Journalist Khawar Hussain's death declared 'suicide' as investigation concludes

• CCTV review shows no one near Khawar Hussain’s vehicle.
• Medical, post-mortem reports also confirm death as suicide.
• Family input needed to learn possible reasons: investigators.
  

KARACHI: Investigators from a three-member inquiry committee declared journalist Khawar Hussain's death "suicide" as they submitted a 30-page report to Sindh Inspector-General Ghulam Nabi Memon, it emerged on Friday.

Hussain, a young journalist associated with a private news channel, was found dead in his car in mysterious circumstances outside a restaurant on Hyderabad Road in his hometown, Sanghar, last week.

The probe committee concluded "suicide as the only cause of death of journalist Hussain" based on the "detailed visit of the crime scene, interview of the witnesses, examination of post-mortem reports, forensic reports, and analysis of CCTV footage".

The report includes an eight-page section supported by medical records.

Investigators also reviewed CCTV footage from Karachi to Sanghar, tracing Hussain's travel route, as well as video evidence from the hotel parking area up to the point of the incident.

Deputy Inspector General (DIG) Irfan Baloch, a member of the committee, said the CCTV footage showed no individual approaching the journalist's vehicle during the incident.

The report added that video evidence, call data records, and witness statements from people who last contacted Hussain were all examined. The medical and post-mortem reports also confirmed suicide.

The committee concluded that while the cause of death was suicide, determining the underlying reasons would require the cooperation of Hussain's family.

Investigators noted that Hussain had transferred online payments to a water tanker driver after arranging for water delivery to his home before his death.

The inquiry was led by Additional Inspector General Azad Khan, with DIG Irfan and Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) Abid Baloch as members.

Earlier, the initial post-mortem report stated that the bullet recovered from his head was fired from his licensed pistol. “The evidence so far indicates suicide,” a civil surgeon involved in the examination said.

Videos showed Hussain entering and leaving a local restaurant twice before returning to his vehicle, where he stayed for nearly two hours, investigators said.

Police also recovered one of the two mobile phones in use, while the other remains missing. The journalist had been stationed in Karachi for nearly 10 years, working with different media organisations during his career.