Civil Judge Muhammad Nasrullah Wattoo approved a police request to take the accused into custody for further questioning and handed him over to Sadar Beruni police.
Police officials left the court with the accused following the order and are expected to continue questioning him during the remand period. The investigation remains ongoing, with officers examining forensic evidence and statements from people present at the house.
The case has drawn attention following the discovery of Rabia Ahsan’s body at her residence in Rawalpindi. Her husband was detained after the incident, with police investigating the circumstances in which the fatal gunshot was fired.
According to a preliminary account provided by a domestic worker, members of the household were sorting clothes when the incident occurred. The family was reportedly putting away summer clothing and taking winter garments out of cupboards.
During the process, a .30-bore pistol was allegedly discovered among the clothes. The worker told investigators that Ahsan picked up the weapon and waved it in his hand before a shot was fired accidentally.
The account forms part of the initial information being examined by police. Investigators have not established a final explanation for the shooting and are expected to compare witness statements with physical and forensic evidence.
Police have said that no statement indicating an argument or dispute between the couple at the time of the incident has emerged so far. However, officers have stressed that all possible motives will be examined as the investigation progresses.
An initial post-mortem report has also been prepared. According to its preliminary findings, the bullet struck Rabia in the lower part of her neck from the front, causing her death.
The medical findings provide investigators with information about the injury, but further examination and forensic analysis are expected to contribute to the reconstruction of the incident.
Police also said the pistol recovered from the scene was unlicensed. The weapon is expected to form a key part of the investigation, including efforts to establish who possessed it and how it came to be kept among the household clothing.
The legality of the firearm and the circumstances in which it was handled are among the issues that investigators will need to clarify. Police have not announced a final conclusion about how the weapon was discharged.
Forensic laboratory reports are still awaited. Investigators are expected to examine the results alongside the post-mortem findings, the recovered weapon and accounts given by people at the residence.
The four-day remand will give police an opportunity to question the accused further and pursue leads before returning to court. The investigation may also involve additional statements from household members and other potential witnesses.
Officials have not ruled out any possible motive and have indicated that conclusions will be reached after the relevant evidence has been assessed.
The case remains at an early investigative stage, and the account of an accidental discharge has not been established as the definitive cause of the shooting. Police have yet to disclose whether forensic findings support the preliminary version provided by the domestic worker.
The court’s decision allows investigators to retain custody of the accused for a limited period while they continue their inquiries. Any further legal proceedings will depend on the evidence gathered and the findings presented by police.
Authorities have said the investigation is continuing and that forensic reports will be considered before further action is taken.
