

Police said the weapon was unlicensed because the suspect could not provide a licence for it, although he had purchased it from Hayatabad.

The investigation also includes a forensic examination of the couple’s mobile phones to collect further evidence.

Rabia and her husband had been married for 16 years and had two daughters.

How the murder case was registered

Police sources said Rabia’s brother was initially unwilling to register a murder case, but an FIR was later filed at Sadar Bairooni Police Station.

The case was registered under Section 302 of the Pakistan Penal Code (PPC) and Section 13-2(a) of the Punjab Arms Amendment Ordinance 2015, which covers possession of an illegal weapon.

The suspect claimed that the gun had fired accidentally, while police arrested him and seized the weapon.

Senior Superintendent of Police (Investigation) Saifullah confirmed the arrest and said the suspect had been presented before the court.

“The accused was remanded in police custody for one day and will be produced before the court on Tuesday, where police will seek further physical remand,” SSP Saifullah said.

FIR describes events before shooting

Rabia’s brother, Khuram Ahmed, a resident of Islamabad’s Sector G-7/3-4, registered the FIR against her husband, Muhammad Ahsan.

According to the FIR, Khuram was travelling to visit Rabia at her home in Gulshan Abad when another sister informed him about the shooting.

He was told that his sister and their mother were sitting in the lawn at around 2:30pm, while Rabia and her husband were inside their bedroom.

They reportedly heard a gunshot and rushed towards the room to find Rabia lying on the floor in a pool of blood.

The FIR stated that Rabia’s sister saw her husband standing nearby with a pistol in his hand.

Khuram said he rushed to the house after receiving an emergency call and found his sister dead in the bedroom.

He accused Muhammad Ahsan of shooting and killing Rabia, while police said his statement supported the account provided by other family members and helped lead to the registration of the murder case.

The investigation into Rabia Ahsan’s death has reached an important stage, but questions about the shooting still need to be settled through legal proceedings.

Police say they have completed their work, while the reported decision by the family to withdraw the case has created another legal issue.

The recovered weapon, forensic examination and other available evidence may play an important role in the court’s decision.

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