The Punjab government has established a high-powered committee to conduct a comprehensive review of the investigation into the murder of Hina Javed. This move comes as the case approaches its next court hearing scheduled for September 30, with the victim’s family raising concerns about potential tampering with evidence.
Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz Sharif has tasked the committee’s leadership to DG Counter-Terrorism Department Sohail Zafar Chattha. The panel also includes Lahore DIG Shoaib Khurram and Rawalpindi SSP Investigation Saifullah, who led the original seven-member police team investigating the case.
In a significant development, the committee plans to visit Rawalpindi this week to inspect the crime scene and thoroughly assess the investigation conducted so far. Contact has also been made with Hina Javed’s family. Meanwhile, Rawalpindi police have received forensic reports on samples collected during the investigation, including the final post-mortem findings.
Hina Javed, aged 45, was discovered dead on August 20 inside the bathroom of her apartment in Rawalpindi’s Askari Apartments. Police noted that her body showed signs of torture and had a wire around the neck, with the body partially hanging from a shower rod.
Her brother, Fahad Javed, filed an FIR at Civil Lines police station under Sections 302 and 34 of the Pakistan Penal Code, accusing Hina’s husband Faisal Asghar, her father-in-law, and their domestic worker Zeeshan Arshad of murder. An initial post-mortem identified strangulation marks around her neck, an injury beneath her right lip, and bleeding. Samples were forwarded to the Punjab Forensic Science Agency for further analysis.
Following these developments, on August 23, a Rawalpindi duty magistrate granted police a three-day physical remand of Asghar and Zeeshan, which was extended for an additional three days on August 26. During the investigation, the suspects were taken to Lahore for DNA and polygraph tests. Police alleged that evidence suggested Hina’s body had been dragged into the bathroom and her neck tied with wire to stage the death as a suicide.
Shah Khawar, representing Hina’s family, stated that investigators were making progress, having collected evidence and conducted forensic examinations. He highlighted findings of a broken hyoid bone and indications of torture.
On September 3, police informed the court that further physical custody of the suspects was unnecessary, leading to their transfer to Adiala Jail on judicial remand. Police maintain that Asghar killed Hina with Zeeshan’s assistance; sources indicate Zeeshan admitted during interrogation to strangling Hina during an altercation and that the suspects restrained her when she tried to escape. These claims remain under investigation and have not been confirmed by the court.
The investigation later faced criticism from Hina’s family. In a letter dated September 10, Fahad Javed petitioned the National Commission for Human Rights, alleging partiality in the probe. The family also raised concerns with the parliamentary caucus committee, claiming evidence tampering and an attempt to shift blame from Hina’s husband to the domestic worker. They further accused the husband’s brother of interfering with the investigation and influencing evidence handling. The family requested the NCHR to obtain the full case record, review the investigation, and ensure a fair and transparent process free from external interference. These remain allegations and have not been substantiated by any court.
Meanwhile, the most recent hearing on September 21 was postponed until September 30 due to uncertainty over which lawyer would represent Zeeshan. Additional Sessions Judge Naseer Ahmed instructed the jail administration to confirm Zeeshan’s choice between two lawyers who had submitted powers of attorney: Advocate Junaid Hassan and Hamza Abbasi. At the same hearing, Shah Khawar, counsel for complainant Fahad Javed, submitted his vakalatnama before the court.
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