A Pakistani TV anchor who had been on YouTube discussing the US midterm elections hours before her death is at the center of a homicide probe. Police in Rawalpindi say 41-year-old Rabia Ahsan was found Sunday afternoon on the bedroom floor of her home with a gunshot wound below her neck, People reports. Relatives say they discovered her husband of about 16 years, Ahsan Tahir, in the room holding a gun.
Ahsan’s brother accused Tahir of killing her, prompting an investigation; police say Tahir later claimed he accidentally fired the weapon, not realizing it was loaded, the Times of India reports. A domestic worker reportedly backed up that account. Authorities recovered a .30-caliber pistol, which Tahir allegedly did not have a valid permit for. Ahsan worked for 92 News, a prominent Urdu-language news channel, news.com.au reports. She had two daughters, ages 11 and 13, with Tahsin.
Pakistan’s first lady has called for an independent and transparent inquiry. “Such incidents demand serious attention and accountability,’ Aseefa Bhutto-Zardari said in a statement. “Women must be able to live and work without fear for their lives.”