Rawalpindi: Signal-Free Corridor Milestone as Murder Case Reaches First Lady

Rawalpindi this week marked a landmark achievement in urban infrastructure as Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz Sharif inaugurated Marka-e-Haq Square, celebrating the record-pace completion of five underpasses, two overhead bridges, and a pedestrian bridge under the ambitious Signal-Free Rawalpindi project. At the same time, the city was gripped by a deeply troubling criminal case: 45-year-old Hina Javed was found dead in her apartment with her hands bound behind her back, mouth gagged, and a wire around her neck, her family accusing her husband and in-laws of involvement in her death. The case reached the highest levels of national attention when First Lady Aseefa Bhutto Zardari publicly urged the Punjab government to conduct a thorough and impartial inquiry, expressing alarm at the rising incidence of violence against women in the country.

🗳️ Marka-e-Haq Square Opens as Signal-Free Project Hits Record

Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz Sharif inaugurated Marka-e-Haq Square in Rawalpindi, marking a record milestone in the Signal-Free Rawalpindi project. The newly named square covers the stretch from Rawalpindi Kutchery Chowk to the Rekhi Din area, one of the city's most historically congested corridors. The project achieved the completion of five underpasses, two overhead bridges, and a pedestrian bridge in just 179 days, a pace described as unprecedented for infrastructure of this scale in the region. The Chief Minister visited the corridor in person, inspecting the overhead bridge and reviewing progress from Annexy Chowk to GPO Chowk, accompanied by Provincial Minister for Communications and Works Malik Sohaib Ahmad Bharth, who gave a detailed briefing on the project scope. According to the briefing, the signal-free corridor will enable more than two hundred thousand vehicles to pass daily through Rawalpindi's busiest district, providing significant relief to commuters and freight traffic alike. The project also features the city's first state-of-the-art pedestrian bridge, providing safer crossing at the newly designated square. Two phases of the Rawat-to-Motorway corridor have been completed, with the third phase on track. When fully complete, the 25-kilometre corridor from Rawat to the motorway will incorporate nine underpasses and three flyovers, with additional underpasses planned for Race Course, Chairing Cross, and AFIC Chowk. Chief Minister Nawaz Sharif said the project will fundamentally transform Rawalpindi's urban culture. [4]

First Lady Demands Inquiry into Rawalpindi Woman's Suspected Murder

Pakistan's First Lady Aseefa Bhutto Zardari has called for a thorough investigation into the suspected murder of Hina Javed, a 45-year-old woman found dead in the bathroom of a second-floor flat in Rawalpindi. A police complaint seen by Arab News detailed the grim circumstances: Javed's hands were tied behind her back with a piece of cloth, her mouth was gagged, and a wire wrapped around her neck was tied to the bath shower. Her family has accused her husband, Faisal Asghar Imam, his domestic worker Zeeshan Arshad, and Imam's father Asghar Ali Fayyaz of involvement in her death. Rawalpindi police confirmed that Imam and Arshad had been taken into custody for investigation, while Javed's body was transferred to Benazir Bhutto Hospital for a post-mortem examination. In an official statement from the President's Office, the First Lady conveyed deep concern and sorrow over the case, offering solidarity and condolences to the bereaved family. She expressed alarm over the rise of such incidents and voiced hope that effective measures would be implemented to protect women from similar fates. She called upon the Government of Punjab to ensure a thorough inquiry and proper investigation into the heinous crime, the statement read. The case has drawn nationwide attention, reigniting public debate over women's safety and domestic violence accountability in Pakistan. [7]

Sources: [4] RADIO PAKISTAN · [7] Arab News