Aerial firing to celebrate Independence Day has injured 70 people in Karachi.
The injured persons were taken to hospitals from different areas of Karachi, including Korangi, Gulshan e Iqbal, Mauripur, PIB colony, Jamshed Quarter, Lyari, and Malir, rescue sources told Geo News.
Firing was also reported in Gulshan-e-Iqbal, Nazimabad, Sharifabad, Pak Colony, and Akhtar Colony.
Women and children were also injured, however , no loss of life has been reported till now.
The Mumbai Police has finished their interrogation of the people who shot at Bollywood star Salman Khan’s house.
According to reports from Indian media, the two gunmen who fired at Salman Khan’s house in Mumbai’s Bandra area were caught in Bhoj, Gujarat. Both of them are from Bihar area in Gujarat state.
Unit 9 of India’s Crime Branch completed the investigation and gave the report to the local court, revealing that the gunmen wanted to kill the Bollywood superstar. After opening fire, they threw their guns into the Surat river.
Now, the police want the court to keep the two suspects for 14 days to find out who planned the attack. Earlier, the suspects were already with the police for nine days.
The suspects told the police they shot at Salman Khan’s house because gangster Lawrence Bishnoi, who’s in jail, paid them to do it.
The police told the media the suspects didn’t want to hurt Salman Khan or his family, but to scare people.
New update
The Mumbai Crime Branch has arrested two gunmen, Vicky Gupta and Sagar Pal, for firing outside Salman Khan’s house in Bandra West. They were captured in Gujarat’s Bhuj district after leaving Mumbai following the incident. The police will question them further in Mumbai and present them in court. The shooters fired four shots from a motorcycle but luckily, no one was injured. Salman Khan was at home during the shooting. The suspects then abandoned their motorcycle near a church, traveled by train and autorickshaw to escape. Both are linked to Anmol Bishnoi, the brother of a known criminal. The arrest is a significant step in the investigation to uncover the motive behind the shooting and any connections to criminal networks.
Anmol Bishnoi, brother of gangster Lawrence Bishnoi, who claimed responsibility for the shooting outside Bollywood actor Salman Khan’s residence in Mumbai, has issued another threat to the superstar.
“Yesterday, outside Salman Khan’s residence, two people wearing helmets on motorbikes opened fire,” said the police. A case has been registered, according to which one of the two suspects who fired is from Gurugram, but the suspects have been arrested.
According to Indian media reports, “Gangster Lawrence Bishnoi’s brother has accepted responsibility of the shooting on social media.” Reports stated that through a Facebook post, Anmol Bishnoi, warned Salman Khan, “We want peace, but if the decision is war, then we agree, Salman Khan! We have done this to show you the trailer so that you understand our capabilities and don’t test us. This is our first and last warning to you, after that bullets will not be fired just at houses.”
Salman Khan’s father Saleem Khan, talking to Indian media, said that “My family was not harmed during the shooting, the shots fired by unknown persons were an attempt to gain public attention. Yes, the accused only want publicity, so no need to worry.”
Scream 7 has lost not only its leading ladies, but also its director.
Christopher Landon shared a statement on social media saying that he left the latest installment of the franchise over a month and a half ago, describing the project as a “nightmare.”
“I guess now is as good a time as any to announce I formally exited Scream 7 weeks ago,” Landon wrote on X, formerly known as Twitter, on Saturday. “This will disappoint some and delight others. It was a dream job that turned into a nightmare. And my heart did break for everyone involved. Everyone.”
I guess now is as good a time as any to announce I formally exited Scream 7 weeks ago. This will disappoint some and delight others. It was a dream job that turned into a nightmare. And my heart did break for everyone involved. Everyone. But it’s time to move on. I have nothing
— christopher landon (@creetureshow) December 23, 2023
more to add to the conversation other than I hope Wes’ legacy thrives and lifts above the din of a divided world. What he and Kevin created is something amazing and I was honored to have even the briefest moment basking in their glow.
— christopher landon (@creetureshow) December 23, 2023
“It’s time to move on,” the director said, adding that he has nothing more to add to the conversation. “I hope Wes’ legacy thrives and lifts above the din of a divided world,” he continued. “What he and Kevin [Williamson, who wrote the screenplay for Scream] created is something amazing and I was honored to have even the briefest moment basking in their glow.”
Landon left Scream VII a month after Melissa Barrera, who was in the fifth and sixth films of the franchise, was fired after she shared messages on social media supporting the Palestinian cause and criticizing Israel’s airstrikes.
The director of Happy Death Day and Freaky, in a now-deleted social media post, seemed to comment on Barrera’s firing, saying, “This is my statement. Everything sucks. Stop yelling. This was not my decision to make.”
Wednesday star Jenna Ortega also departed from Scream 7 the day after Barrera’s exit became public. However, the exact reason for Ortega leaving wasn’t disclosed. The actress too had shared pro-Palestine posts on social media. Instead, it was widely believed and reported that she departed due to scheduling conflicts with Season 2 of the her super hit Netflix show Wednesday.
A man in Baghbanpura, Lahore, gunned down his ex-wife and in-laws including her father, brother, and sister as they were returning from a wedding ceremony on Saturday night.
As per police reports, Kiran got divorced two years ago and was residing with her parents in Faisalabad. She had come to Lahore for a family wedding. She had divorced her husband for his involvement in criminal activities, reported Dunya News.
Witnesses have reported about him dragging one of the women out and kicking her repeatedly.
Two other ladies and the accused daughter have been injured in the firing.
IG Punjab Usman Anwar has ordered an immediate investigation into the matter.
The suspect, however, has not been arrested till now.
Maryam, a seven-year-old girl, got shot on Friday while she was on her way to school near Nagan Chowrangi.
The girl was seated in a car being driven by her father when a security guard and robbers exchanged fire.
Dawn spoke with Taimuria police officer Ghulam Murtaza who said that the father recalled that the two were near a shopping centre around 7:12am when the car slowed down at a speed breaker. At that point he heard Maryam cry out “Baba”. She was bleeding so he rushed her to a hospital nearby and then to Ziauddin Hospital where doctors pronounced her dead on arrival.
According to Police Surgeon Summaiya Syed, the family took Maryam’s body home without a post-mortem examination but then the police brought it back to conduct a post-mortem which concluded that she was shot in the head.
The police reported that the shootout was between a security guard and robbers.
Maryam’s father did not lodge an FIR, however, police have registered a case against the detained guard on behalf of the state under Section 319 (manslaughter) of the Pakistan Penal Code and initiated an investigation.
Security guard Ali Raza was then taken into custody.
Initially, two spent bullet casings fired from separate pistols had been recovered from the spot, and later, as per a police spokesperson, a forensic report confirmed that the bullet that killed Maryam was fired by the security guard.
The guard, employed at a restaurant, opened fire on two robbers as they escaped the scene, when one of the bullets hit Maryam on the opposite side of the road near Haroon Shopping Centre within the jurisdiction of the Taimuria police station.
A four-member committee has been formed which will be led by Gulberg SP to probe into the case.
Sindh Governor Kamran Tessori has also taken notice of the incident and sought a detailed report from the Additional IGP of Karachi.
In Pakistan, it is a common practice to come out on the roads in groups to celebrate sports wins, new years, and of course, Independence Day. It is also often customary to celebrate these feats by firing guns into the air and lighting up firecrackers.
But flirting with danger has its consequences that many innocent people fall victim to every year.
Ten years back, in 2013, aerial firing resulted in the death of at least one person and more than 30 were wounded in Karachi. Jinnah Hospital alone received 33 wounded people, one of whom died shortly after.
In 2018, three people were killed and more than 35 were injured including children and women. Apart from aerial firing, a 22-year-old man was struck by firecrackers in Nazimabad.
In 2022, one man died while 23 were wounded in Karachi.
This year, as the public celebrated the 76th year of Independence, two people were killed and 85 were injured as a result of aerial firing carried out in Karachi.
According to Jamshed Quarters Station House Officer (SHO) Gul Baig, a 25-year-old woman was crossing the People’s Chowrangi on a motorbike with her family when a stray bullet hit her. Simultaneously, a seven-month-old baby was also hit at People’s Square.
Baghdadi SHO Ghulam Yasin said that a man sleeping on the roof of his house in Lyari’s Aath Chowk passed away as a random bullet hit him.
A police surgeon, Dr Summaiya Syed has claimed that Jinnah Postgraduate Medical Centre (JPMC) and Abbasi Shaheed Hospital received 32 injured people each. These cases include a critical case of a head injury, children, teenagers, and women.
What Does the Law Say?
As per statements issued by City police and Central district police, eight people in total have been arrested in Kalakot, Kharadar, and Liaquatabad Bridge whereas seven pistols have been seized. The culprits have been charged with attempted murder, possessing illegal weapons and aerial firing.
Under Section 144 of the Code of Criminal Procedure (CrPC), the district administration can issue a ban on an activity “for a specific period of time”. Such a ban is often enforced by the police and any violation of the ban can be tried under section 188 of the Pakistan Penal Code which carries “a maximum penalty of six months in prison or fine or both”.
Similarly, cases of aerial firing can be registered under Section 337 (H) (II) of the Pakistan Penal Code for a negligent act of endangering lives.
337-H. (2) states:
Whoever does any act so rashly or negligently as to endanger human life or the
personal safety of other, shall be punished with imprisonment of either-description for a
term which may extend to three months, or with fine, or with both.
In a shocking incident onboard the Jaipur-Mumbai Central Superfast Express, an RPF constable allegedly fired shots resulting in the demise of his superior officer and three other passengers. The incident took place on Monday morning and the accused has since surrendered to the police.
The alleged perpetrator, identified as Chetan Singh, is reported to have triggered the train’s alarm chain and disembarked at Borivali station in a bid to evade capture. The victims of the shooting spree have been identified as Assistant Sub-Inspector (ASI) Tikaram Meena, Abdul Qadir(48), Akhtar Abbas Ali(48), and Sadar Mohammed Hussain.
Sources from Western Railway suggest that the altercation leading to the shootings had escalated from an argument that assumed a communal dimension. P C Sinha, Inspector General cum Principal Chief Security Commissioner of Western Railway, attributed Singh’s actions to his mental health issues. “Constable Chetan Singh had just returned from leave and shot his superior first and then those who were in his path,” stated Sinha.
After shooting a Muslim man Singh said “If you wish to stay in India, then just Modi and Yogi”.
Authorities have apprehended Singh and handed him over to the railway police for further investigations. The motive behind the tragic incident is still being investigated. This unsettling incident has shaken the railway community and raised questions about mental health checks and firearm access for railway personnel.
The Supreme Court (SC) on Monday directed Faisal Shahkar, Inspector General (IG) of Punjab Police, to register a first information report (FIR) of the gun attack on Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Imran Khan within 24 hours.
A five-member bench, headed by Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP) Umar Ata Bandial and comprising Justice Ijazul Ahsan, Justice Muneeb Akhtar, Justice Yahya Afridi and Justice Mazahar Akbar Naqvi, heard the plea.
During the hearing, CJP Bandial warned that the court will take suo motu notice if the FIR of the attack was not registered within 24 hours.
He also asked the IG, who joined the hearing from the SC’s Lahore registry via video link, why the FIR had not been registered as yet.
“Tell us when the FIR will be registered,” he asked, adding that there should be a concrete reason for not registering the FIR. CJP Bandial observed that it had been 90 hours since the attack. “How will an investigation be initiated without it? And without an FIR, even evidence can be altered,” he added.
On Sunday, Khan again questioned the delay in the registration of the FIR. He said the case should be registered against the prime minister, interior minister, and a senior intelligence official for “hatching a conspiracy to kill him”.
He added that despite the passage of three days, the case was not registered as the Punjab police were “reluctant to register the FIR”. He expressed surprise that the police were adamant about not including the name of the military officer in the FIR but ready to nominate the prime minister and the interior minister in the case.
“Policemen requested that they be transferred from the post…[and] some other officer may register the FIR nominating suspects mentioned by me,” he claimed.
Prime Minister (PM) Shehbaz Sharif on Saturday condemned the assassination attack on Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Imran Khan which took place in Wazirabad earlier this week.
“The attack is condemnable, however, when the nation is being pushed towards devastation by false narratives it is my responsibility that I play a positive role to protect the people,” he said, addressing a press conference in Lahore. The Premier extended his wishes to Khan and other people injured in the attack, hoping for their speedy recovery and prayed for the victim who was shot dead in the attack.
PM Shehbaz then demanded that Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP), Umar Ata Bandial, constitute a “full court commission” to probe allegations levelled by Khan wherein he accused the premier, the federal interior minister, and a senior military official General Faisal Naseer, of planning the assassination attempt on him.
“I think this is the need, that there should be an immediate decision based on justice this time. I request the chief justice to form a full court commission with all honorable and respectable judges for the greater interest of this country and to end this discord and chaos,” the prime minister told the press members.
“I will immediately request this via a letter in writing, and I hope this request will be supported. And if you do not accept this request, these questions will remain forever. This fitna and sazish will be buried only when facts come to light,” said the perturbed prime minister.
“Imran Khan’s tales are full of contradictions. I cannot, for even a moment, waste my time thinking that this man — who Allah granted a new life — is lying day and night. Today, he is attacking the Pakistan army in a way an enemy would do,” said Shehbaz Sharif, slamming the former prime minister.
He then slammed the PTI chief for his comments against state institutions, particularly Chief of Army Staff (COAS) General Qamar Javed Bajwa and his family, and lamented that enemy nations were celebrating the critical situation in Pakistan.
“What else would an enemy country like India want? They are celebrating today. India’s TV channels are excited to see Khan speak ill about the ISI and military institutions as [the PTI chief] is levelling severe allegations against them that one couldn’t even think about,” PM Shehbaz said, deeming Khan an “idol of lies — from tip to toe”.
“Unfortunately, he is trying to derail the nation. But this country of 22 million people will be protected by Allah,” he promised.
Not sparing the PTI-led Punjab government, Shehbaz Sharif stressed that it was their responsibility and that, “they should be held accountable for the incident.”
He added that the Inspector-General of Police and Chief Secretary belongs to them and asked why they haven’t conducted a forensic of the four bullets which the Punjab government has claimed hit Khan.
“On October 28, the federal agency wrote a letter to the Punjab government about threats of terrorist attacks on Khan’s long march,” the Premier said, adding that it was the provincial administration’s responsibility to ensure safety after the letter was shared with them.
The Premier further added that the Punjab government should be questioned about the incident and about the delay in registering the first information report.
PM Shahbaz also challenged the PTI chief to present evidence proving his, Rana Sanaullah’s, or General Faisal’s involvement.
He maintained that if Khan successfully shows evidence to the people that he was behind the attack, then “I don’t have a right to continue to hold the Prime Minister’s Office.”
Berating Khan for his “false conspiracies”, the Prime Minister called Khan out for criticising the institution which gave several sacrifices. “Nobody can say such poor things against this institution,” he added.
In response to a question regarding Senator Azam Swati’s video — which has surfaced on social media — PM Shahbaz said that the matter has been brought to his knowledge and he has directed the Ministry of Interior to take notice. He vowed to bring the findings in front of the people.