Gujrat: A woman was killed in Mandi Bahauddin district on Tuesday, allegedly by a former employee of her uncle after she refused his advances, police said. The accused was subsequently found dead during a police raid in Sargodha on Wednesday. The victim, identified as Robina Akhtar, was shopping at a clothing store in Qadirabad's main bazaar when the suspect, Mohsin Abbas, allegedly attacked her. Her wedding was scheduled for November 20.
According to the first information report (FIR), registered on the complaint of Muhammad Sadiq, the victim's uncle, Abbas had previously worked for him. Sadiq told police that his niece had complained about Abbas repeatedly pressuring her to enter a relationship. Following the complaint, he dismissed Abbas from employment.
Police said the suspect fled Qadirabad after the killing.
Police trace suspect to Sargodha
Following the incident, police and Punjab Forensic Science Agency (PFSA) personnel collected evidence from the location. The victim's body was taken to a government hospital for a post mortem examination before being handed over to her family. Police registered a murder case against five people, including Abbas, his father Nazeer Ahmed, a relative identified as Shahbaz Ahmed and two unidentified individuals.
The case was registered under Sections 302 and 109 of the Pakistan Penal Code, relating to murder and abetment. According to a Mandi Bahauddin police spokesperson, investigators used CCTV footage and other surveillance methods to trace Abbas to a property in Satellite Town, Sargodha. Police claimed that Abbas died by suicide during a raid on Wednesday. The circumstances of his death have not been independently verified.
Investigators also said the suspect had uploaded a video to TikTok before the killing, suggesting he anticipated the consequences of his actions. Police have not disclosed what evidence links the four other nominated suspects to the case or whether they have made any arrests.
Similar killing reported in Gujranwala
The incident follows the killing of Saba Tufail in Gujranwala on October 24, when she was attacked while returning from her wedding reception. Police alleged that the suspect in that case, Sarfraz Ahmed, had targeted her after her family rejected his marriage proposal.
The Crime Control Department (CCD) subsequently claimed that Sarfraz was killed by gunfire from his accomplices during an encounter on October 31. The department's account has not been independently established.
The two cases raise questions about women's protection from harassment and threats following rejected advances, particularly when complaints precede acts of violence. They also highlight the importance of investigating the role of other nominated suspects, even after the principal accused has died.
In Robina Akhtar's case, the investigation remains open against the other individuals named in the FIR. Police have yet to announce whether charges against them will proceed or whether an inquiry will independently establish the circumstances of Abbas's death.
