Hina Javed murder case: Court extends suspects’ remand

RAWALPINDI: A district and sessions court in Rawalpindi has extended the physical remand of two suspects arrested in connection with the murder of digital media executive Hina Javed.

The court granted police another four days to investigate Faisal Asghar, Hina’s husband, and domestic worker Zeeshan. The suspects were presented before the court on Saturday following the completion of their earlier three-day remand.

Police had requested a seven-day extension, stating that investigators needed additional time to collect important documents concerning Asghar’s divorce from his first wife and his subsequent marriage to Hina.

After hearing the prosecution’s arguments, the court approved a four-day extension and directed police to produce both suspects again on September 2.

Hina was found dead at her residence in Rawalpindi’s Lalkurti area on August 20. Her body was discovered tied to a shower in the bathroom, prompting police to launch a murder investigation.

Investigators have collected physical and forensic evidence from the crime scene. The family’s lawyer had earlier said the investigation was progressing in the right direction and that forensic examinations had been carried out.

The case took a significant turn after Zeeshan allegedly confessed to strangling Hina during a confrontation involving the victim and her husband.

According to investigators, Zeeshan said he had been called to the house during a dispute between Hina and Asghar. He claimed that Hina attempted to leave during the argument, after which he and Asghar allegedly stopped her. Zeeshan reportedly admitted that he pressed her throat when she resisted.

Police have also alleged that the domestic worker had previously stolen valuables from the household.

The circumstances surrounding the discovery of Hina’s body have also come under investigation. Police were reportedly alerted after her father-in-law claimed that intruders had entered the house. Officers who reached the residence subsequently found Hina’s body in the bathroom.

Meanwhile, the post-mortem examination revealed multiple injuries on Hina’s body. The report stated that her neck bone had been fractured, while marks of injuries were also found around her ribs and hip.

The examination further indicated blood accumulation around the heart and pericardium. Medical authorities collected DNA samples and other specimens from the body and sent them for laboratory and forensic analysis.

The initial post-mortem report could not conclusively establish the exact cause of death, with further forensic findings expected to assist investigators in determining how Hina died.