CPO, SSP issued notices in Hina Javed case

Court demands charge-sheet which has remained witheld for 86 days

RAWALPINDI:

The Rawalpindi District Prosecution Branch has taken strict notice of the police's failure to submit a charge-sheet in the murder case of 45-year-old digital designer Hina Javed, who was allegedly killed on August 20 by her husband and a domestic employee, even after a staggering 86 days.

The Branch has issued notices to the City Police Officer (CPO) and the SSP Investigation, demanding an explanation and directing the immediate submission of the charge-sheet in the high-profile murder case.

The police are required to submit a charge-sheet within 14 days under the law; however, the investigative teams have failed to do so even after two months and 26 days. The Additional District and Sessions Judge of Rawalpindi has also demanded the submission of the charge sheet.

Meanwhile, the investigating officer maintains that the case has undergone three separate inquiries, including one by the CCD (Crime Scene/Investigation unit) following the initial police investigation and another by the parliamentary committee which also held a hearing for the case. The officer stated that the charge-sheet will be submitted to the District Prosecution Branch as soon as it is finalised.

On August 20, 45-year-old Hina Javed was brutally murdered after being subjected to severe violence at her home in Rawalpindi. Her body was discovered in the bathroom of the residence. Medical and post-mortem reports indicate that her body bore extreme signs of violence and that a wire was found tied around her neck.

Several sources allege that the currently formed investigative team is working to clear the victim's husband, Dr Faisal Asghar's name. The victim's father-in-law has already been cleared of suspicion, while the police have identified a domestic worker, Zeeshan Arshad, as the primary suspect in the murder, citing his past behavioural patterns and forensic evidence. The victim's family, including her brother, have expressed deep distrust regarding the police investigation and the investigative team.

The family alleges that evidence has been tampered with in order to benefit the husband. They have demanded the formation of a judicial commission to ensure a transparent investigation into the case. According to the investigative team, the formal charge-sheet for the high-profile case is set to be submitted within the next ten days. Two of the accused, the husband, Dr Faisal Asghar, and the domestic worker, Zeeshan Arshad, are currently being held in Adiala Jail, while the third accused father-in-law was never arrested.