November 14, 2026
By Hashir Ahsan
ISLAMABAD
The main suspect in the murder case of senior anchorperson Rabia Ahsan has been given four more days in physical remand, by the approval of the court on Saturday, November 14.
Police produced the suspect in the court of Judicial Magistrate Nasrullah Wattoo and also submitted the latest investigation report.
During the hearing, the police had requested an additional seven-day physical remand for the suspect’s polygraphic test; however, the court approved a four-day remand.
Suspect Ahsan Tahir, who is also the husband of the deceased, expressed his consent for the polygraphic test, and according to sources, the suspect’s polygraphic test will take place in Lahore on Monday next week. He has also recorded a detailed statement during the interrogation regarding his married life and alleged disputes.
Police sources say that no domestic quarrel has been confirmed in the investigation so far, while the suspect has also strongly denied the claims circulating on social media which stated that relations between the husband and wife had been strained for a long time. The police say they are examining all angles in the case, including the allegations and speculations spreading on social media.
A technical analysis of the husband and wife’s mobile phones has been conducted, in which no evidence of any persistent mutual resentment or continuous tension between the two has been found.
However, police sources have confirmed that an argument had indeed taken place between the husband and wife over a matter concerning the beauty salon which Rabia owned. The suspect recorded his statement regarding this as well and said that the matter had been resolved.
Suspect Ahsan told the investigators that he and Rabia had a free will marriage in 2010 and both initially worked together at a private bank. According to the suspect’s statement, after the bank job, he started working at a mobile network company, whereas Rabia got a job at the British High Commission. The suspect said that during the Corona pandemic, Rabia had decided to open her own beauty salon, and he also supported his wife in its business affairs.
Explaining the salon dispute, suspect Ahsan claimed that temporary resentment arose between the husband and wife due to a mutual dispute between two female employees of the salon. According to the suspect, one female employee had leveled a false allegation of having an ‘affair’ with Ahsan ‘in order to get the other female employee fired from the job’. Ahsan claimed during the investigation that he had completely denied this allegation in front of Rabia, and after reassuring his wife, there had been no further resentment between them.
In his statement, the suspect further claimed that apart from this incident, there had been no major dispute in their 16-year married life, and he used to go to the gym with Rabia every evening to play badminton. The suspect described the deceased as a hardworking professional woman who made her mark through her own hard work.
According to police officials, all evidence, including the suspect’s statements and mobile phone data, is being examined under forensic and legal requirements so that the investigation of the case can be finalized.
Hina Javed murder case
Meanwhile, the Regional Ombudsman Punjab has taken notice of a complaint against the Rawalpindi Police in the Hina Javed murder case.
Following Hina’s family approaching the Regional Ombudsman Punjab to obtain forensic reports, the Regional Ombudsman issued a notice to the CPO Rawalpindi, ordering him to appear along with the record. The Ombudsman issued this notice under Section 10(4) of the Punjab Ombudsman Act 1997, to which the complaint and its related documents have also been attached.
According to the notice, the hearing is scheduled for November 23, 2026, at 10:00 AM, and the Ombudsman Punjab has summoned CPO Hassan Mushtaq Sukhera along with a reply on November 23 at 10:00 AM. In this regard, the CPO Rawalpindi has been directed to submit a reply to the complaint and present the relevant record through a responsible officer.