ABBOTTABAD: The government of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa has constituted a joint investigation team (JIT) to probe the abduction and brutal murder of Doctor Warda Mushtaq, a medical officer at DHQ Hospital Abbottabad.
The decision comes amid mounting public outrage and persistent demands from the medical community for a transparent, independent, and expeditious inquiry.The Establishment Department issued the notification following directions from the Chief Minister’s Secretariat. According to the notification, the JIT was approved by the chief secretary and tasked with conducting a comprehensive fact-finding inquiry. The team has been instructed to submit its findings within five days.
The JIT comprises senior officials and representatives from law enforcement and civil society including Khyyam Hassan, chairman, provincial inspection team as its head.In a subsequent notification, the government also added Sonia Shamroz, assistant inspector general of police (CPO Peshawar), to further strengthen the team.
Copies of the notification have been circulated to senior provincial officials, including the additional chief secretary Home, principal secretaries to the governor and chief minister, the provincial police officer, commissioner Abbottabad and other departments concerned for necessary follow-up and appointment of focal persons.
Meanwhile, the special investigation team handling the case has written to the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA), Abbottabad, to verify whether the nominated accused persons have any prior record of money laundering or financial crimes.
Investigators suspect that the accused paid Rs 3 million to execute the crime, raising concerns about illicit financial transactions and possible AML/CFT violations.The FIA has been requested to scrutinize business dealings of the accused, records of FIRs, inquiries, or investigations, suspicious or large-scale transactions, cybercrime and financial crime history, travel history, watchlist status and other relevant information.
Police have recovered two vehicles used in the abduction and transportation of the victim. Additionally, authorities have sealed five shops belonging to Rida’s husband, Waheed Billa, as investigations broaden into the financial and logistical network behind the crime.
The police also uncovered that Dr Warda’s gold ornaments, valued at approximately Rs 3 million, were deposited in a bank, against which a loan of Rs 5 million had been obtained. Investigators believe the suspects targeted her partly due to the high valuation of these assets.
The post-mortem examination of Dr Warda Mushtaq confirms that she died from asphyxia due to forceful strangulation, evidenced by a prominent ligature mark around the neck and a fractured hyoid bone, further verified through radiology.
The body showed signs of assault and struggle, including bruises on the lips, right shoulder, arm, and hand, along with conjunctival hemorrhages and blood in the nostrils.
The report notes that death occurred over 72 hours before the autopsy, with the body in a decomposed and swollen state. Multiple forensic samples — including biological swabs, organs, stomach contents, and clothing - were collected for toxicological and DNA analysis to support the ongoing investigation.
