Suspect denied bail in Dr Warda murder case

On December 4, 2025, Dr Warda Mushtaq, a medical officer at Abbottabad DHQ Hospital, disappeared after leaving the hospital with her friend, Rida Waheed. The police investigation revealed that the case stemmed from a dispute over 67 tolas of gold jewelry. Dr Warda's remains were found and identified on December 8, 2025, in the Lari Banota forest area near Thandiani following a search operation.

Cantonment police registered the case under kidnapping-related provisions, subsequently adding Section 302 of the Pakistan Penal Code along with other relevant provisions and Section 7 of the Anti-Terrorism Act upon confirmation of Dr Warda's death.

Several suspects, including Rida Waheed, Nadeem Zeb, and Pervez, were arrested. Subsequent to the investigation, Shamrez was declared the main accused. Waheed Ahmad, Rida Waheed's husband, is also among the accused and faces proceedings in the case. In May 2026, the Peshawar High Court affirmed the Anti-Terrorism Court's jurisdiction over the case, stating that kidnapping for ransom under Section 365-A of the Pakistan Penal Code is a scheduled offense triable by an Anti-Terrorism Court.

However, the court emphasized that the applicability of the terrorism provision would hinge on the prosecution's ability to establish the necessary legal elements.

The Peshawar High Court recently denied bail to Waheed Ahmad, one of the key accused in the case, effectively barring his release pending further proceedings in the Anti-Terrorism Court.