Rabia's husband sent for polygraph test

Court grants four-day physical remand of accused who admits shooting, denies intent

RAWALPINDI:

A court on Tuesday granted a four-day physical remand of Ahsan Tahir, husband of slain anchorperson and journalist Rabia Ahsan, as police decided to conduct his polygraph test in Lahore to verify his account of the fatal shooting.

Senior Civil Judge Muhammad Nasrullah Wattoo handed over the suspect to Saddar Beruni police for further investigation and directed them to produce him before the court on November 13 along with a detailed investigation report and the post-mortem report.

Police officials told the court that the suspect's statement had been recorded under Section 161 of the Code of Criminal Procedure (CrPC), in which he admitted that the shooting had occurred but claimed it was accidental rather than intentional.

According to police sources, Ahsan told investigators that he and Rabia were taking out winter clothes for their children and themselves from a cupboard at their Gulshanabad home on Adiala Road on Sunday when a pistol fell out of the clothes and discharged accidentally.

He reportedly expressed deep remorse over the incident and maintained that there had been no premeditation or conspiracy to kill his wife. He also claimed that his daughters were present at home and could corroborate his account. The suspect also voluntarily handed over the pistol to police.

However, Rabia's brother and complainant in the case, Khurram Ahmed, has accused Ahsan of shooting his sister. According to the FIR, Rabia's sister rushed into the room after hearing a gunshot and found her lying on the floor, while Ahsan was holding a pistol.

During Tuesday's hearing, police sought a seven-day physical remand, telling the court that the suspect's polygraph test would be conducted at a forensic laboratory in Lahore. Investigators also want to establish through forensic examination whether the bullet was fired from the pistol recovered from the suspect.

The court granted a four-day remand instead. Police said the polygraph examination would help assess the suspect's account, while its findings would be included in the investigation report. A polygraph test records physiological responses, including changes in heart rate, blood pressure, breathing and sweating, but cannot independently establish whether a statement is true or false.

Meanwhile, preliminary post-mortem findings confirmed that Rabia had sustained a single gunshot wound below the neck, with the bullet exiting through her back. No signs of physical violence were found on her body.

Samples collected during the post-mortem examination have been sent to the forensic laboratory in Lahore. The pistol and bullet casing have also been forwarded for forensic analysis to determine whether the recovered weapon was used in the shooting.

Khurram Ahmed has also dismissed reports that the family intends to withdraw the murder case, maintaining that no such decision has been taken.

Police sources further said that a 15-year-old domestic worker, who had been hired around two weeks before the incident, had been sent back to his home. Investigators have so far found no evidence suggesting that the killing was motivated by so-called honour.