Suspect held in Rawalpindi mother-daughter murder

Police have solved the double murder of a mother and daughter in the Dhamial police station area of Rawalpindi and arrested the suspect, according to police officials. Police say the suspect allegedly had a relationship with one of the victims and had repeatedly sent her money, and that he killed both women after a financial dispute and personal resentment.

The mother, Noweza, and her daughter, Noman, were living in a rented house in Qureshiabad Garja with another daughter. They were strangled after a man entered their home while the other daughter was away. When she returned and found her mother and sister dead, she informed the police.

Police have launched an extensive investigation following the arrest. The suspect has been named by police as Hassan Ali. An arrest is not a conviction, and the allegations against him have not yet been tested in court.

How the case unfolded

According to police, the mother and daughters lived in a rented house in Qureshiabad Garja. The second daughter, Roshni, was not at home at the time of the incident. When she returned, she found her mother and sister dead and informed police.

Police collected forensic evidence, registered a case against an unidentified suspect and launched an investigation. Taking notice of the incident, Rawalpindi City Police Officer Hassan Mushtaq Sukhera directed SSP Investigation Saifullah to supervise the investigation.

An officer associated with the investigation told The Express Tribune that Hassan Ali worked at a bakery in the area, where he allegedly became acquainted with Noweza Bibi. According to police, the relationship between Hassan Ali and Noweza Bibi grew closer, and he repeatedly sent her money.

Police officials said the double murder has now been solved and Hassan Ali arrested. The motive, according to police, was a financial dispute combined with personal resentment. Those details come from police sources, and the full evidence will need to be presented in court.

What an arrest means, and what it does not

In a murder investigation, an arrest marks the end of the initial hunt for a suspect, not the end of the case. Investigators must now build a case that can stand up in court. That work includes forensic evidence collected from the scene, medical evidence about the cause of death, statements from witnesses, and any record of financial transactions or communications that support the alleged motive.

The surviving daughter is a key witness, as the person who found the bodies and reported the crime. Her statement, together with forensic findings, will form part of the prosecution case if charges are filed.

The suspect is entitled to legal representation and to challenge the evidence against him. Until a court delivers a verdict, he remains an accused person, not a convicted murderer. Reporting must keep that distinction clear, especially in a case involving a family that has already lost two members.

A pattern of violence at home

Cases of this kind, in which a dispute inside or around a household turns deadly, are among the hardest for police to prevent. They often involve relationships, money and resentment that build up over time, out of public view, until a single incident triggers violence.

For neighbours and landlords, the warning signs are rarely clear in advance. For police, the challenge is to act quickly once a crime is reported, preserve forensic evidence and avoid contaminating the scene. In this case, police say they did collect forensic evidence at the outset, registered a case and placed the investigation under senior supervision.

The investigation will now move to the next stage. Police will complete their inquiry, prepare a challan and present the accused before a court. The court will decide whether the evidence is sufficient for trial, and the trial will test every part of the police account, including the alleged relationship, the money transfers and the motive.

For the surviving daughter, the legal process will be long. She has lost her mother and sister, and she will be asked to relive the discovery of their bodies as a witness. Support for victims’ families during that process is often overlooked, but it matters as much as the investigation itself.

Police have not yet given a date for the next court hearing, nor have they released further details about the forensic findings. Those details, when they emerge, will show whether the police account holds up.

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Sources and prior coverage

• The Express Tribune, “Man held for mother-daughter murder” (29 October 2026): https://tribune.com.pk/story/2637514/man-held-for-mother-daughter-murder