Pakistani television anchor and programme host Rabia Ahsan, 41, was shot dead at her residence in Rawalpindi, with police taking her husband into custody and launching a murder investigation, officials said on Monday.
Ahsan was found dead in the bedroom of her house in the Gulshanabad area on Sunday afternoon. Her husband, identified as Ahsan Tahir, was detained after a complaint was filed by the journalist's brother.
In the latest development, a Rawalpindi court on Monday granted police one-day physical remand of the suspect, allowing investigators to question him about the circumstances surrounding the shooting.
Area Magistrate Talat Waheed directed police to produce him before the court again on Tuesday.
City Police Officer Hassan Mushtaq Sukhera said police had recovered the suspected weapon and initiated an investigation to establish how the shooting occurred.
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According to the First Information Report (FIR), Ahsan was shot in her bedroom around 3 pm on Sunday while family members were present at the residence.
Her mother and sister, Alwina, were reportedly in the lawn when they heard a gunshot.
Alwina rushed towards the bedroom and found Ahsan lying on the floor in a pool of blood, with her husband allegedly holding a pistol.
The journalist's brother, Khurram Ahmed, subsequently lodged a complaint with police, alleging that her husband was responsible for the killing.
Police registered a case at Saddar Beruni police station under Section 302 of the Pakistan Penal Code, which deals with murder, and relevant provisions of the Punjab Arms Amendment Ordinance, 2015.
Investigators said the victim had sustained gunshot wounds below her neck and on the right side of her back.
Her body was shifted to a hospital for a postmortem examination as forensic teams began collecting evidence from the residence.
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Police said a male domestic worker at the residence informed investigators that Ahsan's husband had claimed the gunshot was fired accidentally.
According to local media reports, the suspect maintained that the firearm had discharged unintentionally.
However, investigators are examining the claim alongside forensic evidence and statements recorded from people present at the house.
Police also said the suspect could not produce a valid licence or permit for the firearm during initial questioning.
A .30-bore pistol and ammunition were recovered from the crime scene by forensic personnel.
Senior police officials, including the city police officer and officers from the operations and investigation wings, visited the residence to supervise the collection of evidence.
Authorities have not announced a definitive motive for the killing, and the circumstances surrounding the shooting remain under investigation.
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On Monday, police produced Ahsan's husband before a local magistrate and sought his physical remand for further interrogation.
The court approved one day of custody, directing investigators to produce him again on Tuesday.
The remand allows police to question the suspect and examine evidence relating to the alleged offence.
Ahsan's husband, who reportedly works as a deputy director at the Overseas Pakistanis Foundation, remains the principal suspect in the case.
Police have said the investigation will be conducted on merit and that the available evidence will be examined to establish the circumstances of the journalist's death.
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Pakistan's First Lady Aseefa Bhutto-Zardari expressed grief over Ahsan's death and called for a thorough, impartial and transparent investigation.
She condemned the killing and urged authorities to ensure that those responsible were held accountable.
The First Lady also referred to the killing of Hina Javed, a 45-year-old digital media executive who was found dead at her Rawalpindi residence in August.
She expressed concern over incidents involving the deaths of professional women and stressed the need to ensure their safety.
Aseefa said the outcome of the investigation into Javed's death was still awaited and called for greater accountability in such cases.
Senator Sherry Rehman also condemned Ahsan's killing, emphasising that women should be able to live safely, including within their own homes.
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Ahsan, a mother of two daughters, was a television anchor and programme host associated with Pakistan's private broadcasting industry.
She had reportedly worked with 92 News and previously co-hosted a current affairs programme alongside senior journalists Amir Mateen and Rauf Klasra.
Her death prompted an outpouring of grief from colleagues, journalists and public figures, many of whom demanded a transparent investigation.
The case has also renewed concerns about violence against women in Pakistan, particularly following the deaths of other professional women in recent months.
Police said forensic examination and further questioning would continue as investigators worked to establish the sequence of events leading to the shooting.