What happened
The post-mortem report on Hina Javed, a woman found dead in her apartment in Rawalpindi’s Lalkurti area, showed injuries to several parts of her body, including a fractured neck bone and marks on her ribs and hip, according to the findings reported on Monday.
The report also showed that the pericardium and the heart were filled with blood. It said the cause of death could not initially be determined clearly. The post-mortem was conducted by Dr Maria Khalid 12 hours after the death, according to the report.
Javed’s body was found in the bathroom of her home in the jurisdiction of the Civil Lines police station. Police have said the body bore signs of torture, with a wire fastened around her neck and tied to the shower rod and her hands bound behind her back.
A duty magistrate had sent her husband, Faisal Asghar, and his employee, Zeeshan, to police custody on a three-day physical remand the previous day. An investigation officer told the court that a rope and wire allegedly used in the murder had been recovered from the suspects.
The calls for an inquiry
The case drew condemnation from the country’s first lady and members of Parliament. First Lady Aseefa Bhutto-Zardari called on the Punjab provincial government to carry out what her office described as a thorough investigation. In a post on the social platform X, the President’s Office said she had conveyed condolences to Javed’s family, expressed solidarity with them, and called the killing “brutal”, demanding accountability. She said those found responsible should be brought to justice in a manner that would deter similar acts, and raised broader concern about what she characterised as a rise in violence against women in Pakistan.
Naz Baloch, a member of the National Assembly from the Pakistan Peoples Party, described the death as more than a private tragedy and called for a transparent and impartial investigation. The Women’s Parliamentary Caucus of the National Assembly issued a separate statement expressing grief and calling for a full and impartial investigation to ensure accountability for everyone connected to the case, not only those already in custody. The caucus’s secretary, Shahida Rehmani, said the case raised serious questions about the safety of women within their own homes.
Why it matters
The case has renewed public attention on violence against women in Pakistan, including in households that are not poor or marginalised. It has also placed scrutiny on how quickly and transparently the police and provincial authorities handle a high-profile killing, at a moment when the first lady and a parliamentary caucus have both demanded that the investigation be seen to be thorough.
What remains uncertain
The role of Javed’s father-in-law is still under scrutiny; police have said he has not been formally charged and is being questioned. A definitive cause of death depends on forensic findings from the Punjab Forensic Science Agency that were still pending. The competing accounts given by the suspects mean the sequence of events has not been independently established.
Sources & reporting notes
This is a summary of published reporting, not independent reporting. Details and quoted remarks are as carried by the cited sources, which were reviewed on 24 August 2026.
- Geo News — "Hina Javed case: Post-mortem report reveals multiple injuries on victim's body"24 August 2026 · The post-mortem findings, the injuries recorded, and the physical remand of the suspects.
- Independent Pakistan — "Police widen inquiry into Rawalpindi woman's death as husband, servant remain in custody"24 August 2026 · The first lady's statement, the parliamentary reaction, and the status of the father-in-law.
