RAWALPINDI: The Punjab government has declared the Hina Javed murder case, registered at Civil Lines Police Station, a “high-profile case” and constituted a special committee of senior prosecutors to oversee its investigation and prosecution.
Punjab Prosecutor General Irfan Sadiq Tarar has directed Rawalpindi District Public Prosecutor Mian Imran Rahim to ensure effective prosecution of the case.
Hina Javed’s body was found in the bathroom of her apartment in Rawalpindi’s Lal Kurti area on August 20.
Following the directives, the district prosecutor held a special meeting at his office with SP Potohar Asar Ali, DSP Muhammad Shakeel and Civil Lines SHO Asif Sajjad to review progress in the investigation and prosecution of the murder case.
Deputy District Public Prosecutor Rawalpindi Rehman Shaukat Bhatti also attended the meeting.
Mian Imran Rahim reviewed the available case record, progress in the investigation and evidence collected so far.
The investigation officers were issued directions to make the probe more effective, comprehensive and scientifically sound. A line of inquiry was also issued, requiring investigators to examine all possible aspects of the evidence so that no significant evidence or investigative angle was overlooked.
On the instructions of the Punjab prosecutor general, the special committee comprising senior prosecutors will continuously monitor progress in the case and provide legal assistance to the investigation team.
Earlier, a Rawalpindi court extended the physical remand of two suspects in connection with the alleged murder of Hina Javed.
Police presented Faisal Asghar Imam, Hina’s husband, and domestic worker Zeeshan before the court after the expiry of their previously granted three-day physical remand and sought further custody to advance the investigation. The court approved the request and extended their physical remand for another three days.
Police earlier said Hina was found dead in the bathroom of her apartment at Askari Apartments, Lal Kurti, within the jurisdiction of Civil Lines Police Station on August 20.
According to police, her hands were tied behind her back and a wire was fastened around her neck and attached to the bathroom shower. Her body also bore signs of torture, including an injury below her right lip and bleeding from her nose.
A murder case was registered on the complaint of Hina’s brother Fahad Javed under Sections 302 and 34 of the Pakistan Penal Code.
The FIR named her husband, father-in-law and domestic worker as suspects, although police have said the role of the father-in-law remains under investigation.
Police have formed a seven-member investigation team headed by SSP Investigation Saifullah to probe the case from multiple angles.
Investigators said domestic worker Zeeshan gave conflicting accounts during interrogation.
In one account, he allegedly claimed that Hina was killed as part of a plan involving her husband. He later allegedly claimed responsibility before giving another account in which he said he had been called to intervene during a quarrel between Hina and Faisal.
According to the latest police account, Zeeshan told investigators that Hina tried to flee during an altercation with her husband but was caught by him and her husband. He allegedly said he then strangled her after she resisted.
Police said they were investigating the conflicting statements and other possible motives, including allegations of theft from the household.
Regional Police Officer Babar Sarfraz Alpa earlier ruled out suicide, saying the available evidence indicated that Hina had been murdered.
He said the investigation was still at an early stage and that action would be taken against anyone found to have played a role in the killing.
The post-mortem examination of 45-year-old Hina Javed revealed that her neck bone was fractured and that she had injuries to her ribs.
The examination was conducted by Dr Maria Khalid around 12 hours after her death. According to the report, blood had accumulated around Hina’s heart.
The post-mortem findings recorded multiple injuries to the body, including a fractured neck bone and injuries to the ribs and hip area. Blood was also found in the pericardium around the heart.
The forensic examination is expected to help investigators establish the precise cause and manner of death and determine whether the injuries were sustained before the alleged strangulation.
Police have also taken mobile phones belonging to Hina and members of the household into custody and decided to conduct DNA tests on the suspects.
In the FIR, Hina’s brother alleged that she had been subjected to physical and psychological abuse by her husband and had suffered severe violence before her death.
Hina, who worked as a digital media executive at the Aiwan-i-Sadr, had married Faisal in November 2025.
Her father-in-law, a 78-year-old man, has been questioned as part of the investigation but has not been arrested. Police have directed him not to leave the city while the probe continues.
Speaking to reporters after Wednesday’s proceedings, Advocate Shah Khawar, representing Hina’s family, said the investigation was moving in the right direction.
He said police had collected evidence and conducted forensic examinations, expressing confidence that the investigation would establish the facts surrounding Hina’s death.
The extension of the suspects’ physical remand will provide investigators additional time to examine forensic evidence, reconcile conflicting statements and determine the role, if any, of other individuals in the case.
Earlier, First Lady Aseefa Bhutto-Zardari called on the Punjab government to ensure a thorough investigation and bring those responsible to justice, while expressing concern over the reported rise in violence against women.
