The son and daughter-in-law of PML-F activist Saira Naseer confessed to murdering her in a deposition recorded on Friday by a judicial magistrate in Hyderabad.

Naseer's son Fahad Ali and his wife Sadaf Sarhandi were produced before Judicial Magistrate-VIII by Husri police to record their confessional statement under Section 164 of the Criminal Procedures Code (CrPC).

Earlier this month, police had found Naseer's charred remains inside her burnt car. She had been identified by her daughters with the rings removed from the car. The police believe that she had been murdered before being set alight.

"Yes, in response to my query, the JM-VIII, after recording their statements, told me that the accused have confessed to the crime in their statement," Farhad Ali Abro, who has been temporarily engaged as a counsel for court proceedings by Fahad’s father, Zaheer Ahmed, said today.

The magistrate has also ordered a medical examination of both the accused on the counsel’s application. The counsel had argued that Fahad had been subjected to torture during police custody and therefore must be examined.

"Fahad’s wife is pregnant; therefore, a medical examination [of her] is [also] necessary," Abro told journalists after appearing before the magistrate.

The couple was remanded to judicial custody in Hyderabad's central prison for eight days.

The counsel has applied for a certified true copy of the couple’s statement, but it will be made available only on Saturday morning.

The couple was also not allowed to speak to the media waiting outside the magistrate’s courtroom, where the victim's husband — Zaheer — and his two step daughters were also present.

It was only after the counsel’s request that Zaheer was allowed to talk to Fahad Ali.

"Fahad told me that he has been severely beaten in police custody," said Zaheer.

Speaking at a crowded press conference in Hyderabad on Thursday, the couple said they killed the PML-F activist because of her "character".

"Fahad did it [killed Naseer] in a fit of anger after seeing his mother’s pictures and videos. He had given up the company of his friends because of his mother’s character, as his friends used to say different things," his wife had said.

She alleged that Naseer used to say that she was an independent person and would spend her life whatever way she deemed fit, which irked her son.

"Fahad avoided [the situation] on many occasions, but for how long can it be avoided," she said.