Tag: FIR

  • ‘Stop arresting journalists’; Supreme Court orders FIA

    ‘Stop arresting journalists’; Supreme Court orders FIA

    A three-member bench of the Supreme Court, led by Chief Justice Qazi Faez Isa, issued a directive instructing the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) to refrain from arresting any journalists until the next hearing of the suo motu case concerning the alleged harassment of media personnel.

    During the hearing, the lawyer for the Press Association of the Supreme Court, Barrister Salahuddin, argued that action was taken against journalists in the name of violation of privacy. The chief justice asked the lawyer how he would define privacy.

    Salahuddin said that the FIA had become accustomed to the misuse of the Prevention of Electronic Crimes Act (PECA). He added that the Islamabad High Court (IHC) had declared PECA’s Section 20 null and void. He replied in negative, when the chief justice asked whether the decision was challenged.

    Chief Justice Isa raised questions about the issuance of notices to journalists under Section 160 of the Pakistan Penal Code (PPC) before the registration of any First Information Report (FIR).

    The chief justice pointed out that many times there was a pressure from the above, so the officials send a notice to ward off the pressure, yet no FIR was registered and no arrest was made. Under this notice, he added, they could call anyone as witness.

    In response, Salahuddin stressed the importance of providing comprehensive details alongside such notices and argued that notices should only be sent after the registration of an FIR. Chief Justice Isa, however, suggested that officials might be reaching out to individuals to ascertain information before proceeding further.

    The court adjourned the hearing until April 2, ordering the FIA to refrain from arresting journalists until then. Chief Justice Isa emphasized that the court would only invalidate legal processes if they were proven illegal, highlighting the need for clarity and adherence to due process in such matters.

  • PTI to register FIR against Sanaullah for threatening Imran Khan

    PTI to register FIR against Sanaullah for threatening Imran Khan

    The Karachi leadership of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) has decided to lodge a First Information Report (FIR) against the ruling party Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) senior member Rana Sanaullah for allegedly threatening to kill Imran Khan.

    In recent interviews with TV channels, Sanaullah termed the mere political existence of Imran Khan a “problem”.
    The PTI, however, did not agree with the narrative and viewed Sanaullah’s remarks as a “demand” to assassinate Imran Khan.

    Rana Sanullah, however, clarified his position on Geo News saying he did not issue any death threat to Imran Khan. “Our relation with PTI is only political,” he said.

    Sanaullah remarked that if PTI chooses to leave the kind of exclusive politics which terms other politicians as “dacoits” and does not consider engaging with other political parties, then this problem would go away right at that moment.

    “If he [Imran Khan] doesn’t accept our political existence then why would we accept his,” asked Sanaullah.

    PTI leader Raoof Hasan said that his party’s core committee has decided to register cases against both PML-N leaders Sanaullah and Marriyum Aurangzeb for their threatening remarks to PTI’s Imran Khan.

  • Rs 2.5 crore gold stolen from Lal Shehbaz Qalander shrine

    Rs 2.5 crore gold stolen from Lal Shehbaz Qalander shrine

    The Sindh Auqaf Department has nominated one of the managers of the tomb of Lal Shehbaz Qalander shrine in a First Information Report (FIR) filed for allegedly stealing gold and silver worth Rs 25.7 million from the shrine.

    Muhammad Zubair Baloch, serving in the shrine for 12 years, was suspended from his job a day earlier. Caretaker Sindh Minister for Auqaf and Religious Affairs Mohammad Umer Soomro suspended him for stealing gold worth Rs. 12.3 million from the offering box over the last month, as reported by Dawn. The case was registered at Sehwan police station, Jamshoro district.

    A private employee, Ali Raza Gopang, was also named in the FIR along with Baloch under sections 407, 409, 380, 457, 427, and 34 of the Pakistan Penal Code (PPC). He is yet to be arrested.

    Auqaf’s administrator for Sukkur and Larkana divisions, Irshad Ali Samo, the complainant in the FIR, told police that over 57 tolas of gold and 3,133 tolas of silver had been stolen from the shrine’s maalkhana [store]. He told the police that the shrine received 210.6 tolas of gold in 20 years from November 22, 2004, to August 17, 2023, reported the Express Tribune.

    The Auqaf department deposited 141 tolas in a locker of the National Bank of Pakistan’s (NBP) main branch in Hyderabad on July 2, 2013. While 68.15 tolas of gold and 4,836.13 of silver accumulated at the shrine’s storage during the last decade. “However, when a jeweler was called to weigh gold and silver on December 19, only 11.8 tolas of gold and 1703.4 of silver were found in the store”, the spokesperson of the department added.

    The administrator informed the police that during the departmental investigation, the suspect conceded negligence and admitted that he gave keys to the store to Gopang without authorisation.

    Devotees give gifts in the form of cash and ornaments during their visits to the Lal’s shrine and at other shrines in the province. However, embezzlement of those gifts has long remained a subject of concern.

    The spokesperson of the ministry quoted the minister saying that a similar investigation into possible theft of offerings against managers of all shrines in the province would be conducted.

  • FIR filed against Australian batsman Mitchel Marsh in India

    FIR filed against Australian batsman Mitchel Marsh in India

    An FIR has been filed against Australian opener Mitchel Marsh in Uttar Pradesh, India, by RTI activist Keshav Pandit.

    After Australia won the World Cup, a picture of Mitchell Marsh resting his legs on the trophy went viral on social media. He later removed the picture from social media but Indians are still on his case.

    The FIR was filed by RTI activist Pandit Keshu in Aligarh, Uttar Pradesh, India. The prosecution has also sent a copy of the FIR to Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, in which he has demanded a ban on Mitchell Marsh from participating in any cricket activity.

    The FIR against Mitchell Marsh has been filed after the complaint of former Indian player Irfan Pathan, who said that he was hurt by Mitchell’s action.

    This is not the first time that a case has been filed against a foreign cricketer in India. In October, an Indian lawyer filed a complaint in the ICC against Pakistani wicketkeeper-batsman Mohammad Rizwan, asking that he be stopped from offering prayers on the ground during the match.

  • What is the ‘Farah Gogi fiasco’?

    What is the ‘Farah Gogi fiasco’?

    The disclosed assets of Farhat Shahzadi, also known as Farah Gogi, alleged to be the front person of former Prime Minister Imran Khan, surged by an astonishing Rs4.52 billion between 2017 and 2020, a report by Express News has stated. 

    The revelations, made public on Thursday, suggest widespread corruption involving Shahzadi, a close associate of Imran Khan and his wife, former First Lady Bushra Bibi. 

    The details of Farah Gogi’s assets were made public by journalist Zahid Gishkori in 2022, who was associated with Samaa News at that time.

    Farah Gogi, who confessed to owning assets worth Rs950 million in 2020, saw a staggering 420% increase in her declared assets during the tenure of the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) government. 

    The report alleges that she also possesses undisclosed assets amounting to Rs3.82 billion.

    The disclosed assets, as per the report, include agricultural land in Bahawalpur and Gujranwala, residential and commercial properties in Islamabad and Lahore, and 200 kanals of agricultural land in Chakri. 

    Furthermore, investigations revealed her involvement in crimes such as money laundering, with accusations of working as a fake doctor in the UK alongside her husband.

    The report claims that Gogi took advantage of the tax amnesty scheme in 2018, regularizing Rs489 million in black money collected through bribes for various postings, transfers, and government contracts. 

    The report further alleges that Gogi received 240 kanals of land as a bribe from a property tycoon involved in an out-of-court settlement with the UK’s National Crime Agency.

    According to the report, the number of Gogi’s bank accounts showed a significant abnormal increase from 2019 to 2021, with Rs426 million deposited in one account through 47 transactions from 2018 to 2022. 

    In total, 102 bank accounts linked to Gogi, her husband, and associates across the country were identified, with a sum of Rs14.5 billion.

    In response to these allegations, Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz Central Deputy General Secretary Ataullah Tarar held a press conference in Lahore, accusing Gogi and others of engaging in corruption. 

    He urged Gogi to return to Pakistan and testify about Imran Khan’s involvement.

    Imran Khan’s lawyer, Sher Afzal Marwat, dismissed the allegations as a new wave of propaganda against Bushra Bibi, Imran’s wife. 

    Marwat emphasized the need to avoid further political unrest in Pakistan.

    Secret foreign passport

    Recent developments indicate that Farah Gogi used a secret foreign passport to travel abroad for the alleged purpose of laundering wealth belonging to Imran Khan and his wife, Bushra Bibi as per Geo News.

    The Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) had registered a money-laundering and kickbacks case against Gogi in March, with her bank accounts reportedly holding over Rs14 billion.

    Meanwhile, Gogi sent a legal notice to the NAB chairman, FIA DG, Punjab IG, and Anti-Corruption Department (ACE) DG on the issue of leaking her property details.

    According to the fresh reports, Gogi used to travel abroad on the passport of Vanuatu, a string of more than 80 islands once known as the New Hebrides which is situated in the southwestern Pacific Ocean.

    The sources also claimed that the son of a property tycoon had been given the task of arranging a secret international passport for Gogi. The property tycoon’s son paid $130,000 to a renowned trader to obtain the passport.

    On March 28, 2022, the secret passport was handed over to Gogi, the sources added.

    In order to get her escape from accountability, Gogi was sent abroad on a Pakistani passport just six days before the Khan-led government was toppled. 

    In a bid to dodge the investigation agencies, she travelled abroad on a foreign passport, except Dubai.

  • SNGPL cracks down on gas theft, imposing Rs3 crore in fines

    SNGPL cracks down on gas theft, imposing Rs3 crore in fines

    In an ongoing endeavour to combat gas theft, Sui Northern Gas Pipelines Limited (SNGPL) has successfully identified and addressed 55 instances of unauthorised gas connections, resulting in the imposition of fines amounting to Rs30 million.  

    According to APP, these concerted efforts have been executed across various regions of Pakistan. 

    According to a company spokesperson, within the city of Lahore, the local SNGPL team has taken decisive action by discontinuing 15 gas connections due to unlawful gas consumption, in addition to two connections linked to the unauthorised use of compressors.  

    Furthermore, 47 cases of underbilling have been meticulously scrutinised, leading to the initiation of a First Information Report (FIR) against the offenders. 

    In Bahawalpur, the SNGPL team has demonstrated their commitment by disconnecting seven connections attributed to compressor usage and 16 connections associated with unauthorised gas consumption.  

    Additionally, 17 cases of underbilling have been diligently processed. The company has levied a fine of Rs40,000 on those engaged in pilfering gas. 

    In Multan, 11 connections have been severed due to illegal gas consumption, while nine have been disconnected for compressor usage. Six instances of underbilling have undergone rigorous examination, resulting in the imposition of appropriate fines. 

    In Sheikhupura, one connection has been disconnected due to compressor usage, and a comprehensive review of 63 underbilling cases has been undertaken.  

    In both Peshawar and Karak, 44 gas connections have been terminated owing to direct gas consumption and the presence of illicit connections. Additionally, two FIRs have been filed against those involved in gas theft. 

    In Rawalpindi, six gas connections have been discontinued due to direct and unauthorised gas consumption, with one connection linked to the use of compressors. 

  • Case against UK-based PTI activist Shayan Ali filed under anti-terror law in Islamabad

    Case against UK-based PTI activist Shayan Ali filed under anti-terror law in Islamabad

    A case has been filed under anti-terror laws against Shayan Ali – a UK-based based activist of the the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI)- at Ramna Police Station in Islamabad.

    According to the First Information Report (FIR), Shayan Ali made videos of a judicial officer Humayun Dilawar and harassed him in London.
    “An attempt was made to attack a judicial officer, he was saved by a security official,” the FIR adds.
    According to the copy of FIR received by Geo News, the SHO of the Ramna Police Station Nasir Iqbal filed the FIR due to the several videos of Shayyan threatening a judicial officer.

    “In one video which went viral on social media, Shayan said that he would make the life of the judicial officer hell who was come to a training at an educational institution in the United Kingdom,” the FIR stated.

    The report asserted that Shayan had also called on other Pakistanis to join him in “making the official’s life hell”.
    Moreover, Adil Farooq Raja, another prominent PTI social media activist, joined the activities online by making these videos aiding and abetting the “terrorist activators”, the FIR claimed.

  • Police arrest suspect behind rape at Islamabad’s Margalla hill hiking trail 

    Police arrest suspect behind rape at Islamabad’s Margalla hill hiking trail 

    Islamabad police have on Sunday arrested the suspect involved in the alleged rape of a woman that took place on trail 3 of the capital’s Margalla Hills.

    Last week Friday, the Islamabad police registered a first information report (FIR) after a woman complained that a man had lured her with a job prospect before raping her at gunpoint on Thursday afternoon. 

    According to the FIR, the complainant had been looking for a job and received a message via WhatsApp from a person around two months ago, Dawn reports.

    “He told me he was an accountant in the education department, where some vacancies were available,” the victim is quoted as saying in the FIR. In return for a job, the man asked for Rs50,000. 

    After some correspondence, where the victim met the suspect and provided him with her curriculum vitae and Rs30,000, saying she would pay the remaining 20,000 once she received a written order of employment.

    Under the guise of picking up the victim for a job interview, the suspect drove her to Margalla Hills’ trail 3, where the victim said she was taken to the jungle and raped at gunpoint around 3pm. 

    In a statement issued on Sunday, the Islamabad Police said it was successful in arresting the suspect after a three-day effort, adding that they arrested the man on ‘technical bases’, claiming the victim was not assisting the police in the investigation. 

    Statement issued by Islamabad Police via Twitter.

    Moreover, they said that the investigation is taking place ‘on merit’, citing the victim’s medical report in which apparently no evidence of abuse was found. 

    Furthermore, the statement reveals the complainant and the accused knew each other. However, Islamabad Police asserted that all aspects of the case will be investigated.

  • Khyber Pakhtunkhwa businessmen threaten industrial shutdown amidst worsening law and order situation

    Khyber Pakhtunkhwa businessmen threaten industrial shutdown amidst worsening law and order situation

    Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) business community has expressed their concerns regarding the unfavorable law and order conditions, threatening a potential shutdown of industrial operations.

    Malik Imran Ishaq, President of Hayyatabad Industrial State, highlighted the persistent issue of extortion demands faced by industrialists. He further stated that unidentified individuals resort to grenade attacks on residences and offices when businessmen fail to comply with the extortion demands.

    In light of these circumstances, the president of the KP industrialists association has urged the government to ensure adequate security measures, emphasising that failure to do so would force them to halt their industrial activities.

    The deteriorating law and order situation in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) province has become a cause for concern among businessmen and residents alike.

    As per available records, a total of 411 incidents were reported in the province in the year 2022, out of which 342 cases were filed in relation to extortion.

    Additionally, the Counter Terrorism Department (CTD) registered First Information Reports (FIRs) for 69 extortion incidents and successfully apprehended 173 individuals involved in extortion activities during the same year.

  • Karachi teenage girl allegedly marries her kidnapper

    Karachi teenage girl allegedly marries her kidnapper

    A teenage girl who had been reported missing from Karachi has allegedly married her kidnapper in Lahore, according to police, Dawn has reported.

    The girl’s family had filed a First Information Report (FIR) under Section 365-B of PPC while the police had conducted raids in Peshawar and Lahore to find her.

    The police have claimed that the girl married the kidnapper with her consent. The family had named Abdullah in the FIR, and according to Korangi-SSP Sajid Amir Sadozai, the girl’s marriage documents are being verified.

    The girl had gone missing on February 13. The case is currently under investigation, and further details are yet to be revealed.