ISLAMABAD: Rawalpindi police have detained two people for questioning over the death of a 45-year-old woman whose body was found at a residential apartment, as investigators probe the case as a suspected murder.
Police found Hina Javed with her hands bound and a wire around her neck inside the bathroom of a second-floor flat at Askari Apartments in Rawalpindi’s Lalkurti area on Thursday morning, according to a First Information Report (FIR).
Javed’s family has accused her husband, Faisal Asghar Imam, his domestic worker Zeeshan Arshad and his father, Asghar Ali Fayyaz, of involvement in her death.
Javed married Imam in November last year.
A senior Rawalpindi police official confirmed that investigators had detained Javed’s husband and the domestic worker for questioning.
However, police have not formally arrested them yet.
Senior Superintendent of Police Pothohar Region Chaudhry Asar Ali said investigators were waiting for forensic, DNA and postmortem reports before deciding on further action.
“The two accused, Hina’s husband and the domestic worker, are in police custody for investigation,” Ali told Arab News.
He said the investigation remained at an initial stage and could take time.
Meanwhile, Javed’s family has demanded the arrest of her father-in-law, a former army officer who was present at the apartment when police found the body.
However, Ali said police could not make arrests solely on the basis of demands from a victim’s family.
“If needed, the victim’s father-in-law can be included in the investigation,” he said.
Family Demands Transparent Investigation
In a statement, Javed’s family said it trusted Pakistan’s legal and judicial system but demanded the immediate arrest of her father-in-law.
The family alleged that he could be involved in Javed’s death and called for a full investigation into his role.
It also demanded legal action against anyone who “enabled, concealed, or participated” in the crime.
“Partial accountability is no accountability,” the family said.
The family also urged Punjab Police and other authorities to conduct the investigation transparently and without pressure or delay.
“Violence against women in our homes is not a private matter,” the family said. “It is a crime, and it must be treated as one.”
Woman Found Dead in Bathroom
The case came to light after Javed’s father-in-law called her brother, Fahad Javed Malik, on Thursday morning and told him about an emergency.
Malik and other relatives rushed to the apartment, where they found Javed dead in the bathroom.
According to the police complaint, Malik told investigators that Javed’s hands were tied behind her back with cloth.
He also said her mouth was gagged and a wire was tied around her neck and attached to the bathroom shower.
Malik further told police that foam and blood were coming from her mouth.
Speaking to Arab News, Malik said his sister had complained of repeated abuse before her death.
He said the couple had faced domestic problems since their marriage.
Malik added that Javed worked for a semi-government organisation, while her husband had been unemployed at times.
The investigation remains ongoing, and police are awaiting forensic, DNA and postmortem findings before determining further legal action.
Violence against women remains a major concern in Pakistan and affects households across social and economic backgrounds.
One of the country’s most prominent recent cases involved the 2021 murder of Noor Mukadam, the daughter of a former Pakistani diplomat, at a residence in Islamabad.
The Supreme Court upheld the death sentence of her killer, Zahir Jaffer, in 2025 and rejected his review petition in June 2026.
