TAXILA: A special team of Rawalpindi police investigating the killing of TikToker Shamsu Bibi aliasAyesha Gilamana has detained three suspected facilitators of main accused who were still at large, sources privy to the investigation said on Tuesday.
The suspects were picked up from different locations in Taxila, Attock and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa during a coordinated operation, sources said.
They are reportedly close relatives of the nominated accused and are being questioned to determine whether they provided shelter, information, logistical assistance or other support to the main accused.
A potentially crucial piece of evidence under scrutiny is a telephone call allegedly received by Ayesha shortly before she left her home. According to her father’s complaint, Kashif alias Kashi allegedly contacted his daughter and asked her to come outside shortly before the shooting.
Investigators are now examining the call, its timing, location data and subsequent communications to determine whether it was connected to the attack.
The victim’s father also cited a possible financial dispute as a suspected motive for the murder. In his complaint, he alleged that Kausar and Javed alias Shaheen had financial issues with his daughter and had previously threatened her. He further told police that Ayesha had earlier lodged a complaint against the two men in Islamabad.
The family has also expressed suspicion that the nominated accused might have arranged the attack through another person rather than carrying it out themselves, prompting investigators to examine the possibility of hired or facilitated involvement.
Police have registered a case under Sections 302, 324, 109 and 34 of the Pakistan Penal Code and are pursuing multiple lines of investigation to determine the exact motive, identify the shooter and establish the role, if any, of each nominated and newly detained suspect.
The detention of the three alleged facilitators is therefore being viewed by investigators as a potentially important breakthrough.
With the main accused still at large, investigators are now widening the probe to include their relatives, associates and alleged communication channels.
Police sources said further arrests were possible as the special team continues analysing call records, geofencing data and other evidence.
The investigation, however, remains ongoing, and the precise role of the detained suspects and the three nominated accused will be determined only after completion of the police inquiry and collection of corroborative evidence.
Published in Dawn, August 19th, 2026
