Pakistani TV anchor Rabia Ahsan was shot dead at her Rawalpindi residence on Sunday afternoon. Her husband, Ahsan Tahir, is in police custody after Rabia’s family accused him of shooting her. The case was registered on the complaint of her brother, Khurram Ahmed.
The shooting happened around 3pm at their house in Gulshanabad, near Adiala Road. The FIR gives an account of what happened shortly after the gunshot was heard. Rabia’s sister, Alwina, went towards the bedroom and found her lying on the floor. Ahsan was allegedly standing nearby with a pistol. Their mother was also present at the house.
Khurram Ahmed, who was travelling from Islamabad to visit his sister, was informed about the incident over the phone. He later reached the residence and reported the matter to the police. The FIR was registered at Sadar Bairuni Police Station under Section 302 of the Pakistan Penal Code and the relevant provisions of the Punjab Arms Amendment Ordinance.
Police arrested Ahsan and recovered a 30-bore pistol from the house. He reportedly told investigators that the weapon had gone off accidentally while he was handling it. This is the account he gave during initial questioning; the family’s complaint, on the other hand, directly accuses him of killing Rabia.
Forensic teams visited the house and collected evidence from the bedroom. Rawalpindi CPO Hassan Mushtaq Sukhera also visited the scene with other senior officers. Rabia was taken to Benazir Bhutto Hospital, where a post-mortem examination was conducted. Initial reports mentioned two gunshot injuries, one near the front of her neck and another on her back. Police have also questioned a domestic worker who was employed at the house.
Rabia was 41 and worked as an anchorperson at 92 News. She had previously co-hosted a current affairs programme with Amir Mateen and Rauf Klasra, making her a familiar face to audiences who followed political and current affairs programmes.
She leaves behind two daughters, aged 13 and 11. According to the reports, the girls were at home when the shooting took place, sitting in the lawn with their maternal grandmother. Ahsan has been identified as a Grade-18 officer associated with the Overseas Pakistanis Foundation.
The news has also brought reactions from politicians and journalists. First Lady Aseefa Bhutto-Zardari called for an impartial investigation and expressed concern over violence against women. She also mentioned the killing of digital media executive Hina Javed in Rawalpindi in August. Senator Sherry Rehman condemned Rabia’s killing, while former colleagues Absa Komal and Rauf Klasra shared messages remembering her.
Police have not disclosed what led to the shooting. Ahsan’s account of an accidental discharge and the allegations made by Rabia’s family remain central to the case.
Sources: DAWN News, and The Express Tribune.