April 10, 2025
By Iqra Manzoor
LAHORE
In a gruesome and shocking incident, the body of a woman police constable was found hanging from a cieling fan hook, inside her residential quarters at the Mirpurkhas Prison, on Wednesday. While authorities have sent the body to the Civil Hospital Hyderabad for a post-mortem examination, the family of the constable has alleged that it is murder. As investigations develop, the results remain pending.
However according to initial police statements, the deceased constable, Mehwish Jarwar, had joined the force two years ago and at the time of her death, she was found wearing her uniform. SHO of the Women’s Police Station, Moomal Laghari, told Voicepk that preliminary inspection has revealed no external marks of violence aside from the ligature mark around her neck.
“The body was hanging from the ceiling hook where a fan is usually fixed, but no fan was present,” she clarified.
Family rejects suicide possibility
Meanwhile the mother of the police constable’s mother has rejected the possibility of suicide, alleging that her daughter was murdered. Speaking to the media, she said she was called by fellow lady constables and rushed to her daughter’s residence. “When I arrived, she had already lost her life. Her face had turned blue. I tried to revive her by pouring water on her, but there was no breath,” she recalled with anguish.
She accused a fellow police constable, Yousaf, of blackmailing her daughter, claiming that her daughter’s husband was aware of the threats but took no action. “My daughter was murdered by her husband Yousaf,” she alleged.
SHO Laghari confirmed that the husband has been taken into custody as a suspect, and efforts are underway to locate Constable Yousaf for questioning. Despite the serious allegations, an FIR (First Information Report) has not yet been registered.
Police also acknowledged receiving a prior complaint related to ongoing domestic conflict between the couple, who have a young daughter.
Authorities are currently awaiting the post-mortem report to determine the exact cause of death, which will play a critical role in the direction of the investigation.
Gender-Based Violence and the systemic silence
Pakistan continues to witness an alarming rise in gender-based violence, cutting across provinces, professions, and socioeconomic backgrounds. Whether homemakers or working women, no demographic remains untouched by the epidemic of violence against women.
The case of the Mirpurkhas female constable—whether a suicide or a murder—raises grave questions about the systemic failures to protect women, even those serving within powerful institutions such as the police force. That a mother of a three-year-old daughter, a uniformed officer tasked with upholding the law, could lose her life in such circumstances highlights the deep-rooted vulnerability women face—both within and outside their homes.
If this was indeed a suicide, critical questions must be asked: what pressures and threats drove a young woman to such a tragic end? And if it was a murder, what action will the state take to deliver justice for such a heinous crime?
As the investigation unfolds, the case stands as yet another stark reminder that justice for women in Pakistan remains elusive—and that accountability must be more than a promise.