The husband of a TV anchor was arrested in Pakistan Sunday after his wife was found dead with a gunshot wound to the head, according to officials.
Rabiya Ahsan, 41, was allegedly killed inside her home in Rawalpindi, according to Punjab Information Minister Azma Zahid Bokhari.
Ahsan worked as a program host for 92 News, where she established herself as a dedicated journalist alongside senior colleagues. She also frequently posted videos about national affairs on social media.
Officials identified her husband as Ahsan Tahir Khan, who claimed he was playing with a firearm in the home when it accidentally discharged, Bokhari said.
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Khan reportedly works as a civil service officer at the Overseas Pakistanis Foundation, a government agency that supports citizens living abroad, according to local outlet The Express Tribune, citing police sources.
Police are preparing to pursue a murder case against the suspect, according to the report.
Rawalpindi police also confirmed in a post on X that a woman was killed in a Sunday shooting but did not immediately identify her.
Authorities said officers seized the suspected weapon in connection with the husband’s arrest.
Ahsan’s body was also transferred to a hospital for a postmortem examination.
The news of her death sparked an outpouring of grief across Pakistan’s journalism community.
“I am deeply saddened to learn that our ex-colleague anchorperson Rabiya Ahsan is no longer with us,” one former colleague said on X.
The Pakistani presidency also expressed sadness over the killing and called for a transparent investigation to ensure those responsible are held accountable.
“The First Lady has expressed deep sadness over the killing of journalist Rabia Ahsan and strongly condemned the violence,” the statement read, referring to First Lady Aseefa Bhutto-Zardari.
She also voiced concern over what she described as a “disturbing pattern” of professional women being targeted and allegedly killed by their husbands in the same metropolitan area.
The first lady recalled the case of Hina Javed, a media executive who was found dead with signs of torture three months ago, according to Dawn. Her husband and a domestic worker were reportedly arrested in connection with her killing.
“Such incidents demand serious attention and accountability. Women must be able to live and work without fear for their lives,” the Pakistani presidency said.
