Wife murders Senior Journalist Khalil Malik

ISLAMABAD: Bullet ridden bodies of Senior Journalist Khalil Malik and his wife were found on Wednesday morning at his residence in the federal capital. Khalil Malik, 50, Director of a private TV channel ATV, was found dead along with his wife Sarah Malik, 22, also a reporter for TV One, at his residence cum office in PHA flats in G-8. Police sources told media that according to their initial investigations it appears that Khalil Malik was shot dead by his wife Sarah Malik, who later shot herself in the head. Office employees told the police that spouse of Khalil Malik, Sarah came to the office at around 9:00 am and took him to the next room. After a short while they heard two gunshots. The employees informed the police at once who opened the door of the room and found the bullet-ridden bodies of Khalil Malik and his wife Sarah. According to police sources Khalil Malik died of bullet wounds to his chest and Sarah died of bullets to the head. Police have taken the dead bodies into the custody and shifted them to PIMS hospital for postmortem. Sources also told that things between Khalil Malik and his wife were not going well and they used to have regular fights and Khalil Malik was about to divorce Sarah who was his third wife. Due to their conflicts Sarah probably shot dead her husband and than later committed suicide by shooting herself in the head, sources added. Sources also told that this was not the first time Sarah had tried to commit suicide as once she threatened to jump off the roof building but their mutual friends cooled down things between the fighting couple. Khalil Malik during his journalist career had been a controversial person and last year during the judicial crisis he had been beaten by a group of angry lawyers for his anti judicial remarks. He was also an advisor of a telephone company during the tenure of Nawaz Sharif and had to face a case by NAB in the alleged Phone directory scandal. Meanwhile Advisor to PM on internal affairs Rehman A Malik condoling the death of senior journalist has ordered the Inspector General of Police, Islamabad, to set up a team of highly professional competent officers to conduct a prompt and thorough investigation to determine the circumstances surrounding the unfortunate happening. Rehman Malik has ordered the police to submit an initial report to him within 24 hours. He also assured the bereaved family and the journalist community that no efforts would be spared to find the facts behind the shocking incident. He also expressed his heartfelt condolences to brother of the deceased and renowned journalist Khushnood Ali Khan. "May God rest the departed souls in eternal peace and give their kith and kin the fortitude to bear the irreparable loss", he said. Speaker National Assembly Fehmida Mirza and Deputy Speaker Faisal Karim Kundi have also expressed their deep grief and sorrow over the incident. In their separate condolence messages, the speaker and deputy speaker said they were grieved over the demise of senior journalist and his wife. They prayed to Allah Almighty to rest departed soul in eternal peace and grant the courage to bereaved family to bear the irreparable loss with equanimity.