92 News anchorperson Rabia Ahsan was found dead at her home in Rawalpindi on Sunday, police said. She was 41. Police have taken her husband into custody and opened an investigation into the death.
Ahsan was found in the bedroom of her house in Gulshanabad, near Adiala Road, with a single gunshot wound below the neck. Rawalpindi City Police Officer Hassan Mushtaq Sukhera said the suspected weapon, a pistol, was seized from the house.
Sukhera reached the scene with senior police officers and a team of forensic experts. Teams from the Punjab Forensic Science Agency collected evidence from the house, and the body was taken to hospital for a post-mortem examination. Police said a case was being registered and the investigation would proceed on merit.
Her husband, Ahsan Tahir Khan, was taken into custody. He is a grade-18 government employee at the Overseas Pakistanis Foundation. In his first account to police, he said the pistol went off by accident while he was handling it. “I did not fire the shot intentionally; it went off accidentally,” he told police, according to ARY News. Dawn reported that a male domestic worker at the house told police the husband had said the shot was accidental.
Police have not confirmed how the shot was fired. A police spokesperson told Arab News that the suspect had yet to be questioned and investigators would not draw conclusions before completing their inquiry. The motive has not been established, and police have not said whether the shooting was deliberate or accidental. Arab News reported that police have launched a murder investigation.
First Lady condemns killing and cites earlier case
First Lady Aseefa Bhutto-Zardari said she was deeply saddened by the killing and “strongly condemned the violence”. She called for a thorough, impartial and transparent investigation to establish the facts and hold those responsible to account, the Presidency said.
She also spoke of a “disturbing pattern of killing of another professional woman in the same metropolitan area”. She recalled Hina Javed, a 45-year-old digital media executive who was found dead at her Rawalpindi home in August with signs of torture. Hina Javed’s family has rejected a fresh probe into her death, and the outcome of that investigation is still awaited.
In Hina’s case, DNA samples from her domestic servant matched swabs collected from her body. Her husband’s DNA also matched samples taken from items at the crime scene. Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz later said the DNA and polygraph results suggested the servant committed the murder and rape. She added that the investigation is ongoing. Aseefa met Hina’s family at Parliament on October 29 and said their demand for a judicial commission should be given due consideration.
“Such incidents demand serious attention and accountability. Women must be able to live and work without fear for their lives,” Aseefa said.
The killing has renewed concern about the safety of journalists and working women in Pakistan. Journalists in Balochistan marked a black day this month over threats to the press. Police in Lahore have stepped up action against harassment of women at metro and bus stations. The National Assembly adopted a resolution in October saying workplace harassment goes beyond sexual conduct.
What happens next in the Rabia Ahsan case
Police said all aspects of the incident are under investigation and further legal action will follow the forensic evidence. The post-mortem report and the forensic findings will shape the next steps in the case.
Ahsan and her husband have two daughters. The couple had a love marriage, 24NewsHD reported.
Frequently asked questions
Who was Rabia Ahsan?
Rabia Ahsan was a 41-year-old anchorperson and programme host with 92 News, a private Urdu-language television channel. She lived with her family in the Gulshanabad area of Rawalpindi.
Where was she found?
She was found in the bedroom of her home near Adiala Road in Rawalpindi on Sunday, November 8, 2026. She had a single gunshot wound below the neck.
What happened to her husband?
Police took her husband, Ahsan Tahir Khan, into custody and seized the pistol found at the house. He told police the weapon went off accidentally while he was handling it. Police said he had yet to be formally questioned.
Has police confirmed whether it was murder or an accident?
No. Police have not confirmed the circumstances of the shooting or established whether it was accidental or deliberate. Arab News reported that police have launched a murder investigation, and the motive remains unknown.
What did the First Lady say?
First Lady Aseefa Bhutto-Zardari expressed deep sadness over the killing, strongly condemned the violence and called for a thorough, impartial and transparent investigation. She also pointed to the earlier killing of digital media executive Hina Javed in Rawalpindi and called it a disturbing pattern.
