The husband of a Pakistani television anchor was arrested Sunday after she was found dead inside her home with a gunshot wound to the head, officials said.
Rabiya Ahsan, 41, was allegedly killed at her residence in Rawalpindi, Punjab Information Minister Azma Zahid Bokhari said.
Ahsan was a program host at 92 News and built a reputation as a committed journalist while working alongside veteran colleagues. She also regularly shared videos and commentary on national issues through social media.
Authorities identified her husband as Ahsan Tahir Khan. According to Bokhari, Khan said he had been handling a firearm inside the house when it discharged accidentally.
News anchor Rabiya Ahsan speaks in a video recorded before she was found fatally shot Sunday. (@rabiyaahsanofficial/Instagram)
Khan reportedly serves as a civil service officer with the Overseas Pakistanis Foundation, a government agency that assists Pakistanis living abroad, according to The Express Tribune, which cited police sources.
Police are expected to register a murder case against Khan, the report said.
Rawalpindi police confirmed in a post on X that a woman had been killed in a shooting Sunday, although officials initially withheld her identity.
Investigators seized the firearm believed to be linked to the shooting after Khan’s arrest.
Ahsan’s body was taken to a hospital for a postmortem examination.
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Ahsan was found dead at her home in Pakistan over the weekend. (@Rabiya_Ahsan/X)
News of Ahsan’s death prompted an outpouring of grief from journalists and media figures across Pakistan.
“I am deeply saddened to learn that our former colleague, anchorperson Rabiya Ahsan, is no longer with us,” one former colleague wrote on X.
Pakistan’s presidency also mourned the killing and called for an open, transparent investigation to ensure that anyone responsible is held accountable.
“The First Lady has expressed deep sadness over the killing of journalist Rabia Ahsan and strongly condemned the violence,” the statement said, referring to First Lady Aseefa Bhutto-Zardari.
Rabiya Ahsan, 41, speaks to viewers in a social media video recorded before her death. (@Rabiya_Ahsan/X)
The first lady’s statement also highlighted what she described as a “disturbing pattern” in which professional women in the same metropolitan area have allegedly been targeted and killed by their husbands.
She cited the case of Hina Javed, a media executive who was found dead with signs of torture three months ago, according to Dawn. Javed’s husband and a domestic worker were reportedly arrested in connection with her death.
“Such incidents demand serious attention and accountability. Women must be able to live and work without fear for their lives,” the Pakistani presidency said.