Police in Rawalpindi said the polygraph test of Ahsan, the husband of news anchor Rabia Ahsan, has been completed in connection with her murder case. The test was held at the Punjab Forensic Science Laboratory and lasted more than two hours. Police said the report is expected within a few days and will help investigators judge whether his statements are authentic.
What the polygraph test covered
A polygraph, often called a lie-detector test, records physical changes such as heartbeat and blood pressure while a person answers questions. Police said Ahsan was asked about several matters linked to the incident, including whether a pistol had been kept in a cupboard and the firing itself. His heartbeat, blood pressure and other physical responses were monitored throughout the questioning.
Police have not yet said what the report shows. Until the written report is prepared, the test results remain with the investigators, and the questions asked of Ahsan are the only details officials have shared so far.
The brother's account and the shift in the probe
The case was first registered as a murder under Section 302 of the Pakistan Penal Code, the country's main criminal law. The complaint was filed at Saddar Bairooni Police Station by Khurram, the deceased's brother. In it, he said another sister had told him that Rabia Ahsan had been shot by her husband, and that when he reached the house she was already dead.
Later, Khurram withdrew the murder FIR, or first information report, which is the formal complaint that starts a criminal case. He told police the firing was accidental and that his brother-in-law had no intention of killing her. He also said there had been no dispute, argument or scuffle between the two, and that his mother, another sister, two nieces and a servant were present at the time. Following his statement, police shifted the investigation towards the possibility of accidental firing.
Initial findings from the scene
The family told police that the couple had been married for 14 years and had no dispute or domestic discord. The couple's daughters, the deceased's sister and her mother also said they had not seen any quarrel between the husband and wife. Police said no statement so far points to an argument at the time of the incident.
A preliminary statement from a domestic worker described the family sorting clothes at home, moving summer clothes into a cupboard and bringing out winter ones. A .30-bore pistol was found among the clothes, and the worker told police that Ahsan picked it up and was waving it when a shot went off. The initial post-mortem report says the bullet struck the lower part of Rabia Ahsan's neck from the front, causing her death. Investigations also found the pistol recovered from the scene was unlicensed.
Police said the investigation is ongoing and all possible motives will be examined. Further action will depend on the forensic laboratory reports, including the polygraph report expected within a few days.
Aasan alfaaz mein
Rawalpindi mein news anchor Rabia Ahsan ke case mein unke shohar Ahsan ka polygraph test mukammal ho gaya hai. Report kuch din mein aane ki umeed hai, aur police dekh rahi hai ke firing ghalti se hui ya nahi. Jo pistol mili woh licence shuda nahi thi, is liye ghar mein hathyar ko mehfooz rakhna aur zimmedari se sambhalna bohat zaroori hai.
