Television Anchor Rabiya Ahsan Found Dead at Home With Gunshot Wound as Husband Claims Accident

A Rawalpindi court extended Tahir's police custody by four days on Tuesday, 10 November, as investigators examined the shooting.

Ahsan was found at her residence in Gulshanabad, Rawalpindi. Her husband was arrested after a complaint from her brother led police to register a murder case.

Senior Civil Judge Muhammad Nasrullah Wattoo granted the extension after investigators requested a further 10 days in custody. Tahir had previously been remanded for one day on Monday.

The court ordered police to produce him again on 13 November, along with their investigation and post-mortem reports. Whether the shooting was deliberate remains under investigation.

What Police Say Happened at Rabiya Ahsan's Home

Ahsan, a presenter with 92 News, was found with a gunshot wound to the front of her neck, below her throat, according to Rawalpindi City Police Officer Hassan Mushtaq Sukhera.

Her brother, Khurram Ahmed, alleged in his police complaint that Tahir shot her inside their bedroom on Sunday afternoon.

According to the first information report (FIR), Ahsan's mother and sister were outside in the garden when they heard gunfire. Her sister rushed into the bedroom and found Ahsan lying on the floor, with Tahir standing nearby holding a pistol.

Ahmed was not present when the shooting occurred. His account forms part of the police investigation and does not establish what happened inside the bedroom.

Police recovered a .30-bore pistol and ammunition from the property. Investigators said Tahir could not produce a valid firearms licence.

Punjab Information Minister Azma Bokhari said Tahir initially described the shooting as accidental. A domestic worker also reportedly told investigators that Tahir had been handling the weapon before it discharged.

Preliminary post-mortem findings reportedly identified a fatal gunshot wound to Ahsan's lower neck. However, the complete forensic findings have not been independently verified.

Rabiya Ahsan's Family Gives Conflicting Accounts as Police Investigate

The family's position has also been disputed. Ahsan's sister told Hum News on Monday that relatives believed the shooting was accidental and were considering withdrawing the complaint.

However, Ahmed subsequently denied that the family had decided to abandon the case. He maintained that investigators needed to establish precisely what happened.

'How can we believe that our sister is no longer in this world?' Ahmed asked reporters.

Police registered the case under Section 302 of Pakistan's Penal Code and a firearms-related provision. A senior police officer said any proposed withdrawal or compromise would require consideration by a court.

Ahsan hosted the current affairs programme Muqabil and previously worked alongside journalists Amir Mateen and Rauf Klasra. She leaves behind two daughters.

Pakistan's First Lady, Aseefa Bhutto-Zardari, called for a 'thorough, impartial and transparent investigation' following Ahsan's death.

She also referred to the separate killing of digital media executive Hina Javed in Rawalpindi in August, expressing concern that the outcome of that investigation remained unresolved.

'Women must be able to live and work without fear for their lives,' the presidency's statement said.

The court's next review is scheduled for 13 November, when police are due to produce Tahir and submit the investigation and post-mortem reports. Those documents may help investigators assess the accounts given about the shooting and the available forensic evidence.

No finding on whether the death was accidental or deliberate has been reported, and the allegations against Tahir remain matters for the investigation and court process.