Category: Crime

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  • Trans model Dolphin Ayan stripped naked, recorded at gunpoint; video leaked

    Trans model Dolphin Ayan stripped naked, recorded at gunpoint; video leaked

    Transgender model and social media influencer Dolphin Ayan, also known as Dolphin Ayan Ali, was stripped naked and recorded at gunpoint, a leaked video showed Thursday morning.

    As messages of support pour in for Ayan, police have reportedly registered a case against the accused.

    Meanwhile, Ayan has urged members of the community to not share the leaked video. “The more we share such videos, the more we harm ourselves. We should not circulate anyone’s videos, especially not those from within our community,” she said in a viral audio message doing the rounds on social media.
    Reacting to the incident,

    Trans Action Alliance President Farzana Riaz said that the video was not a new one and had been recorded to blackmail Ayan. “This video is not new. It was recorded to blackmail Ayan for money.

    She has already paid substantial extortion fees to keep it hidden,” she told a private media outlet.

    Farzana noted that similar videos of other transgender individuals in Peshawar were often used as leverage for extortion and coercion.

    She also pointed out that there had been no police action. “Despite the registration of FIRs, the offenders operate without facing consequences.”
    She further said that not even a single official had condemned these attacks, which highlights the authorities’ indifference towards issues facing the transgender community.

    Transgender activist and central secretary of the Awami National Party, Dr Mehrub Awan, also expressed her frustration and concern on X (formerly Twitter), stating, “A video of Dolphin Ayan, the most successful trans dancer from Peshawar, is doing the rounds where she is being stripped naked on camera and threatened with a gun, and being forced to dance. We have literally written papers, done podcasts, book chapters, and spoken to media and officials about ‘Beela violence’ and how organised it is.”

    “We ourselves have presented data and identified hotspots – Mardan and Peshawar – and profiled the criminals involved. We have done everything that we, as a broken and battered community, could do,” she added.

    “When does this end? What else is expected from a community literally on the receiving end of genocidal murders in Pakhtunkhwa to do?”
    “The public of Pakhtunkhwa deserves a formal statement on the ongoing mass murder, exploitation and violence against transgender persons in the province. This deserves a serious political commitment and follow through,” Mehrub said.

    While Ayan’s leaked video has left social media users outraged, the violent incident isn’t the first of its kind. According to data from Trans Action Alliance, KP alone has seen the murder of 145 transgender individuals from 2015 to November 2024.

  • Karsaz case: All you need to know

    Karsaz case: All you need to know

    A speeding SUV collided with a car and rammed motorcyclists in the Karsaz area of Karachi on August 19 evening, killing a father-daughter duo and injuring a few others. Police arrested the woman driver, identified as Natasha, who is said to be from an influential background and possessed a British driving licence.

    Several clips of the incident have come to light so far, showing Natasha’s route and how she was taken into police custody after the accident.

    Update

    Natasha Danish acquitted in Karsaz accident case

    Natasha Danish, the main suspect in the Karsaz accident case, was acquitted by the City Court of Karachi on Thursday.

    At today’s hearing, the defence lawyer told the court that Natasha is ill and so she cannot appear in front of the court. Upon which, the court ordered that the accused should be produced before the court by 2 o’clock, and the hearing was adjourned till then.

    Later, affidavits submitted in the court by the victims’ families were accepted by the court, acquitting the accused from the case.

    Daily Pakistan reported that the families of the victims have submitted an affidavit in the court in which they mentioned that they have forgiven Natasha for the sake of Allah.

    Geo News also reported that Natasha was acquitted after a settlement was reached by the family of the deceased.

    During the hearing, apart from the family members of the victim, families of the injured persons were also present in the court.
    The hearing was adjourned till October 31.

    Natasha granted bail for one million in drug case

    The Sindh High Court has granted bail to Natasha Danish, the main suspect in the Karsaz fatal accident that killed a father and daughter, for driving under the influence of drugs.

    Justice Abdul Kareem Khan Agha of Sindh High Court heard the bail application in the drug case while Barrister Farooq H. Naik appeared in the court on her behalf.

    The lawyer contended, “Our application for bail in one of the FIRs pertaining the death of father and daughter has already been approved.”

    The public prosecutor, however, stressed that Natasha was under the influence of alcohol when she was driving, to which Farooq H. Naik said that the medical report is also ambiguous because methamphetamine was not present in the blood but was present in the urine.

    The court asked the public prosecutor about the amount of methamphetamine present in the urine sample to which the public prosecutor said that the medical report did not mention the quantity.

    Advocate Farooq H. Naik said, “My client has been undergoing treatment from a psychiatrist for years, it is also possible that some medicine has been given which has been mentioned in the medical report.”

    Justice Agha remarked that it is important to mention that the victims of this case have reconciled with the accused while the accused is also a mother of three children and has been in jail since the last one and a half months.

    After hearing the arguments of both parties, the judge approved the bail in the anti-narcotics case.

    The court ordered Natasha to submit a bond of Rs 10 lac.

    Natasha’s bail plea rejected again

    The bail plea of Natasha Danish, the main suspect in the accident that killed a father and daughter on Karsaz Road in Karachi, has been rejected yet again in the drug use.

    Additional District and Sessions Judge East Shahid Ali Memon heard the case today related to driving under the influence of drugs. The court rejected the bail application, stating that the reasons for the rejection of the bail application will be given in the written order.

    The verdict was reserved after today’s hearing.

    Natasha Danish’s lawyer Aamir Mansoob Qureshi had argued that, as a matter of principle, only one case should be registered for a single incident.

    However, State prosecutor Syed Khursheed Abbas Bukhari stated that the bail application, arguing that the case was still under investigation as the final charge sheet is yet to be submitted to the court.

    Earlier, Judicial Magistrate East Muhammad Raza Ansari also rejected the bail application of the accused during the last hearing, stating that this will have a negative impact on society.

    Judge dismisses Natasha’s bail plea in drug case

    Natasha’s lawyer on Monday challenged the judicial magistrate’s decision to dismiss their petition seeking bail in the drugs case associated with the Karsaz accident case.

    In today’s hearing, the judicial magistrate denied post-arrest bail to Natasha Danish in a drug case which was filed against her by the police as her medical report showed traces of methamphetamine (crystal meth), commonly known as ice, in her urine.

    However, Natasha’s lawyer challenged the decision in the sessions court, arguing that the judicial magistrate overlooked pivotal evidence in the bail petition.

    During the last hearing on September 6, the suspect was pardoned by the families of two victims killed in the accident when her car hit their motorbike.

    The lawyer had argued that the investigating officer “manipulated blood and urine samples” taken from his client.

    The court reserved its order.

    The order, given today by Judge Mohammad Raza Ansari, said that Danish’s lawyer could not satisfy the court regarding section 11 (drinking liable to tazir) of the Prohibition (Enforcement of Hadd) Order (PEHO) of 1979 stressing that the claim of blood and urine samples being manipulated was false.

    “There is nothing as such in the police’s file,” the court said.

    The court said that the nine objections raised by the suspect’s family had “no legal value”, adding that it was surprising that a “highly educated woman” was driving under the influence of drugs.

    The judge remarked that granting the suspect bail in the drug case would “have a negative impact on society”.

    However, the order has now been challenged before the Additional District and Sessions Judge (East).

    Natasha pardoned by victims’ family in Karsaz case

    The case of the fatal driving-under-the-influence accident that occurred on Karsaz Road in Karachi has reached its end after matters were settled between suspect Natasha and the victims’ families.

    Geo reported on Friday morning that the family of deceased Imran Arif and Amna Arif have prepared affidavits that will be presented today in today’s hearing of Natasha’s bail application.

    As per the reports, the heirs of the father and daughter who died in the accident will submit a No Objection Certificate (NOC).

    The NOC will be submitted by Imran Arif’s wife on behalf of his son Osama Arif and the other daughter.

    “We have forgiven the accused, in the name of Allah, the Most Merciful and the Most Merciful,” says the affidavit being shared on social media, implying that matters have been settled between the two parties.

    The affidavit also states that the victims’ family have no objection to granting bail to the suspect because the accident that happened was not deliberate, and they have given this certificate without any pressure.

    Earlier 92 News reported Natasha Iqbal, the main suspect in the driving-under-the-influence fatal accident that killed a father and daughter at Karsaz in Karachi, will pay deeyat (blood money) to the relatives of the victims, multiple journalists are reporting.

    According to 92 News’ Shahid Hussain, as of Friday morning, the family of the victims has forgiven Natasha and will be paid a hefty deeyat amount. One relative might also get a job in the rich suspect’s company.

    Journalist Asad Toor shared affidavits allegedly showing the No-Objection Certificates the family has handed over to the court.

    Conflicting reports: Natasha forgiven ‘in the name of Allah’, no Diyat taken, reports Dawn

    The lawyer for the victims in the Karsaz case, Barrister Aziz Ghouri has denied the claims that diyat (blood money) was paid to the family, saying that the suspect was pardoned “in the name of Allah”, as per Dawn News.

    “[They have forgiven the suspect] out of court in the name of Allah”, according to the affidavit that has come forward,“ he asserted.

    “They (the family) are saying that they have forgiven because those who forgive have the highest stature,” he added while dismissing reports of bloodmoney being taken by the aggrieved party.

    Earlier, news platforms stated that Rs 5.5 crore was being taken as diyat compensation.

    The defence counsel, Advocate Amir Mansoob Qureshi, has also told Dawn that he is “not aware” of any compensation provided to the victims’ family.

    He also revealed that the court had not placed travel restrictions on Natasha and that his client could leave the country if she wanted, adding that the matter is resolved because the family has pardoned her.

    The courts have granted Natasha bail in the accident case, but Dawn’s Ishaq Tanoli reported that she would remain under custody until the conclusion of the narcotics case.

    Natasha and her husband’s bails were set for Rs100,000 and Rs50,000, respectively.

    Natasha to stay in jail until narcotics case resolved

    The hearing for the narcotics case is to be held on Monday. However, Jibran Nasir opined in a post on X that “unfortunately this FIR will likely be quashed because the wrong section has been applied by the Police. Methamphetamine (Ice or Crystal Meth) is not a scheduled drug under the 1979 Order [Hudood law]. The Correct section to apply should have been either Section 9(2) or Section 16 of the Control of Narcotics Substances Act 1997 as Methamphetamine is a prohibited psychotropic drug under the 1997 Act.”

    Notably, these offences are also non compoundable meaning the accused would have to face trial.

    Complainant’s counsel Barrister Aziz Ghouri (L) meets defence counsel Advocate Amir Mansoob Qureshi outside sessions court on Friday. — Photo courtesy: Screengrab taken from a video provided by the author

    Victims’ lawyer denies claims of family accepting diyat

    Victims’ lawyer Barrister Uzair Ali has told the media that his clients Amna and Imran Arif’s family informed him about pardoning Natasha early today.
    He also made it a point to mention that the victims’ family has not taken blood money.

    The Current spoke with Jibran Nasir to understand the course of the case, as a list of non-compoundable charges pressed against her is still intact. These are the charges stated, i.e., police have pressed against her, and they can only be solved if the court finds them redeemable.

    “Family has settled, which means they can’t care less what happens to the case,” he makes it a point to mention. “Separate proceedings will now take place for the court to recognise the settlement, which will result in dropping all compoundable charges,” he said regarding the upcoming hearing.

    Commenting on the non-compoundable charges, he said, “As for non-compoundable ones, the accused’s lawyer will try to get around and mislead the court. It would be up to the prosecutor and the Judge to ensure those charges stay.”

    Victims’ family accepts Rs. 5.5 Crore in Diyat in Karsaz case: ARY

    ARY’s Asghar Umer has reported that the victims’ family has accepted 5.5 crore rupees as Diyat. One member of the family will also be given a job in one of Natasha Danish’s companies as part of the deal in the affidavit.

    Natasha’s bail approved for 1 lac rupees

    Geo’s Amin Anwer reported that during the hearing, the victim’s lawyer told the court that the matters were settled between his client and the accused’s side. After that, the court granted Natasha bail for one lac rupees.

    Jibran Nasir says he is not part of the Karsaz case

    On Thursday, September 5, lawyer and activist Jibran Nasir, reported to be representing the deceased Amna Arif and her father in the Karsaz case, announced that despite his efforts, he has been unable to contact the victims’ family.

    “Hence, though I can comment on the case for public awareness purposes based on information made available through media I am not in a position to either represent or make any comments on behalf of the family,” he posted.

    Previous

    Details of the September 4 hearing

    A local court in Karachi issued notices to the prosecutor and complainant on Wednesday, September 4, summoning them on September 6 in the Karsaz accident case.

    On the other hand, Natasha Danish has filed a post-arrest bail application for Friday in the Karsaz traffic accident case.

    Validity of British nationality and driving license

    The defence lawyer, Aamir Mansoob Qureshi, submitted copies of Natasha’s passport and driving licence in court, stating that his client possesses British nationality and has a valid UK driving licence until 2031.

    He claimed that the British driving licence was internationally recognised and valid under Pakistani law for six months after arrival in the country.

    According to the council, she landed in Pakistan from London on August 2, which means she can legally drive there. He also argued that the Pakistan Penal Code (PPC) section is “neither applicable nor can be inserted in this case”.

    The court summoned the deputy district public prosecutor (East), the investigating officer (IO), and the complainant for September 6.

    Bail in drug case

    Natasha Danish’s lawyer has also pleaded before the Judicial Magistrate (East) to seek bail in a drug case. The magistrate then issued notices to the complainant and the state prosecutor for September 6.

    The defence lawyer contested in court, stating that his client was innocent and falsely implicated in a case under Section 322 (punishment for qatl-bis-sabab) of the Pakistan Penal Code with “malafide intentions and ulterior motives”.

    Medical reports

    Natasha’s lawyer has also submitted her medical record of the ongoing psychiatric treatment at the Aga Khan Hospital that began 19 years ago. He argued that his client’s “judgment and perception were impaired, rendering her unable to foresee the consequences of her actions.”

    “Her [the suspect’s] medical condition significantly diminished her capacity to anticipate the outcomes, making it impossible for her to foresee any potential harm,” Advocate Qureshi argued.

    “The alleged incident was not a result of wilful negligence but rather an unforeseen accident possibly exacerbated by her medical condition,” he said, adding that it was “unjustifiable and excessive” to add Sections 322 and 320 (punishment for qatl-i-khata by rash or negligent driving) of the Pakistan Penal Code in the FIR.

    Contending the delay in results

    Lawyer Qureshi elaborated on the prosecution’s “malafide intention” by contending that the Investigating Officer collected the blood and urine samples on August 19 and submitted them for examination on August 21 with a two-day delay.

    “Therefore, the samples so collected could not be said to be in safe custody/ without any break of a chain of safe custody,” he argued.

    The counsel also mentioned that the IO had moved an application before the magistrate on August 22 to obtain blood samples of his client again, stating that he wanted to cross-check the sample with the International Center for Chemical and Biological Sciences at Karachi University.

    However, the court dismissed the plea, declaring that a report on the blood samples had already been awaited.

    Advocate Qureshi claimed that despite the court’s dismissal, the IO approached the jail authority and collected the blood sample “illegally and unlawfully under his nefarious design just to manipulate the samples to obtain a chemical examiner report of his own choice”.

    Natasha’s husband gets interim bail

    After taking protective bail from the Sindh High Court, Danish Iqbal, husband of suspect Natasha Danish, surrendered before the trial court and moved an application before the sessions court, seeking interim bail on Wednesday.

    After hearing his counsel, the court granted him interim bail against a surety bond of Rs. 100,000.

    However, the court issued notices for September 6 to the deputy district public prosecutor (East) for confirmation or otherwise.

    Details of the September 2 hearing

    The IO appeared before Judicial Magistrate (East) Muhammad Raza Ansari, while the suspect, Natasha, appeared in court on Monday via video link from the prison.

    The proceedings of the case are as follows:

    Exemption from in-person appearance

    The court allowed the suspect to be exempt from an in-person appearance after the defence lawyer moved an application under Section 540 of the Code of Criminal Procedure.

    Deputy District Prosecutor (East) Muhammad Younus told Dawn that the exemption might have been granted due to “security concerns”.

    Charges of driving under the influence added

    The IO also informed the court that Section 100 (driving while under the influence of drink or drugs) of the Provincial Motor Vehicles Ordinance, 1965 have also been included in the FIR.

    CCTV footage sent to Punjab Forensic agency

    He further stated in front of the judge that CCTV footage of the incident had been sent to Punjab Forensic Science Agency as per routine practice of the Sindh police due to the lack of sophisticated equipment in the provincial labs.

    Letter written to UK High Commission

    Additionally, a letter has been written to the UK High Commission to verify Natasha’s UK driving license.
    The IO also mentioned that letters had been sent to the concerned union council of the area and the traffic DIG regarding the damage to public property but their responses are still awaited.

    Condition of injured motorcyclist Abdul Salam

    When the court inquired about the condition of the injured persons, including Abdul Salam who was shifted to a ventilator due to critical condition, the IO informed the court that their condition had improved and provided details about the injuries they sustained.

    Request for additional time to submit interim challan

    The IO requested the court for a period of 14 more days to submit the interim challan, stating that the responses to the letters were pending.
    After hearing the IO, the court granted three days and directed him to submit the interim challan by Sept 5.

    Hudood charges added, Investigating Officer allowed to grill Natasha in Karsaz case

    On Saturday, August 30, a local court allowed an investigation team to grill Natasha Danish, the suspect in the Karsaz accident case, who is currently in jail. Additionally, a fresh case under the Hudood law has also been registered against her because of alleged drug use.

    Natasha Danish was arrested and sent to a women’s prison on judicial remand on August 21.

    However, on August 31, Sub-Inspector Shakir Rind, the investigating officer of the case, filed an application before Judicial Magistrate Javed Ali Korejo, seeking permission to interrogate the suspect in a new FIR lodged under Section 11 (drinking liable to tazir) of the Prohibition (Enforcement of Hadd) Order, 1979.

    In his order, the judicial magistrate stated that medico-legal officer Dr Zainab Irshad had issued a final medico-legal certificate (MLC) and said that it had been confirmed that the suspect was under the influence of methamphetamine, commonly called ‘ice’, at the time of the incident.

    Thus, based on this report, a new FIR was lodged against the suspect at the Bahadurabad police station. Since it was a cognizable offence, the investigating officer was fully empowered to arrest the suspect, who is already in judicial custody, after adopting all legal formalities as per law in prison.

    Hudood Law

    On Friday, the Bahadurabad police filed a fresh case under the Hudood law against Natasha Danish based on her medical report.

    Bahadurabad police Station House Officer Mohammed Naeem Rajput informed Dawn that a separate FIR was registered against Danish under Section 11 (drinking liable to tazir) of the Prohibition (Enforcement of Hadd) Order (PEHO) of 1979.

    Section 11 of the Hudood Order states that those found guilty of drinking but not liable for hadd punishment (as ordained by the Holy Quran or Sunnah) will instead be liable for tazir (any punishment other than hadd). The punishment may include imprisonment for up to three years, whipping not exceeding thirty stripes, or both.

    The law was invoked after medical reports confirmed that Natasha was under the influence of meth crystal.

    Meanwhile, police surgeon Dr Summaiya Syed confirmed that Natasha’s “chemical analysis report is positive for methamphetamine in the urine sample.”

    The FIR also states that, in her final report dated August 29, the police surgeon said the suspect was under the influence of methamphetamine at the time of the accident around 6:30 p.m. on August 19.

    If she is found guilty she could be punished with imprisonment of a term which may extend to three years or with whipping not exceeding thirty stripes or with both.

    On the other hand, Jibran Nasir argued in a post on X that he could not understand why the PEHO law was invoked, as the scheduled drugs under this law did not include crystal meth, nor was there any notification or amendment adding the narcotic to the schedule.

    He claimed that an offence could only be made out under the Hudood law if the drugs included in its scheduled list were consumed.

    Earlier, a case was registered against the suspect with provisions of murder and attempted murder.

    The Current talked to lawyer and activist Jibran Nasir about the legal course of action available for the prosecution in light of the revelation. He explained that offences under the Provincial Motor Vehicle Ordinance 1965 would be added for driving under the influence of a prohibited drug. “Another section under the Control of Narcotics Substances Act 1997 (as amended in 2022) will be added for consumption of a drug,” he added.

    However, when asked if the nature of the case would change now, Jibran replied, “It will still remain manslaughter due to rash and negligent driving.”

    Explaining further, he asserted that “It cannot be termed a murder because the drugs were not consumed with the intention to run over somebody.”

    Notably, Natasha is still in police custody as a local court sent her on judicial remand for 14 days.

    Prohibited substance found in Natasha’s urine: medical report

    The presence of prohibited substance was found in the urine samples of the accused woman who killed the father and daughter riding a motorcycle and injured a few others on Karsaz Road.

    ARY News has reported that the substance is Ice.

    Read more: What will Natasha be charged with now that an illegal substance has been found in her medical report?

    Confirmation of IG Sindh Police

    Sindh Inspector General Police Ghulam Nabi Memon also confirmed the presence of crystal meth in her medical report. “The medical report confirms that she was under the influence of the drug methamphetamine,” he told Dawn.

    He said the driver’s medical reports were issued by the medical examiner’s office for the Sindh Government Services Hospital.

    The police have received the medical report of the vehicle’s driver, Natasha Danish.

    Geo’s Kashif Mushtaq reports that the presence of prohibited substances was found in urine samples of Natasha. However, the police has sealed the medical report for 2 to 3 days.

    Read more: Natasha on Ice: What does it do to your body?

    Probe against SUV used in the accident

    The luxury vehicle Natasha used in the Karsaz accident is registered in the name of a private company. The police team has decided to detain the owner of the vehicle for investigation.

    Delay of medical report

    On August 25, it was reported that the suspect’s medical report had not come out yet. Geo noted that it may take another two to three days. Samples received from the suspect have also been sent to two different laboratories, one in Karachi and one in Lahore.

    Investigative sources assert that the medical report will lead to progress in the investigation.

    British driving license confirmed

    The investigation team has confirmed that Natasha has a British driving license but an investigation into her foreign nationality is still going on.

    Charges of manslaughter added

    Investigative sources have also said that the case was weakened by adding sections 320 (punishment for qatl-i-khata by rash or negligent driving), 337-G (punishment for hurt by rash or negligent driving), 279 (rash driving or riding on a public way) and 427 (mischief causing damage to the amount of fifty rupees) of the Pakistan Penal Code (PPC), all of which were bailable offences.

    However, the magistrate in the local court added that during the investigation, the Investigation Officer had added Section 322 (manslaughter) of the PPC, which is a non-bailable offence.

    Investigative sources say that in the case of murder, the death penalty can be 10 to 18 years in prison. The family of the victim can take the amount of blood money equal to the value of 30 thousand 360 grams of silver. As per the rate of silver this year, the amount of blood money could be around 68 lakh 50 thousand rupees. If the blood money is taken, the case will be over.

    Read more: Man injured in Karsaz accident is fighting for his life

    New footage

    New footage of the incident has gone viral. In it, the accused can be seen threatening a spectator with a raised finger, saying, “Tum mere baba ko nahi janty. ” This can be translated as “You don’t know my father.”

    In the video, she is surrounded by a huge crowd while she is protected by a group of rangers. Several social media criticized her for showing no remorse even after having killed two and injuring others.

    Amna’s uncle’s interview

    Amna Arif’s uncle and Imran Arif’s brother said that Natasha’s team had not approached them with any offers to influence their stance.

    Amna’s uncle, Imtiaz Arif, told the media that Pakistan People’s Party MNA Sharmila Farooqui met Imran’s wife and assured her that the Sindh government would cooperate with them until the suspect was punished.

    Imtiaz said, “At the beginning of the case, there was a despair that justice would not be served, but because of some people, there is now hope that the accused will be punished.”

    On the question of a deal, Amna’s uncle said, “No, we have not been offered any deal by the suspect, nor has there been any meeting in this regard, nor has our family any interest in it.”

    He further said that under Section 322 of the Penal Code, the accused should be punished to set an example in society.

    Natasha’s mental condition

    While her husband has claimed that she has been a psychiatric patient for some years, the doctors at Jinnah Hospital have declared her mental condition to be fine, reported Dawn News.

    New CCTV footage showing SUV ramming the car

    Geo News has revealed that new CCTV footage has emerged in the Karsaz accident case. The video shows that Natasha, the woman accused of killing a father and daughter on their motorcycle, hit a white car on the same road moments before the fatal collision.

    It can also be seen that as she hit the white car that came in front of her SUV, she slowed down for a moment and then sped up. Natasha hit the rear door of the white car, and she also hit two people on a motorcycle behind that car, causing them to fall from the bike. After that, the woman escaped by driving fast.

    The video also reveals that citizens and security guards immediately gathered after the incident.

    In the CCTV footage, the time of the incident is recorded as 11 past six in the evening.

    She then hit the father and daughter on the motorcycle, causing their death on the spot.

    Geo reports that police sources say that the woman was driving her car at high speed while fleeing from the previous incident and thus collided with the bike carrying the father and daughter.

    A court in Karachi has sent the woman accused of killing a father and daughter and injuring five others at Karsaz has been sent to jail on judicial remand.

    The suspect appeared before the court with her face covered.

    The case pertaining to the death of father and daughter was heard in the local court on August 21, where the police produced the accused in the court of a Judicial Magistrate.

    Geo News’ Amin Anwer reported that the police requested the accused’s remand for 14 days, on which the accused’s lawyer stated the provisions against his client were bailable. The investigating officer responded that Section 322 has been added to the case for murder, and Section 322 is non-bailable.

    The court asked the accused if the police tortured her, to which the woman said no.

    The court sent the accused to jail on judicial remand and ordered the investigating officer to present a challan in the next hearing.

    Fact Check

    Natasha, the accused woman, hasn’t fled the country.

    Multiple posts on social media claimed that Natasha had fled abroad after paying blood money.

    However, the suspect is still in Karachi and has been remanded in judicial custody.

    The iVerify Pakistan team has reviewed this content and declared it to be false.

    Footage aired on August 21 showed her being brought to a court and subsequently being sent on judicial remand.

    CCTV footage

    Geo News shared a CCTV footage of the incident.

    The case

    DIG-Traffic Ahmad Nawaz Cheema told Dawn that a Toyota Prado driven in an ‘extremely negligent manner’ by a woman hit a motorcycle while negotiating a turn from Tipu Sultan Road towards the service road of Muslim League House. The car then hit two more motorcycles and overturned after colliding with a parked car on the road.

    Samaa News reported that the driver has been identified as Natasha, who was arrested by the police. Her car has been impounded. She was found to own a British driving license.

    The victims, Imran Arif, 60, and his 22-year-old daughter, Amna, residents of Scheme 33, were taken to the Jinnah Postgraduate Medical Centre, where they succumbed to their injuries.

    The videos of a woman being held by a crowd after the accident emerged on Tuesday, August 20, whereas the accident occurred on Monday evening when an uncontrolled vehicle crushed a motorcyclist and other pedestrians on Karsaz Road, killing a motorcyclist’s father and daughter and injuring five people.

    Geo News reported that the lawyer deemed the suspect a ‘psychiatric patient’ who has been under treatment for mental stress for the past five years—a claim corroborated by her husband.

    A first information report of the traffic accident was registered on the complaint of Imran Arif, the brother of the deceased.

    Samaa reports that the woman driver suffered a head injury and was taken to Jinnah Hospital.

    Police also initiated a medical examination to determine if she was under the influence of drugs or alcohol.

    Geo reports that, in her initial statement, she stated that the unfortunate incident occurred because of overspeeding.

    What does the friend of Ntasha has to say about her?

    The Current talked to a close friend of Natasha, and she asserted that Natasha is openly against drugs and alcohol. She is known to be a level-headed woman, a mother of three children, a daughter and two boys. She described her reaction after the accident as a state of shock because she neither drinks nor smokes.

    The friend made it a point to mention that even the mob pushing and hitting her and making videos of her is a typical display of mob mentality and violates her sanctity as a person.

    What do relatives of Amna and her father have to say about them?

    The relatives of the father and daughter expressed grief over their passing. Imran’s brother said that my brother was a pious man. “He loved her daughter like Prophet (PBJUH) loved His,” he shared sadly. Another uncle demanded justice for Amna and her father.

    The neighbours told Aaj News that Imran used to sell finger chips and worked really hard to support his eldest daughter’s education. The family slowly became stable with Amna’s job, yet this accident changed everything. According to an Aaj News correspondent, the family is now suffering, and the mother has lost consciousness.

    Amna did her MBA from Karachi University. In one of her colleagues’ social media posts, she said that she specialized in Data Science. Her last text is being shared widely, in which she referred to herself as an MBA student asking to fill out a survey for her thesis.

    The colleague talked to The Current, and he shared, “Amna was a humble and determined individual, dedicated to supporting her middle-class family and their future goals. She had a very amiable nature, supporting her friends during challenging times, and exuded a cheerful personality. Her dream was to complete her MBA after she took on the responsibility for all her family members.”

    Amna worked as a Business Consultant for the Systems Limited. In a viral social media post, the company has made an Obituary Announcement in Amna’s honour.

    Kanwal Ahmed, the founder of Soul Sisters Pakistan, recently shared a screenshot of the deceased victim, Amna Arif’s note for her mother, which she posted in the group where she expressed gratitude for her sacrifices. In a heartfelt note, Amna said that her mother sold clothes just to meet the expenses of her education. “Her sacrifices knew no bounds. She put her own dreams on hold and sold clothes from home to provide with us with the best education we deserved. Her selflessness was unparalleled,” she had recounted.

  • MDCAT top scorers called by FIA for mock exam

    MDCAT top scorers called by FIA for mock exam

    The Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) has called multiple top scorers of the Medical and Dental College Admissions Test (MDCAT) to hold a mock exam as part of an investigation into examination paper leak.

    Previously, on Oct 26, Sindh High Court (SHC) ordered a retake of the exam within a month in the province after the inquiry committee found out that the entire test procedure was compromised.

    SHC also handed over the investigation to FIA, asking that it should be concluded within two months.

    FIA’s Cyber Crime Circle officials in Karachi then issued call-up notices to several students, asking them to appear before the investigation team to answer their questions.

    Dawn reports that two such notices were issued by Inspector Arfa Saeed to many female students in which she stated that she is conducting an investigation into the matter of paper leak that has “damaged the career of meritorious students of Sindh”.

    A notice served to a top scorer said that she has obtained “194/200 marks or 97pc” in MDCAT 2024, which is “practically… not possible for any student to obtain such a highest marks.”

    The inspector also alleged in the notice that it appeared that the student was “involved in leakage of MDCAT-2024” and, hence, “required to appear at FIA Cyber Crime Circle” in Karachi on Nov 1.

    Therefore, the student was asked to bring her original computerised national identity card “to answer such questions as may be put to you or your mock exam maybe conducted in this office to examine the actual position”.

    “A failure to comply with this legal notice may entail that you have nothing to say in your defence, and legal action based on available evidence on record shall be initiated against you,” warned the FIA notice served to the female students.

    FIA confirmed to Dawn that the wording of the notices sent to the top-scoring students was identical and all of them were asked to appear before the agency on different dates to take a “mock exam” and to get their statements recorded under Section 160 of the criminal procedure code.

    Notably, one of the points of the inquiry report submitted before the SHC also said that the distribution of marks obtained by candidates across Sindh lacked a pattern.

    Dawn quotes, “A notably smaller percentage of students from Karachi (1.18 per cent) and Hyderabad (1.47pc) scored 187 or higher marks, while a significantly larger percentage of students from Tharparkar (7.92pc) and Sujawal (7.32pc) achieved the same score threshold. This disparity, where students from certain rural districts outperform those from highly urbanised areas in the MDCAT test, is difficult to explain.”

  • PIA staffer found with 16 mobile phones wrapped around body

    PIA staffer found with 16 mobile phones wrapped around body

    A male crew member of the national aircraft carrier PIA was found with 16 new mobile phones strapped to his body on a flight from Canada to Islamabad.

    Geo News reports that the PIA employee had 16 brand new expensive mobile phones wrapped around his body for which he was detained by customs officers at Islamabad Airport.

    The matter was initially kept secret for several days but has now been revealed in a showcause notice released by the Pakistan International Airlines.
    Express Tribune reports that the senior flight steward was identified as Faisal Majeed Pehnwar. He is now suspended for smuggling mobile phones from Canada.

    The notice addressed the suspended employee, “Upon your arrival at the [Karachi] airport, 16 mobile phones were discovered concealed on your body. This behaviour constitutes a violation of the employee disciplinary policy, leading to your immediate suspension from duty.”

    The show cause notice states that the PIA flight attendant arrived in Islamabad in flight PK 782 from Toronto, Canada on October 24.

    While leaving the airport, the customs officials became suspicious of Faisal’s behaviour and upon checking, they found 16 expensive mobile phones wrapped around his body under his clothes, which were later confiscated and the employee was detained by airport police.

    The PIA issued a show cause notice to the employee and directed him to respond within three days.

    The airline in their statement also emphasised that any misuse of company privileges and involvement in smuggling activities would not be tolerated.

    Earlier, a video of a Pakistani air hostess being detained by police while trying to smuggle a huge amount of cash hidden in her socks has emerged online.

    Experts cite low pay and a lack of job security within the national airline as the primary reasons behind these alleged instances of slippage and smuggling, but above all, it tarnishes the image of the country on an international level.

    Read more: Why do PIA flight crew members go missing in Canada?

  • Teenage boy raped, tortured to death in Lahore

    Teenage boy raped, tortured to death in Lahore

    A man in Lahore allegedly raped a teenage factory worker and killed him by pumping air into his belly in the Kahna area of the city.

    Geo News reported that the 15-year-old boy was killed after being raped.

    Dawn reports that Hassan Ali was an employee at a factory.

    Police say that the victim was shifted to a hospital in critical condition and eventually died.

    The suspect has been arrested, and a case has been lodged against him.

    Hassan’s father, Nadeem Iqbal, lodged the FIR with the local police and named Shazor as the primary suspect, who also worked at the same factory as the victim. He allegedly raped the boy on the premises of the industrial unit.

    The boy’s father has stated in the FIR that the deranged accused pushed air into the victim’s stomach, which ruptured his abdomen.

    He also said the factory management initially tried to mislead him by saying his son died after he suffered injuries at work.

    Hassan’s father urged the police to ensure that the culprit was punished.

    An initial report by Dawn suggests that in November 2019, a similar incident was reported in the Kahna area, where a blind street beggar was also allegedly murdered by three suspects in the same way.

    Sahil, an organisation working for the protection of children’s rights, released a Six Month Cruel Numbers data early in August, revealing that a total of 1,630 cases of child abuse were reported from across the country.

    The data also shows that out of the total reported cases, (962) 59 percent of victims were girls and (668) 41 percent were boys.

    The data shows that the most vulnerable age group remains children aged 6-15, with 693 cases reported in this bracket. Additionally, 94 cases involved children aged 0-5, 231 children were from the 16-18 age bracket, and in 612 cases, the age of the victims was not mentioned.

    In the year 2024, January-June, the abusers involved in 47pc of the total cases were acquaintances, 18pc were strangers, while nine per cent of acquaintances, along with strangers, committed crimes against children.

    In the first six months of 2024, 78 per cent of the total cases were reported from Punjab and 6pc from the ICT. The rest of the cases were reported from other provinces, including 11 per cent of cases from Sindh, 3pc cases from KP, and 2pc cases from Balochistan, AJK and GB.

    Out of the total reported cases, 44pc were from urban areas, and 56pc were from rural areas.

  • Police officers given death sentence over fake encounter

    Police officers given death sentence over fake encounter

    A local court in Faisalabad has given the death sentence to four police officials and imposed a fine of Rs one million on them for their involvement in a fake police encounter that happened six years ago in the Millat Town area of the city.

    Additional and Sessions Judge Sajida Akhtar announced the verdict. The alleged encounter took place on August 8, 2018, at approximately 9:00 pm in Millat Town, Faisalabad.

    The fake encounter resulted in the deaths of two people, Arsalan Liaquat and Usman Munawwar, under disputed circumstances.

    The police officials convicted in the case include ASI Javed Akhtar, Head Constable Asghar Ali, Constable Falak Sher, Constable Faisal Rehman, and Police Qaumi Razakar employee Waqas.

    However, the court acquitted an Assistant Sub-Inspector (ASI) who was also nominated in the case due to a lack of evidence against him.

    The court remarked that it found sufficient evidence to convict Asghar Ali, Waqas, Falak Sher, and Faisal Rehman, sentencing them to death and imposing a fine of Rs one million each.

    The complaint was filed by Sajid Mahmood, a resident of Panjore, who nominated the police officials for killing the two boys.

    The prosecution argued that victims Arsalan and Usman were riding a motorcycle and were on their way to Bagh Wali Pully near Millat Town after having shawarma when they were stopped by the police team, who then opened fire on them, resulting in their death.

    After a six-year-long legal battle, the court ordered the immediate arrest of the four convicted officers, who were later sent to jail to serve their sentences.

    The News report from 2018 says that the deceased were college boys and had no criminal record.

  • Housemaid steals millions of rupees after knocking homeowner unconscious in Karachi

    Housemaid steals millions of rupees after knocking homeowner unconscious in Karachi

    A housemaid in Karachi knocked her employer unconscious and stole valuables worth thousands of dollars and gold ornaments.

    Geo News reports that the incident took place in Defence Khayaban-e-Bukhari, where the housemaid knocked the homeowner unconscious, looted the house and escaped.

    According to the police, the incident took place on October 23, in which the housemaid stole two million Pakistani rupees, 10 thousand US dollars and 32 tolas of gold jewellery from the house.

    The CCTV footage of the escaped maid was found, and it can be seen that the masked maid was running away after committing the crime while carrying a bag full of cash and gold ornaments, which was also seen in the maid’s hand.

    The maid escaped in a rickshaw after walking some distance from the house.

  • Tech-savvy robbers loot Lahore home after jamming signals

    Tech-savvy robbers loot Lahore home after jamming signals

    A gang of technologically advanced robbers looted gold and cash worth over Rs15 million from a house in Defence Housing Authority (DHA) Lahore after they successfully jammed Bluetooth and wireless signals for cell phones, GPS and Wi-Fi by using special blocking devices.

    The gang of five escaped via the motorway and then took an exit from a Faisalabad interchange while special teams were waiting to catch them at the exit points in Islamabad and Sargodha.

    The police from various cities of Punjab, however, failed to trace and arrest the criminals despite multiple efforts.

    The incident

    Reports suggest that five masked men brought a special device to disrupt the operations of all mobile phone services in the vicinity of around 100 meters, which left the family without any option of contacting the police or any other for help.

    The house is located in DHA Phase 4, and it is owned by a retired Superintendent of Police (SP), Rana Azeem, who rented it out to a tenet family of Mubashar Ahmed.

    Ahmed told the police that five armed men with masks on their faces forcefully entered his residence on Tuesday midnight.

    The dacoits held the family hostage in a room and collected 35 tola gold, including bangles and locket sets worth over Rs 8.75 million, 12 branded watches valued over Rs 1.3 million, a cash of Rs3.5 million, along with other valuables. In total, they took away Rs15.5 million worth of valuables.

    Three of them were carrying rifles, and two others were with pistols.

    Ahmed claimed that one of the robbers seemed to be between 65-70 years and one 50 years of age.

    The initial investigation revealed that this was the fourth house robbery by the same gang during 20 days in Defence Block A and Block C.

    They used a Honda Civic car in all the instances with fake registration number plates.

    After robbing the house on Tuesday, however, the robbers fled via motorway.

    Statement of the police

    Deputy Inspector General of Police (DIG) Imran Kishwar of Organised Crime Unit (OCU) Lahore stated that the robbers had reached near Sherakot by the time the family alerted them, after which an encounter took place with the SHO concerned and his team, but the “robbers opened fire, hit the police barriers and managed to reach the motorway.”

    The police had installed pickets at the exit points of Islamabad, Sargodha and some other districts, but the tech-savvy robbers took a surprise exit from Faisalabad and disappeared.

    “We are on a hot pursuit of the hardened criminals and will round them up soon,” DIG Kishwar asserted.

    However, the DIG stated that the Punjab police had contacted the Dera Ismail Khan police as reports suggested that the suspects might go underground there.

  • Postmortem of blasphemy suspect Dr Shah Nawaz reveals torture details

    Postmortem of blasphemy suspect Dr Shah Nawaz reveals torture details

    The post-mortem report of Dr Shah Nawaz Kunbhar, the blasphemy suspect killed in a fake police encounter in Mirpurkhas, has been made public.

    It reveals that the slain doctor suffered torture as four of his ribs and the shoulder bone were broken.

    The front part of the body, the skin of the face and the head were found burnt as well.

    The report was presented in the Sindh High Court, which reveals that the nails of both hands and feet of Dr. Shah Nawaz were partially burnt as well.

    The court was informed that the final report would be submitted after the results of samples of other parts of the body were received from laboratories in Islamabad and Karachi.

    On October 14, the Sindh government ordered to exhume the body of Dr Shah Nawaz Kunbhar under a special medical board supervised by Umerkot Judicial Magistrate Aamir Rajput in his native village, Jainro to take samples of 13 parts of the slain doctor’s body.

    Police officials who have not been arrested

    The News reported that the judges at the division bench of the Sindh High Court’s Mirpurkhas chapter, Justice Amjad Bohiyo and Justice Khadim Hussain, expressed anger at the failure of police officers to record statements.

    The judges asked how the statements of suspended DIG Javed Jaskani, suspended Mirpurkhas and Umerkot SSPs, and CIA in-charge Inayat Zardari would be recorded when they had not been arrested.

    However, the petitioner, Ali Palh, claimed before the court that the police officers were not arrested because of their influence.

    The High Court, thus, expressed a lack of confidence in the Mirpurkhas police and handed over the investigations of the case to the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA).

    Palh told the media that under the Torture and Custodial Death (Prevention and Punishment) Act 2022, even the FIA would be supervised by the National Commission for Human Rights – a neutral body.

    He noted that it was the first time that police were accused in a torture case, and it was a victory for the people that fake encounters with the police have been identified.

    Background

    On the night of September 18, 2024, the Sindhri Police claimed the death of Dr Shah Nawaz, a resident of Umarkot, in an alleged encounter.

    Later, the murder case of Dr Shah Nawaz was registered at Sindhri police station as it was claimed that he was killed in Mirpurkhas on the alleged charge of blasphemy, in which the provisions of murder and anti-terrorism were also added.

    While giving a press conference in Karachi on September 26, 2024, the Sindh Interior Minister admitted that the encounter was “fake”.

    DIG Mirpurkhas, SSP Mirpurkhas and SSP Umarkot were suspended after the report of the Inquiry Committee of the Sindh Government was revealed.

    A case was also registered against 45 other people, including police personnel and a cleric.
    On October 11, the Sindh Human Rights Commission submitted a report to the Sindh government on the killing of Dr Shahnawaz on the charge of blasphemy, in which it was stated that the SSPs and DIGs of Mirpurkhas and Umarkot also denied the arrest of the doctor. However, they admitted that the accused was arrested from Karachi.

    The report said technical assistance was not taken from the FIA ​​after the trial, while the post-mortem report of the victim was not done for 2 days as the Medical Officer went on leave.

    The report also demanded the formation of a Joint Investigation Team to identify those responsible for Dr Shahnawaz’s murder.

    On October 15, the Sindh Home Department wrote a letter to the Registrar of the Sindh High Court and requested an inquiry from the serving judge of the Judicial High Court regarding the death of Dr. Shahnawaz.

    This resulted in the hearing that was held on October 21 by the circuit bench of Sindh High Court’s Mirpurkhas chapter in which the investigation of the case was given to FIA.

    Read more: Blasphemy suspect killed in police encounter; body burnt by mob

  • Three minors assaulted in separate incidents in Haripur

    Three minors assaulted in separate incidents in Haripur

    Three minors, including two siblings, have reportedly been assaulted during the last two days in Haripur, reports Dawn.

    Police have said that one accused, allegedly a prayer leader, was arrested while the man charged in the other FIR is still at large.

    The police told Dawn that the father of the siblings complained that his 11-year-old son and 10-year-old daughter learnt the Holy Quran from Qari Qamar Zaman, the prayer leader accused of assaulting them.

    “The two children informed me on Friday that their teacher, who is also a native of the same village, assaulted each of them three to four times during the last few days intermittently,” the complainant stated in the FIR.

    The prayer leader serves in a mosque in Mohallah Choee Pind Hashim Khan.

    The FIR states that the suspect repeated the act on Friday afternoon, took the minor boy to his sleeping room situated within the premises of the mosque, and assaulted him.

    A case was registered under section 376 of PPC and section 53 of the Child Protection Act.

    The police confirmed that Qari Qamar Zaman has confessed to sexually abusing the two children. The initial medical examination of the victims at Haripur Trauma Centre proved the claims of assault.

    However, the case will proceed based on the final report of the Forensic Science Laboratory.

    In a similar incident, a gang of criminals allegedly abducted a school-going teenager and subjected him to sexual assault.

    The 16-year-old boy, identified as Luqman Shah, lodged a complaint with the police, stating that he was a student in 9th grade at a government school in Haripur.

    “On Friday when I was on way to my home after school time a boy from the same village offered me a ride, but instead of taking me to the village he took me to the house of one Gustasib alias Usama Kohistani in Mohallah Rasheed Abad and disappeared. After some time Gustasib forcibly assaulted me at gunpoint and warned me of dire consequences if I shared the ordeal with my parents,” he told the police.

    The victim’s family alleged that the suspects have support from the police.

    Express Tribune reported that local police have allegedly started supporting the suspect because he is in cohorts with the police.

    The teenager was abducted at gunpoint by a person named Taseem Ali and taken to the place of Gastasab who sexually assaulted him.

    The local police registered a case against these suspects, but the Investigation Officer (IO) and his fellow Moharrar provided relief to the accused party.

    Gastasab has been charged under section 376 of the Pakistan Penal Code.

    The other two suspects who abducted the victim and brought him back after the assault were not included in the FIR.

    Express Tribune reports that the police has a history of giving these criminals a room of relief in previous instances as well.

    The gang kidnaps innocent school and college students and threatens them. Meanwhile, their motorcycles bear police number plates.

    Waqar Malik, the maternal uncle of the victim, alleged that Gustasab’s uncle is posted as the Assistant Sub Inspector (ASI) at the City police station while relatives of other gang members are also posted on various posts in the local police.

    Meanwhile, the people of Haripur have demanded that the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Inspector General, the Hazara division Deputy Inspector General and the Haripur Deputy Police Officer should immediately take notice of this matter.