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  • Two journalists booked for interviewing suspects in Toba Tek Singh Maria murder case

    Two journalists booked for interviewing suspects in Toba Tek Singh Maria murder case

    Update: Local police on Saturday booked a reporter and a cameraman of a private TV channel for “illegally” recording and broadcasting on social media the interviews of the three in-custody suspects in the Maria murder case, reports Dawn.

    In the First Information Report (FIR) complainant Station House Officer (SHO) Muhammad Hasan stated that the private TV channel’s reporter Rana Khalid Mahmood and cameraman Ali Ahmad violated the law by recording video statements of the suspects in custody, without permission of the concerned authorities.

    However, no arrest has so far been made in the case.

    Meanwhile, journalists’ organizations have expressed concern over the registration of the case under the Prevention of Electronic Crimes Act (PECA) declaring it beyond the Punjab police’s domain to book any media person. They also urged Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz to take notice of the alleged violation of law by the Punjab police and warned the government that journalists would be forced to stage protests if the “illegal” FIR against the two media persons was not dismissed.

    The TV reporter, Rana Khalid, claims his lawyers had filed his pre-arrest bail plea before the court who refused to hear it with the remarks that the cases under PECA should be heard by a Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) court.

    However, in the case, BOL News is claiming that the brother who filmed the murder, Shehbaz, and his wife Sumera have been convicted by the court for hiding the murder of 22-year-old Maria under section 201 of the penal code of Pakistan. They have been sent to jail on judicial remand.

    Previously, in the Toba Tek Singh’s Maria murder case, the brother, Faisal, who was seen murdering the sister in the video, and the complicit father, Abdul Sattar, lying on a bed beside him have alleged that the brother who filmed it raped her. The two were talking to the media when they said that.

    The matter of the brutal murder and it being filmed was discussed by Zarar Khuro, Wusatullah Khan, and Shahzaib Jillani in their show Zara Hat Kay. The reporter Sultan Sidhu explained that a four day remand has been taken again and shocking revelations have been made in the case as the alleged complicit duo of father and son have told the police that Shehbaz the brother who filmed it was raping Maria and not them.

    https://youtu.be/6jh5M4ybXd4?si=OEGBT7zHEYu_F4CK

    Previously, lawyer Kamran Zafar, Maria’s elder brother Shehbaz’s lawyer announced the withdrawal of his advocacy in the case.

    The lawyer announced the withdrawal of his letter of attorney in Toba Tek Singh, citing he cannot advocate for “beasts”

    Maria,22, murder case was heard in a local court of Toba Tek Singh. The main accused Faisal and his father were presented before the court. During the hearing, the police requested 14 days remand of the accused in the case, however, the magistrate approved a four-day remand.

    Lawyer said Shahbaz and his wife were misleading, and he could not represent such “beasts” before the court, reports ARY News.

    Meanwhile, the family of Maria alleged that lawyer after taking Rs 400,000 decided to help the police.

    Moreover, the elder sister of deceased Maria Bibi revealed shocking details and demanded justice from the authorities in an interview with ARY News.

    The statement of the deceased Maria Bibi’s elder sister, Kosar, has come to light in which she stated that her brother informed her at 1 am that Maria’s condition had deteriorated but when she arrived home she was already dead. “She was subjected to severe torture and brutally murdered as she saw blood flowing from Maria’s nose, said Kosar.

    Background

    The horrific video of the murder of a 22-year-old girl in Toba Tek Singh has gone viral in which one of her brothers strangled her while being encouraged by their father while the other brother was filming. The father and the brother who killed the girl have been accused of allegedly raping the victim.

    The video of the gruesome murder of Maria in 477 JB, a suburb of Toba Tek Singh, has invoked horrified reactions on the internet. The video, filmed inside what looks like a room in a rural home, shows Faisal strangling Maria while her father Abdul Sattar is lying down, seemingly not bothered by his daughter’s death. The other brother’s wife Sumaira can also be seen standing in the room in the video. Meanwhile the brother who was secretly filming the incident, Shehbaz, filmed the clip on the pretext of talking to a friend on the phone.

    A two-day physical remand of the victim’s brother Faisal and father Abdul Sattar, arrested on the charge of murder, has been obtained, while the other brother of the victim, Shehbaz, who made the video, and the sister-in-law Sumaira, who is seen in the video, have also been made part of the investigation, as per the police.

    The neck bone of the girl is broken, reveals the preliminary investigation.

    Relatives of the victim and the neighbours say that the three of them- father and sons- killed the girl and tried to hide the crime by burying her and declaring her death to be natural.

    The father and son strangled Maria together between the nights of March 17 and 18, according to the police report. The brother who made the video, Shehbaz, has accused his brother and father of killing the victim after she complained of rape.

    https://youtu.be/a3M40PEV_XQ?si=yFCPQ2rgsv3KU2Mj

    In the video, Maria’s brother Shehbaz could be heard suggesting to his father and younger brother Faisal to free the sister.

    Reporter Geo News Sajid Majeed explained that Shehbaz instantly informed the police but no action was taken. Consequently, his lawyer shared the video in various groups and made it viral on social media. This prompted the police to arrest the two murderers.

    Shahbaz said that when he tried to rescue Maria, his brother and father threatened to kill his daughters too.

    “I cannot resist for the sake of my daughters but I recorded the murder from my mobile pretending to be speaking on a phone call,” he added while talking to Samaa News.

    https://youtu.be/USGwB0im1uA?si=xNYEUw3b0VjNN5Qj

    Shahbaz asked the police to register the case on his complaint, not on behalf of the state, reports 24 News.

    Maria’s sister-in-law has said that when they entered the room, Maria’s hands and feet were tied.

    DPO Ibadat Nisar Toba Tek Singh has said that DNA tests of the three fathers and sons are being conducted while the samples have been sent for forensics after the exhumation and post-mortem of the victim.

  • Babar Azam has a crush on a very unusual choice

    Babar Azam has a crush on a very unusual choice

    Batting superstar Babar Azam is the crush of many fans but does he have a crush on anyone? Well, yes he does but his choice is rather unusual.

    During an interview on YouTube channel Zalmi TV Babar was asked by the host that whether he has a crush on someone.

    https://youtu.be/fuRJqe_rO90?si=2_i1KFYoLTNLylJI&t=4028

    Thinking for few seconds, Babar finally replied, “No I don’t have a crush on anyone. But yes, I have a crush on my cricket bats.”

    There you go girls. Your competition is a wooden bat. Good luck competing with that.

  • I couldn’t sleep the night we lost to Afghanistan in World Cup: Babar Azam

    I couldn’t sleep the night we lost to Afghanistan in World Cup: Babar Azam

    Pakistan cricket team star batsman Babar Azam has revealed that when the team lost to Afghanistan in the ODI World Cup 2023, under his captaincy, he couldn’t sleep.

    During an interview on the YouTube channel Zalmi TV, Azam spoke openly about the shocking defeat against Afghanistan and the pain he went through.

    “That match was very painful for me because losing to Afghanistan in the World Cup was very disappointing. Afghanistan played very good cricket in this match and we could not give such a performance but we tried.”

    https://youtu.be/fuRJqe_rO90?si=rDUCx0MFKT5SPO6y&t=1090

    “We had a pretty good total but the way both the Afghanistan batsmen played, it looked like they were not going to get out on this pitch, I think they should also be given credit.”

    The host asked how many days it took to get over the defeat, to which Babar replied, “It takes a while to get over it. Not every day is good and that is part of life.”

  • Tesla cancels affordable electric car, shifts focus to Robotaxis

    Tesla cancels affordable electric car, shifts focus to Robotaxis

    Tesla has made a significant shift in its strategy, announcing the cancellation of its long-awaited affordable electric car, a move that has left investors and consumers stunned.

    The decision, revealed by three reliable sources familiar with the matter and corroborated by company messages obtained by Reuters, marks a departure from Tesla’s earlier mission of bringing affordable electric vehicles to the masses.

    The automaker, instead, will pivot its resources towards the development of self-driving robotaxis, utilizing the same small-vehicle platform, according to insiders. This strategic redirection signifies a significant deviation from Tesla CEO Elon Musk’s previous commitments and vision outlined in the company’s initial “master plan” in 2006.

    Musk, who has often emphasized the goal of making electric cars accessible to a broader audience, had initially promised investors and consumers an affordable vehicle following the success of luxury models. However, despite repeated assurances from Musk, including as recent as January, wherein he outlined plans for production at Tesla’s Texas factory by the second half of 2025, those aspirations have been dashed.

    Tesla’s cheapest model currently available, the Model 3 sedan, comes with a price tag of approximately $39,000 in the United States. The now-scrapped entry-level vehicle, often referred to as the Model 2, was anticipated to be priced around $25,000.

    In response to inquiries, Tesla remained silent, offering no official comment on the matter. However, Musk took to social media platform X to dispute the Reuters report, without specifying any inaccuracies, leading to a momentary fluctuation in Tesla’s stock prices.

    Following Musk’s online intervention, where he hinted at an upcoming Tesla Robotaxi unveiling, the company’s shares experienced a rebound in after-hours trading. This abrupt change in direction comes amidst mounting competition in the global electric vehicle market, particularly from Chinese manufacturers offering vehicles at significantly lower price points.

    The decision to prioritize the development of self-driving robotaxis, though potentially lucrative, poses considerable engineering challenges and regulatory hurdles, as highlighted by industry experts.

    Leaks reveal that the decision to scrap the Model 2 was communicated to employees in a meeting held in late February, further underscoring Tesla’s strategic pivot in the face of evolving market dynamics.

  • Crackdown intensifies against illegal constructions in Karachi

    Crackdown intensifies against illegal constructions in Karachi

    The Sindh Building Control Authority (SBCA) has intensified efforts to combat unauthorised constructions across Karachi, leading to the demolition of several structures, including wedding halls.

    In a recent operation targeting illegal construction in District Central Karachi, SBCA personnel faced gunfire from unidentified individuals. Despite the danger, SBCA officials pressed on, successfully demolishing the fourth floor of a targeted building.

    The Director General of SBCA, Abdul Rasheed Solangi, swiftly directed the Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) Central to apprehend the culprits and initiate legal action against those responsible for the shooting.

    Solangi stressed the crucial need for resolute enforcement against illegal construction, commending the dedication and integrity of the SBCA staff. He assured them of unwavering support to ensure their safety and effectiveness in carrying out their duties amidst challenges.

    The crackdown on illegal construction continues across various parts of the city. Abdul Rasheed Solangi, along with the Demolition Squad, oversaw the demolition of multiple buildings in areas such as Essa Nagri, Paposh Nagar, and Gulberg.

    Additionally, over 13 illegal structures have been dismantled in localities including Saddar Town, Jamshed Town, Gulberg, and Gulshan-e-Iqbal.

    Director General Abdul Rasheed Solangi personally supervises the ongoing crackdown on illegal construction, underscoring the authority’s commitment to uphold building regulations and ensure public safety.

    Meanwhile, Minister for Local Government Saeed Ghani has issued directives to eradicate all forms of unauthorised construction in the city. He emphasised the importance of taking stringent action against any SBCA officials found complicit in facilitating illegal construction.

  • Travellers suffer as transporters jack up prices before Eid

    Travellers suffer as transporters jack up prices before Eid

    The recent spike in petroleum prices has triggered a transportation crisis as transporters exploit passengers by hiking fares.

    With Eidul Fitr set for April 10, families are flocking to their hometowns, crowding terminals and the Rawalpindi Railway Station.

    The government’s decision to raise petroleum prices has made long-distance travel challenging for the public.

    Transporters, citing increased fuel costs, have raised fares by 30 to 40 per cent, with some even doubling the usual rates. Despite this, authorities appear indifferent to commuters’ plight.

    Secretary of the District Regional Transport Authority (DRTA), Muhammad Rashid, promises action to curb overcharging during Eid. He pledges strict measures, including fines and vehicle confiscation, and personally oversees terminals to enforce regulations.

    Many families express frustration with the timing of the official Eid holidays, urging for an earlier start to aid travel plans.

    Consequently, a significant number of non-local residents have already left, with more planning to depart by ‘Chand Raat.’ Concerns about overcrowded transportation hubs persist, especially at Rawalpindi Railway Station.

    To avoid anticipated congestion, many office-goers have sent their families ahead. Rashid Mehmood, bound for Lahore, recounts past experiences of exploitation by private transporters during festivals.

    Crowds gather at various terminals, eager to secure tickets for their journeys. However, irregularities in ticket sales emerge, with allegations of seat hoarding and ticket reselling at inflated prices.

    Further complaints arise about the lack of available vehicles despite valid tickets, highlighting systemic failures in managing overcharging and overloading concerns.

    As Eid approaches, addressing these issues becomes urgent, emphasising the need for swift regulatory measures to protect travellers’ rights and ensure fair access to transportation services.

  • Shaheen should have been given a full chance as captain: Zaka Ashraf

    Shaheen should have been given a full chance as captain: Zaka Ashraf

    Former Chairman Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) Zaka Ashraf has said that the decision to remove Shaheen Shah Afridi from the captaincy was taken hastily, Shaheen should have been given a full chance as captain.

    While talking to the media in Lahore, Zaka Ashraf said, “There are good wishes for the world class batsman Babar Azam. Shahid Afridi had not given me any advice to make Rizwan the captain.”

    Talking about the appointment of coaches for the team, former chairman PCB, “The coaches should be local or foreign, only for the betterment of the team.”

    On January 19, 2024 Zaka Ashraf had resigned as Chairman Management Committee and Member Board of Governors.

  • Why unprotected eclipse gazing will leave you seeing stars

    Why unprotected eclipse gazing will leave you seeing stars

    Just a single, unguarded glance at a solar eclipse can result in a lifetime of vision loss, eye health experts warn.

    On Monday, tens of millions of spectators across Mexico, the United States and Canada will witness the Moon completely obscure the Sun’s light, a rare celestial spectacle that won’t be visible for most of North America again until 2044.

    Medical literature is teeming with examples of people who suffered damage to their retinas — the layer of light-sensitive tissue at the back of the eye — and health professionals are offering advice on how to avoid becoming the next cautionary tale.

    Aaron Zimmerman, a clinical professor of optometry at the Ohio State University, told AFP that the dangers of sungazing during eclipses were discussed by the ancient Greek philosopher Socrates, but it wasn’t until recently that science really caught up with how eye injury happened.

    When it comes to eclipses, he explained, the main damage comes from “photochemical toxicity,” where short, high-energy wavelengths of light — blues, violets and non-visible ultraviolets — trigger chemical reactions that damage the rods and cones of the retina.

    Cue visits to the emergency department by people with complaints of blurry vision, changes in color perception, and blind spots, with the outlook for recovery far from certain.

    Human beings inherently look away from the Sun because of the discomfort it causes, but during eclipses “you can psychologically override” that instinct, explained Zimmerman.

    A famous journal report about the 2017 US solar eclipse involved a woman in her twenties who presented to the New York Eye and Ear Infirmary after looking at the solar rim “several times for approximately 6 seconds without protective glasses” and then later with eclipse glasses.

    Hours later, objects started to look fuzzy and out of shape, colors became distorted, and she developed a central black spot in her left eye.

    An advanced imaging technique was able to show the damage at the cellular level which persisted on her follow up six weeks later.

    Young adults might be more susceptible, the authors of the paper said, because of larger pupils, clearer eye structure, or “poorer recognition of the dangers” of viewing eclipses with improper eyewear.

    “In some cases, it’s just partially damaged and it may resolve so that you don’t notice it anymore,” Neil Bressler, a professor of ophthalmology at Johns Hopkins University and editor-in-chief of JAMA Ophthalmology told AFP. If recovery happens, it’s normally within the first six months.

    “But in other cases, it can leave a permanent blank spot… and we don’t have a treatment to reverse that. It’s like brain tissue, once you lose it, it won’t grow back,” added Bressler.

    The best way to view the eclipse is with eclipse sunglasses, which block out 99.999 percent of light. Always go for genuine products. To test if your glasses are up to standard, “find the brightest light bulb in your home — and then look at that from up close and you should barely be able to see the light,” said Zimmerman.

    If it’s too late to procure specialist eyewear, then there are indirect methods, such as punching a pinhole into a cardboard and letting the light shine onto another surface, or even using the humble kitchen colander to the same effect. NASA’s webcast is another option.

    Those fortunate enough to be in the “path of totality,” under which the Moon will fully block out the Sun, can look up without glasses and admire the Sun’s outer atmosphere, or corona, glowing from behind the silhouette of the Moon.

    But, said Bressler, the danger is not having protection before and after those precious moments, which can last anywhere from seconds to a few minutes, depending on your location.

    “You must know when it begins and use protection before that, and you may be enamored by looking at all this, but you must have some alarm to tell you it’s about to end,” he warned.

  • Swiss farmers dump dead sheep in protest against rising number of wolves

    Swiss farmers dump dead sheep in protest against rising number of wolves

    Swiss sheep farmers on Saturday dumped the bodies of animals killed by wolves in front of a regional government building, demanding more action against the predators, Swiss media reported.

    Around a dozen breeders came from the Saint-Barthelemy area in the western Swiss canton of Vaud to lay out the carcasses of 12 sheep in front of the regional government headquarters in Lausanne, the Chateau Saint-Maire.

    “These sheep were killed last night,” Eric Herb, a member of a Swiss association demanding the regulation of big predators, was quoted as saying by the Keystone-ATS news agency.

    “It is really time to act.”

    “We are sick of this. We want the wolf killed,” agreed Patrick Perroud, a farmer and butcher from the nearby municipality of Oulens.

    “Cohabitation is not possible. Our territory is too small,” he told Keystone-ATS.

    The protesters told the news agency that wolves had killed 17 sheep in the same area late last month, two earlier this week and 13 overnight to Saturday.

    “The breeders have played nice until now, but this time it was too much,” Herb said.

    The protesters were planning to increase the pressure on the Vaud government environment minister, Vassilis Venizelos of the Green Party, he said.

    One of the protesters’ banners read: “Vassilis step down”, Keystone-ATS reported.

    The breeders had briefly negotiated with regional police before being allowed to lay down the animal carcasses on tarpaulin in front of the Chateau.

    Participants in the protest, which was supported by the regional chapter of the far-right Swiss People’s Party — Switzerland’s largest party — lamented that they were losing sleep.

    “We have to check on our animals every night,” one was quoted as saying.

    After being wiped out more than a century ago, wolves have in recent decades begun returning to Switzerland and to several other European countries.

    Since the first pack was spotted in the wealthy Alpine nation in 2012, the number of packs swelled to 32 last year, with around 300 individual wolves counted.

    Nature conservation groups have hailed the return as a sign of a healthier and more diverse ecosystem.

    But breeders and herders complain of attacks on livestock and have been ramping up demands to cull more wolves.

    Swiss authorities last year relaxed the rules for hunting the protected species, and decided to allow large preventative culls in the most affected cantons but swift legal actions put those plans partially on ice.

    The debate in several parts of Europe about wolves rose up the political agenda in September.

    In an open letter to the European Commission, eight leading conservation groups said there were ways to make coexistence easier between humans and large wild animals like wolves.

    “Damage to livestock is often linked to the lack of adequate supervision and/or physical protection,” they said. They pointed to strategies such as “the training of dogs to protect herds, education of herders, tools and technical solutions to deter wolves”.

  • Gold rates close week at all-time high of Rs245,100 per tola

    Gold rates close week at all-time high of Rs245,100 per tola

    Gold prices in Pakistan soared to unprecedented levels this week, surpassing previous records and reaching an all-time high, fueled by a significant surge in international rates.

    The prominent benchmark of the local gold market concluded the week at an extraordinary Rs245,100 per tola, marking a notable increase of Rs10,300 compared to the previous week’s closing figures.

    The ongoing rally in the domestic bullion market has been evident since March, during which the precious metal witnessed a substantial surge of Rs19,100, closely mirroring the upward trajectory of international gold prices.

    Notably, the preceding peak for 24-karat gold was recorded earlier in the week at Rs240,000, as documented on May 10, 2023.

    According to the Karachi Sarafa Association, the price of 24-karat gold surged to Rs210,134 per 10 grammes, registering an impressive increase of Rs8,831 week-on-week.

    Similarly, the price of 22-karat gold also experienced an upward trend, being quoted at Rs192,62 per 10 grammes.

    The remarkable ascent in gold prices underscores the dynamic nature of global economic factors impacting the precious metals market, highlighting the heightened demand and investor sentiment towards gold as a safe-haven asset amidst economic uncertainties.