The family of Hina Javed, a 45-year-old digital media executive found dead at her home in Rawalpindi, has formally asked Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz to constitute a judicial commission to investigate the case, saying it has lost confidence in the police committee examining her death.
In a letter to the chief minister, the family said it does not accept the findings of the police investigation committee and raised concerns about the handling of forensic evidence and the alleged deletion of important messages from Hina’s mobile phone.
Death and Post-Mortem Findings
Hina was found dead in the bathroom of her residence in Rawalpindi’s Lal Kurti area on August 21. A murder case was registered at Civil Lines police station on the complaint of her brother, who alleged that she had been subjected to violence before her death.
According to the post-mortem report, Hina had a fracture in her neck bone, injuries to her ribs and hip, and blood around her heart.
Police subsequently arrested her husband, Faisal Asghar, and domestic worker Zeeshan Arshad in connection with the case. Hina’s father-in-law was also named during the investigation. Zeeshan’s family later accused the police of attempting to portray him as the prime suspect.
Family Challenges Police Conclusions
The family’s letter questions why suspicion shifted toward the domestic worker before forensic reports and fingerprint findings became available. While acknowledging the domestic worker’s alleged involvement, the family maintained that evidence relating to Faisal was being overlooked.
- The family claims DNA belonging to Faisal and his father was found on Hina’s neck.
- It pointed out that Hina’s father-in-law had initially reported a theft at the house.
- Forensic reports relating to the mobile phones of Hina and the suspects are still awaited.
- The family alleges significant messages were deleted from Hina’s phone.
The letter argued that the police committee should not determine anyone’s guilt or innocence before the case is decided by a court, describing the arrangement as a potential conflict of interest since the same department is both investigating the case and drawing conclusions about it.
The family said repeated attempts to contact the chief minister directly had been unsuccessful, prompting it to raise its concerns through other forums and government representatives.
Chief Minister Pledges Justice
Maryam Nawaz said the investigation had not yet been completed and assured the family that all efforts would be made to ensure justice. She said she would meet the family personally.
The family has urged the chief minister to examine the case file and establish a judicial commission to ensure an independent investigation, and called for all suspects to be treated in accordance with the law.
