Husband, domestic worker held after Pakistani woman found murdered

Karachi: Authorities in Pakistan have arrested a man suspected of murdering his wife at his parents' house with the help of a domestic worker, police said Saturday, in a case that sparked outrage online.

Hina Javed, 45, was found dead at her in-laws' home in Rawalpindi on Thursday by her brother, who filed a report with local police saying her body bore signs of violence.

The brother, Sail Javed, said his sister had been beaten and strangled, and had her hands ties behind her back when he found her.

"A murder case has been registered on the complaint of the deceased woman's brother," Rawalpindi police said in a statement on Saturday, adding that the woman's "husband and a domestic worker have been taken into custody and are being questioned as part of the investigation".

Hina Javed's family said she had entered arranged marriage with 52-year-old Faisal Asghar about nine months ago. She worked in the media department of Pakistan's parliament.

Asghar and his family have not publicly commented on the case.

Javed's brother told police he suspected Asghar's parents were also involved in her murder.

The killing has sparked outrage online, with activists and members of the public calling for stronger measures to address gender-based violence in Pakistan.

"No words can capture what we have lost as a family," said Sabah Bano, 37, Javed's cousin.

"The family places its full faith in Pakistan's justice system and is confident that justice will prevail," said Bano.

It is typical for court cases to drag on for years in Pakistan.

"Violence against women in our homes is not a private matter. It is a crime and it must be treated as one," Javed's cousin Bano said.