First Lady Aseefa Bhutto Zardari has called on the Punjab government to ensure a transparent and comprehensive investigation into the murder of Hina Javed in Rawalpindi.
Hina was found dead in the bathroom of her apartment in Askari Apartments, Lal Kurti, on Thursday evening. Police said her body showed signs of torture, with a wire found around her neck and tied to the shower rod. Her husband and a domestic servant have been detained in connection with the case.
In a statement posted on X, the President’s Office said Aseefa expressed deep concern over Hina’s reported murder and conveyed condolences and solidarity to her family.
She urged the provincial government to thoroughly investigate the incident and ensure that those responsible are brought to justice. Aseefa also expressed concern over increasing violence against women and called for stronger measures to protect women and prevent such crimes.
PPP MNA Naz Baloch also condemned the killing and demanded a transparent and impartial investigation, saying those found guilty must be punished according to law.
The National Assembly’s Women’s Parliamentary Caucus (WPC) also expressed grief over Hina’s death and called for a comprehensive investigation into the circumstances surrounding the incident.
The caucus said investigators should examine the role of everyone present at the time of the incident and any other individuals linked to the case. It stressed that violence against women was unacceptable and called for stronger enforcement of laws and greater institutional accountability.
The case
A first information report was registered on August 20 at Civil Lines police station under Sections 302 and 34 of the Pakistan Penal Code.
Hina’s brother, Fahid Javed, alleged that his sister was murdered by her husband, father-in-law and domestic servant. According to the FIR, Fahid received a call from Hina’s father-in-law at around 6:53pm on Thursday informing him of an emergency.
He reached the apartment with family members around 7:23pm and said he found Hina’s body in the bathroom. He alleged that she had faced severe torture and mistreatment and may have been given a poisonous substance before her death.
An initial postmortem found a strangulation mark around her neck, an injury below her right lip and bleeding.
Police said Hina’s husband and domestic servant had been detained on murder charges, while her father-in-law was being questioned.
