Rabia Ahsan Case: Husband Gets Four-Day Remand

A Rawalpindi court has handed Ahsan Tahir, the husband of slain 92 News anchorperson Rabia Ahsan, to police for four more days as investigators prepare a polygraph test in Lahore to check his account of the shooting at the centre of the Rabia Ahsan case.

Senior Civil Judge Muhammad Nasrullah Wattoo gave the suspect to Saddar Beruni police for further investigation. He directed police to produce him before the court on November 13 with a detailed investigation report and the post-mortem report.

The Express Tribune reported that police had sought a seven-day remand. The court granted four days instead.

What the husband told police

Police told the court that the suspect’s statement had been recorded under Section 161 of the Code of Criminal Procedure. In it, he admitted that the shooting had happened but said it was accidental rather than deliberate.

According to police sources, Ahsan said he and Rabia were taking winter clothes for their children and themselves from a cupboard at their home in Gulshanabad on Adiala Road on Sunday when a pistol fell from the clothes and went off by accident.

He said he felt deep remorse, denied any plan or conspiracy to kill his wife, and said his daughters were at home and could support his account. He also handed the pistol to police himself.

What the complainant says

Rabia’s brother, Khurram Ahmed, who is the complainant in the case, has accused Ahsan of shooting his sister. The first information report says Rabia’s sister rushed into the room after hearing a gunshot and found her lying on the floor while Ahsan was holding a pistol.

Khurram Ahmed has also dismissed reports that the family plans to withdraw the case, saying no such decision has been taken.

The polygraph test and forensic checks

Police told the court the polygraph test would be carried out at a forensic laboratory in Lahore. They also want forensic tests to establish whether the bullet was fired from the pistol recovered from the suspect.

A polygraph test records changes in heart rate, blood pressure, breathing and sweating, but it cannot on its own prove whether a statement is true or false. Police said the findings would go into the investigation report.

Preliminary post-mortem findings confirmed that Rabia had a single gunshot wound below the neck, with the bullet leaving through her back. No signs of physical violence were found on her body. Samples from the post-mortem have been sent to the forensic laboratory in Lahore, and the pistol and a bullet casing have been sent for tests to determine whether the recovered weapon was used in the shooting.

Police sources also said a 15-year-old domestic worker, hired about two weeks before the incident, had been sent back to his home. Investigators have so far found no evidence that the shooting was linked to so-called honour.

The Rabia Ahsan case so far

Feature Pakistan reported the death of Rabia Ahsan in Rawalpindi, and her husband was first given one day in police custody. The four-day remand extends that custody while police run the polygraph and forensic tests.

The case is being heard in Rawalpindi, where courts acquitted most accused over the past 10 months. The next hearing is on November 13, when police must present their investigation report and the post-mortem findings. Until the forensic results come back, the case rests on two conflicting accounts: the husband’s claim of an accident, and the family’s allegation that he shot her.

Frequently asked questions

How long is the new remand?

Four days. Police had asked for seven days, and the court granted four.

What is a polygraph test?

A test that records changes in heart rate, blood pressure, breathing and sweating while a person answers questions. It cannot on its own prove whether a statement is true or false.

What does the husband say happened?

He says a pistol fell from a cupboard while he and Rabia were taking out winter clothes, and it went off by accident. He denies any plan to kill her.

What does the family say?

Rabia’s brother Khurram Ahmed, the complainant, has accused Ahsan of shooting his sister. He says the family has not decided to withdraw the case.

When is the next hearing?

November 13, when police must present a detailed investigation report and the post-mortem report.