A high-level committee reinvestigating the Hina Javed murder probe questioned the victim’s husband and a domestic worker in Rawalpindi on Saturday while studying the forensic report’s findings.
“The committee will analyse the forensic report’s findings, though they had already been analysing case files which had already been sent to them in Lahore,” a source told Dawn.
The questioning is the first public step by the panel since the fresh review was ordered.
Fresh push in the Hina Javed murder probe
The committee was constituted by Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz. It is headed by Director General CCD Sohail Zafar Chattha, with DIG Lahore Shoaib Khurram and SSP Investigation Rawalpindi Saifullah as members.
The panel will visit Rawalpindi, inspect the crime scene, review the post-mortem report, suspect statements and case proceedings, and meet the victim’s family. Rawalpindi police have already received all key forensic sample reports, including the final post-mortem report.
The case that shook Rawalpindi
Hina Javed, 45, was found dead at her in-laws’ home in Rawalpindi’s Lalkurti area on August 20. Her body was recovered from a bathroom, with her hands tied behind her back and a wire around her neck.
The post-mortem, conducted about 12 hours after her death, found a fractured neck bone, injury marks on her ribs and hip, and the membrane around her heart filled with blood.
Police arrested her husband, Faisal Asghar, and domestic worker Zeeshan Arshad in connection with the killing. Both men are now in Adiala Jail on judicial remand. The victim’s father-in-law, retired Colonel Asghar Ali, has also been included in the investigation.
The case is registered at the Civil Lines police station on the complaint of Hina Javed’s brother, and around 80 pieces of evidence were collected from the scene. The Sidra murder case in Rawalpindi, where an anti-terrorism court has reserved its verdict on a re-arrest plea, shows how closely such murder investigations across the country are being watched.
Why a fresh probe was ordered
Hina’s family had raised serious concerns about the direction of the investigation. On September 11, they alleged the probe was being diverted toward the domestic worker instead of focusing on the main suspect.
The family wrote to the National Commission for Human Rights, the Ministry of Law, and a parliamentary caucus committee seeking an independent investigation. Police in Punjab have since expanded FIR registration services through mobile police stations, a step officials say makes it easier for citizens to report crimes.
In their letters, the family alleged a bloodstained sheet from the scene was handed to her father-in-law instead of being taken into custody, and that chats between Hina and her sister were deleted from her phone. Courts continue to examine how police build and present evidence in such cases.
Forensic evidence will decide the case
The case will ultimately rest on scientific evidence rather than statements made in police custody. A confession before the police carries no legal value under superior court judgments, according to former deputy attorney general Sardar Muhammad Masroof.
The domestic worker changed his statement during interrogation, at one point saying he had helped the victim’s husband. The husband has denied the allegations. Investigators took DNA samples from both suspects and conducted polygraph tests, and the forensic findings under review are expected to play a decisive role when the challan is presented in court. The latest developments were reported in Dawn’s Pakistan coverage, with background on the panel reported by Voicepk.
Frequently asked questions
Who is heading the fresh investigation?
The committee is headed by Director General CCD Sohail Zafar Chattha, with DIG Lahore Shoaib Khurram and SSP Investigation Rawalpindi Saifullah as members. It was constituted by the Punjab chief minister for a fresh review of the case.
What did the post-mortem report find?
It found a fractured neck bone, rib and hip injuries, and blood around the heart membrane; the cause of death awaits full forensic analysis.
Who is in custody in the case?
Hina Javed’s husband Faisal Asghar and domestic worker Zeeshan Arshad are in Adiala Jail on judicial remand. The father-in-law has also been included in the investigation.
Why did the family demand a fresh probe?
The family alleged the probe was being shifted toward the domestic worker instead of the main suspect, and pointed to alleged evidence tampering and forensic delays.
What happens next in the Hina Javed murder probe?
The committee will analyse the forensic findings, visit the crime scene, and meet the family. Police will prepare the challan once the complete forensic reports arrive.
