Hina Javed’s autopsy reveals brutal torture

RAWALPINDI:

Investigators probing the high-profile murder of Hina Javed gathered additional photographs allegedly showing brutal torture before her death. The initial post-mortem report also revealed serious injuries to the victim’s body.

Hina, a 45-year-old digital designer, was allegedly tortured and murdered at a residence in Rawalpindi's Lalkurti on August 20.

According to the autopsy report, Hina’s neck was broken, and a deep, 27-centimetre-long wound was found on the back of her head. Multiple marks of violence and bruising were also found on her face, neck, arms and hands. The report further stated that her lips were torn and both arms bore visible signs of violence. Her elbows were allegedly pierced with a screwdriver.

The report also recorded blood in her lungs and an accumulation of blood in the pericardium, the membrane surrounding the heart. The broken neck and unusually long wound on the back of her head have raised further questions about the severity of the alleged torture before her death.

Hina was allegedly murdered on August 20 in Rawalpindi after being subjected to violence at her in-laws’ home. It was also alleged that her body was subsequently hung in a bathroom from a shower fitting.

Her husband, Faisal Asghar, and domestic worker Zeeshan Arshad, both nominated in the murder case registered at the Civil Lines Police Station, remain in Adiala jail on judicial remand.

Meanwhile, the victim’s family has expressed a lack of confidence in the police investigation and demanded the formation of a judicial commission to ensure an impartial inquiry into the murder.

Read: Hina Javed's family rejects CCD probe

The case has also reached Parliament’s Standing Committee on Interior, which has included it in the formal agenda of its October 29 meeting and sought a briefing from senior Punjab police officials on the investigation and progress made so far.

The committee has summoned Punjab Inspector General of Police and Crime Control Department (CCD) Additional Inspector General Sohail Zafar Chattha. Rawalpindi Regional Police Officer Babar Sarfraz Alpa and Senior Superintendent of Police (Operations) Malik Tariq Mehboob have also been asked to brief the committee on the case.

The parliamentary committee has invited Hina’s family to attend the October 29 meeting, where they can present their concerns and position on the investigation.

In view of the latest medical findings, the family’s reservations about the investigation and the case’s referral to the parliamentary committee, the October 29 meeting has assumed considerable significance, sources said.

Case developments

Hina was allegedly killed by her husband in connivance with his father and an employee. A preliminary post-mortem report found a fracture to a neck bone and injuries to Hina's ribs and hip. Samples, including those required for DNA analysis, were sent to a forensic laboratory.

Police said the precise cause of death remained unestablished until the issuance of complete post-mortem and forensic reports.

A special investigation team took Asghar and Arshad to Lahore under tight security on August 25. Their samples were submitted to the Punjab Forensic Science Agency for DNA and polygraph examinations.

Meanwhile, police sources drew attention to old YouTube lectures by Asghar, who reportedly taught corporate communication at several universities. In one lecture, he asked a student why a husband might shoot his wife and discussed hypothetical scenarios involving marital relationships, infidelity and financial motives.

According to police sources, domestic worker Arshad gave three different statements from the time he was taken into custody until the formal investigation. In his first statement, Arshad claimed that Hina was killed according to a plan in collaboration with Asghar.

Read More: Hina Javed murder: Domestic worker confesses to crime, police say

In his second statement, he claimed responsibility for the murder. However, during the formal police investigation, Arshad allegedly recorded a third statement, saying he had been called during a quarrel between the husband and wife.

According to police sources, Arshad also revealed that Hina resisted and tried to run away to save her life, after which both men caught her. During her resistance, she was allegedly strangled.

According to police sources, the investigation into Hina's murder was not limited to her husband and domestic worker, and inquiries were being conducted from various angles. Police were also examining whether domestic worker Arshad killed Hina after she allegedly saw him stealing money or other items from the house.

According to sources, Arshad used to sleep in a portion of the house occupied by Hina and other family members. He had also been accused of stealing Hina's purse, cash and other items from the house.

Police were investigating whether Arshad killed Hina out of fear that his alleged theft would be discovered. However, according to police sources, another question being examined was whether, if only one person was involved in the murder, he could have moved the body alone to the bathroom and hung it from the shower.

On September 1, the investigation team recovered the alleged murder weapon, a screwdriver, from the possession of suspect and employee Arshad during a 10-day inquiry.

The team also recovered the nikahnamas of both wives of the main suspect along with the divorce deed of his first wife, Iram Zaib.

On September 3, Civil Judge Adil Sarwar Sial sent Asghar and Arshad to Adiala Jail on a 14-day judicial remand in the murder case.

Also Read: Hina Javed murder probe expands

The court ordered that the challan be completed within two weeks and both suspects, along with the challan, be produced before the court on September 16.

On September 6, Arshad, who remained in police custody on a 10-day physical remand, was sent on judicial remand.

Sources said the special investigation team had started recording separate statements of police officers, personnel and others.

On September 11, Arshad filed a bail application before an Islamabad sessions court on Thursday, declaring himself innocent.

In his bail petition, the suspect denied involvement in the murder and contended that the allegations levelled against him in the FIR were completely false and that he had nothing to do with the incident.

He said that he was mentally incapable of committing such a serious crime and requested that he be granted bail.

On September 30, the Punjab government constituted a high-powered committee to review the investigation into Hina's murder case.

On October 1, Additional District and Sessions Judge Naseer Ahmed dismissed both bail applications of accused Arshad and extended the judicial remand of both accused until October 14.

On October 10, a high-level investigation team launched a fresh probe into Hina's murder, visiting the crime scene in Lalkurti and reviewing key evidence, including the victim's DNA report.

On October 17, Hina's family expressed complete distrust in both the CCD and the local police and decided to file a private complaint, also described as a judicial FIR, before a local magistrate next week.

On October 19, Arshad's father alleged that his son was forced at gunpoint to restrain the victim and was subsequently tortured in custody to make him confess to the crime.