A UC Chairman was killed as a result of firing between two groups over the issue of children in Bhitaiabad, Karachi.
The incident followed a fight among children in Bhataiabad Street No. 19, during which people from two groups fired at each other, as a result of which one person was killed and six people were injured, reports Geo News.
According to the police, the deceased person was identified as Sabir Magsi, chairman of UC-9 from Pakistan Peoples Party.
As soon as the incident was reported, a heavy contingent of police and rescue personnel reached the spot and shifted the injured to the hospital.
Counselor Shaukat Nazir told the media that the victim was a businessman and had left behind a widow and two children. “The victim was with me sometime before the incident and was killed by a bullet in the neck,” he said.
Shaukat Nazir further elaborated that the incident took place during a children’s fight. He asserted that the administration will take legal action after the burial.
The killer of seven-year-old Abaan Mazhar has been arrested in the Federal B area of Karachi and in a shocking turn of events, he is the cousin of the victim.
According to Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) Central Zeeshan Siddiqui, the arrested suspect Sufyan is between 14 and 15 years old and he is the cousin of the deceased Abaan and lived with him.
The police informed Geo News that the suspect said that Abaan used to complain to his father about him, leading to the older boy getting scolded many times.
The accused killer said in his statement, “I made a mistake”.
On the day of the incident, he took Abaan to the park from a back street and killed him inside the bushes at Dhobi Ghat.
Sufyan then washed the knife and kept it in the kitchen.
The police are still investigating the matter.
In an exclusive footage obtained by Geo News, it can be seen that the cousin was taking Abaan along with him while the little boy was strolling totally at ease holding his hand.
Regarding this, SSP Central Zeeshan Siddiqui said that two teams were working on this high-profile case. The accused was put on the suspect list on the first day, but being a family member, it was difficult to arrest him immediately.
Previously, the body of a seven-year-old boy, Abaan Mazhar, was found in bushes in the Federal B Area in Karachi on Wednesday afternoon.
The boy, whose throat had been slit with a sharp instrument, was found within the limits of the Yousuf Plaza police station near the Cardio Hospital Federal B Area Block 16. Station House Officer (SHO) Shahid Rao told The News that around 3:30 pm, a call was received by Madadgar-15 about an injured boy found in bushes.
A police team rushed to the location in Federal B Area Block-16 and shifted Abaan Mazhar to Abbasi Shaheed Hospital where he succumbed to his injuries. SHO Rao said the boy was alive when he was found and when people heard him screaming, they immediately contacted the Madadgar-15 hotline.
Witnesses saw the child lying injured, trying to speak but was unable to do so. They added that they had not seen any suspect near the boy when they found him.
Abhan was a resident of Federal B Area Block 16. He was a student of second grade and the second of three brothers. According to his family, he had left home two hours ago. They maintained that the family had no enmity with anyone.
SHO Rao said they had talked to Mazhar, the aggrieved father, who said his son studied in a private school in the area and as he worked in a private firm, he had hired a private person to pick up and drop his son from school.
The father also said that as per the daily routine, Abaan had returned from school at 2 pm but after a few minutes, someone knocked on the door of his residence and the boy again left the house. It was at around 3:30 pm, the family received the information about the boy’s death. The father told the police that he had no enmity with anyone and he did not know who had killed his son.
The post-mortem report revealed that the throat of the minor boy was slit with a sharp weapon, while no evidence of abuse was found, reports ARY News.
Samanabad DSP Asghar Mehdi told the media that the child died on his way to the hospital. He added that a woman living in a nearby flat first saw the child and shouted for help.
The police has been making efforts to obtain CCTV footage. A case has been registered and investigations are underway.
Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI)-backed candidate Shanawaz Jadoon has claimed that he was declared the loser in Karachi’s PS-115 (Keamari) constituency when he refused to join the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) or the Muttahida Qaumi Movement-Pakistan (MQM-P).
The politician said in a video statement that he was threatened by unknown persons that he would lose his provincial assembly seat if he did not join the PPP or MQM-P.
“I’ve been receiving phone calls since morning asking me to leave Imran Khan. I told them that I won’t leave Imran Khan under any circumstances,” he said in the video statement.
Shanawaz Jadoon has said that he is standing with Imran Khan and party workers, who struggled day and night to get him elected as a Member Provincial Assembly (MPA).
“I will die, but never leave Imran Khan’s side. Thousands of such seats can be sacrificed for Imran Khan and the people of my constituency,” he said, adding that he has no interest in becoming a member of the provincial assembly.
It has been revealed that there is a clear difference in grading of the first year (Inter) 2023 and 2022 examinations under Higher Secondary Education Board Karachi.
More A1, A, and B grades were awarded to candidates in 2022 than in 2023.
According to details reported by Geo, the percentage of success of A1 and A1 grade candidates in science pre-medical, pre-engineering, and general science last year was high, with 1539 in pre-medical results in the 2020 exams. Candidates succeeded in A-1, 3712 with an A grade, and 4573 with a B grade.
However, in the 2023 examinations, 654 candidates passed with an A1 grade, 2418 with an A grade, and 3753 secured a B grade.
In the 2020 pre-engineering results, 1125 candidates passed with A 1, 2468 with an A grade and 3304 with a B grade while in the 2023 exams, 461 candidates passed with A 1, 1566 with an A grade and 2479 with a B grade.
In the science general result of the 2020 examinations, 216 candidates succeeded with an A grade, while 918 candidates secured an A grade and 1573 candidates with a B grade.
In the 2023 examinations, 178 candidates passed with an A1 grade and 853 candidates passed with an A grade.
Background
The results for the first-year (Part-I) examination announced by the Board of Intermediate Education Karachi (BIEK) on January 24 raised concerns as more than 50 per cent of the students failed.
According to the Inter board spokesperson, 72 per cent of the candidates failed in arts first year (private) and 80 per cent in arts (regular).
In this context, Jamaat-e-Islami (JI) also announced a sit-in outside the Board of Intermediate Education office in Karachi (BIEK) following the announcement of inter results which revealed that about 80 per cent Arts students had failed.
Jamaat-e-Islami’s (JI) Hafiz Naeem-ur-Rehman, who run the single JI seat in the Sindh Assembly, announced on Monday that he was leaving the seat. ‘We don’t want a charity seat,’ he said, speaking about his PS-129 Karachi constituency. Analysts, after finding out about Rehman’s decision, termed it as ‘not a good idea’, saying that Rehman was enough for the Sindh Assembly and he was the choice of the voter and he should not have left after being elected. The Pakistan Peoples Party is leading in the Sindh Assembly with 84 seats, MQM at 28 and Independents at 11. One seat is yet to be announced.
A Karachi resident, missing since the rains last weekend, was found dead in the storm drain near Baldia Town Factory.
The police said that the dead body found in the rain drain was that of Fakhar Alam, a resident of Baldia town. He left the factory where he worked after finishing his shift, but along the way, he slipped in the drain.
Fakhar was the father of five children. His body has been shifted to the morgue by the police.
The streets of Karachi got flooded after the sudden downpour while water was still standing in different places. However, the discharge of rainwater from the Korangi Causeway is underway.
Meanwhile, electricity was also suspended in several areas of the city
January 20 marked the date when a landmark verdict from a session court in Karachi changed the landscape of the judicial approach in terms of intimate partner violence.
It has been precisely two weeks since the court announced in “The State vs Javed” that the “ocular version is also supported by the medical evidence which shows that the victim was a habitual passive agent of sodomy.” Sher Bano from Karachi lodged a complaint against her husband Javed at the police station about him subjecting her to sodomy despite her attempts to stop her. About two months after their marriage, she informed her mother-in-law, who didn’t say anything to him, she said, adding that then she disclosed her ordeal to her sister and brother, after which she lodged an FIR against her husband on November 23, 2022.
Garnering a fierce debate online, this also raised a couple of questions in my mind. If this was a case of sodomy, then why is it dubbed as a marital rape? Or are they both linked? I contacted Barrister Haya Zahid from the Legal Aid Society to hear her explain the legal complexities around these terms. Haya was welcoming and answered all my questions which helped me shape this article. Legal Aid Society has now been working for the last one decade. It started as a free legal aid clinic for the marginalized sections of society, especially women and children, and has now spread all over Sindh. In the last few years, they have proceeded with over a hundred cases of sexual violence, most including charges of sodomy and rape.
Haya’s works mostly surround policy and reform. Staying true to the mission statement to connect vulnerable and disempowered end users of justice with effective and expedient services for the delivery of justice, she runs the legal aid clinic efficiently and effectively. Her team includes 33 lawyers providing free services across Sindh. For instance, she is working on Fatima from Ranipur’s case, and her team is documenting the delays and lapses of the legal system. Apart from compiling research-based data, they are training judges and prosecutors. They even assist prosecutors, as they did in The State vs Javed case, Advocate Behzad Akbar from Legal Aid Society was writing arguments for the public prosecutor because they must proceed as sexual violence is a crime against the state. They train prosecutors for such cases, helping them in preparing the case.
“The reason we are all very excited is that in the current scenario in Pakistan, intimate partner violence is more common than rapes conducted by strangers” she started by setting the premise. “Spousal sexual abuse is physically and mentally more damaging. Women usually have tended to remain silent. According to our records, they come to our legal aid office to find out what they can do and most of them opt to tread the path of obtaining ‘khula’ which is accompanied by economic disadvantages. The majority of them do not pursue cases for protection against domestic violence let alone speaking about the intimate partner violence that they go through.”
Haya made it a point to mention that most of their clients of sodomy have been male children. Their parents feel less stigmatized in fighting for justice compared to the parents of female children. Sher Bano’s plea was refreshing in a way that she very soon left her husband after the marriage, informed her family about what she had to face and that this is not normal and fought the good fight. She put up with all the medical and legal requirements and despite certain minor discrepancies in her testimony, the judge had to take a broader approach as the claims were substantiated.
The State vs Javed
In the case the victim Sher Bano filed a case against her husband after approximately four months of marriage because he used to commit oral and anal sex despite her disapproval. She confided in her mother-in-law but was ignored. She eventually took the matter home, consulted a doctor and with the support of her family, lodged an FIR against her husband. She remained steadfast during the trial as the husband and his sisters accused her of being in love with someone else and therefore wrongly blamed his husband for sodomizing her. They even tried to use piles, which she suffered from, as an excuse to prove her claim wrong. Her grit is as Haya said, “music to the ears” because she emerged victorious.
What is Marital Rape in Pakistan’s constitution?
High Court Advocate Nimra Arshad in an explainer recorded by Dawn News sheds light on the term. There is still no such term as Marital Rape defined by the law but after the Criminal Law Amendment Act 2021, the definition of rape was broadened in Article 375 of Pakistan Penal Code. Previously, the implication of the law was that rape is when a man has non-consensual sex with a woman who is not his wife but now the definition involves non-consensual sex between a man and a woman irrespective of what relation they share.
The punishment is laid out in Article 376 of PPC which can be a death sentence or life imprisonment for 10-25 years.
Criticism over three-year punishment
Barrister Haya Zahid explained that rape has more punishment in law as compared to sodomy. Because the primary abuse in this case, proven in front of the court, is sodomy, the case proceeded in line with the Criminal Law Amendment Act 2021. This law is pivotal in this case as the definition of rape was totally reformed in this amendment and was hence used in this case. According to an amendment in article 375, a person is said to have committed rape if the person penetrates his penis, inserts, or manipulates any object or part of the body to any extent into the vagina, mouth, urethra or anus of another person against their will, without consent, or consent being taken with coercion. Considering this a case of sodomy, it was still treated as marital rape because the victim was in a spousal relation with the offender and their marriage was intact when she filed the case. Resultantly, the court declared that the accused was not able to prove his point of any personal enmity that the victim (the wife) had an affair with somebody else and therefore, she implicated him falsely. “The prosecution has, thus succeeded in proving the charge against the accused only under section 377 Pakistan Penal Code beyond a reasonable shadow of doubt, therefore this point is answered accordingly,” the final verdict declared.
“This has become a seminal case where conviction of a spouse took place for sexual abuse,” Haya said enthusiastically.
They can recontest the conviction of three years which is much less than that of rape, but this may damage the case as it would be put to trial again and because the victim has gone through a lot, this will be draining for her too.
Response over conviction
Social media is mostly celebrating the verdict. BOL Network contacted LAS, and Advocate Safia Lakho represented them in their morning session where she not only explained the proceedings of the case but explained how this case will be a trailblazer in the legal history of Pakistan. “So many women, oblivious of the law itself, silently enduring the pain daily, have got to know about their rights through this judgment and it is a great achievement indeed,” she said.
However, some critics are saying this is not a case of marital rape, this is sodomy. Haya reinstated, “The definition of rape has changed as per law; this is rape happening in the context of a spousal relationship which is the highest form of intimate partner violence that there can be. We are acknowledging it as the first ever conviction of marital rape under the changed definition of rape which is in place since 2021”.
Interpretation of the verdict in the Islamic context
To understand the popular claims and interpretations used by the masses to either condemn or appreciate the conviction of marital rape I talked to multiple scholars including Mufti Mohammad Sohail Ahmad who is an MPhil in Usool-e-Din (Principles of Religion) from International Islamic University, Islamabad, now serving in Nottingham, UK. He delineated the basic principles as laid by the main text of the Qur’an: In Islamic schools of thought, there are two ways to go about it: Hadd and Tazir.
Hadd is equivalent to a death sentence, implying that strict action needs to be taken for the severity of the crime. Tazir on the other hand is a punishment for an offence that is culpable, and this is to be decided by the ruler or a judge according to the severity of the crime. It is strongly impermissible for a man to have sexual intercourse with his wife when she is menstruating. The other thing that is frowned upon by the laws of Islam is sodomy or unnatural sex- a crime strongly punishable by Islam.
Three-quarters of Islamic schools of thought consider Hadd to be implemented in cases of sodomy.
Image taken from @_Abdullah_Salehon X
The other scholar I consulted was Dr. Fazal-e-Hannan who is a PhD from Punjab University, Lahore and is serving as Sheik-ul-Hadith in Jamia Nazamia, Lahore. The unanimous response lays out the condemnation of the act of sodomy and applause for the verdict of the court. “It is good precedent set by the court,” Mufti Sohil Ahmad asserted, “making most of the latest medical and technological advancement to identify these crimes is a welcome change in Pakistan.”
As for the fact of a man forcing himself over his wife and inflicting pain upon her, they agreed that it is liable for a punishment. Islam stresses that husbands ought to be kind and considerate about the emotional, mental, and physical state of the wife. Allah says, “and live with them in kindness” [Quran 4:19] It is even stressed by the Prophet (SAW) as he said: “Be kind to your wives.” [Al-Bukhari and Muslim].
Javed Ahmed Ghamidi, in one of his lectures, emphasized that the relationship of a husband and wife is mutual and there is no other opinion about it.
However, the bottom line is that there are protocols of Islam that need to be followed for sexual intimacy. If violated, then needs to be dealt with accordingly.
Repudiation of implied consent theory
Advocate Nimra Arshad in her explainer describes that many people use religion to describe their chauvinistic views about the concept of marital rape whereas Islam is the same religion which provides women the protection, kindness and care they deserve in a marriage and if that is not given, there is a reasonable exit available too.
Pakistan’s law is essentially an extension of British law as proposed by Sir Matthew Hale who believed that a marriage perpetually gives man consent to treat his wife as a property. This implied consent theory is long been amended in the UK under Sexual Offences Act 2003 where spousal rape now falls under sexual assault, but the remnants of that law are very much intact in our country.
Final thoughts
Sher Bano has paved the way for women to not submit to unjust and violent behaviour in the name of marriage. This case also highlights the importance of support of the family which makes a woman invincible, especially in a society like ours. As much as raising awareness is the duty of the state, it is equally a compulsion for it to ensure the safety of citizens by making pertinent, pragmatic, and bold laws. Not recognizing marital rape as the highest form of intimate partner violence is a fact that remains in place till today.
Maryam Noor, the well-known actress in the Pakistan showbiz industry, shared details of a tough experience of living in a shared apartment. In a recent appearance on a private TV show, Maryam discussed various topics, including her past challenges.
She recounted, “When I moved to Karachi, I initially lived in a shared apartment. Many people who relocate from Lahore to Karachi desire a beautiful and clean place, but not everyone can afford expensive accommodation. I met a seemingly neat and honest girl who offered me a shared apartment.” Maryam shared her family’s concerns when she informed them about the offer. “My family suggested renting a cheaper apartment instead of sharing. However, I reassured them that the girl was good and nothing bad would happen.”
As time passed, Maryam realized that the girl, who initially seemed straight and decent, changed after getting a boyfriend. Maryam began feeling like she was treated as if she were the maid, not an equal tenant.
Maryam explained, “Her behavior worsened over time. When my family visited, she behaved strangely with them. I decided to distance myself from her, but when I went to Lahore, she called me, claiming she had bought a house and demanded the deposit for the apartment.”
Reminding the girl of the two-month contract, Maryam insisted on waiting for the agreed period. Upon returning to Karachi, she discovered that the girl had stolen her belongings, thrown dead prawns in her room, and even placed spoiled food among her possessions.
Famous Pakistani guitarist Adnan Afaq passed away in Karachi yesterday. The Arts Council of Pakistan confirmed the sad news on their official Instagram account. Adnan Afaq had been battling stomach cancer and was getting treatment at a private hospital in Karachi.
Adnan Afaq was not only a renowned guitarist but also the Head of the Music Department at the Arts Council of Pakistan. He taught music to many talented young artists, helping them enter the music scene in Pakistan. For many years, Adnan Afaq contributed to the music industry in Pakistan. The Arts Council of Pakistan honored his services at the conclusion of its first Alumni Festival.
Clashes have been reported between Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) workers and police officers, after imprisoned former prime minister Imran Khan gave calls for rallies ahead of the February 8 general elections.
Numerous PTI supporters attempting to organize rallies in cities like Lahore, Karachi and Peshawar were taken into custody during the crackdown, adding to mounting political tension. Reports also indicate police raids on election offices, confiscation of party paraphernalia, and the removal of banners and panaflexes, allegedly aimed at intimidating party workers and voters.
In Lahore, former Punjab governor and PTI candidate for NA-129, Mian Muhammad Azhar, was arrested by the police during an attempt to lead an election rally in his constituency. He was reportedly released later in the day.
His son, PTI Central Punjab General Secretary Hammad Azhar, took to X (formerly Twitter) and stated, “My 82-year-old father was arrested. He wanted to lead a rally as per his democratic and constitutional rights”.
My 82 year old father arrested. He wanted to lead a rally as per his democratic and constitutional right. Pakistan has today been reduced to a total fascist state with zero human rights or rule of law. One Nawaz Sharif & his daughter calling the shots and ruining the country. pic.twitter.com/BEdx5EX60h
“Pakistan has today been reduced to a total fascist state with zero human rights or rule of law. One Nawaz Sharif and his daughter calling the shots and ruining the country,” he added.
Despite the challenges, Mian Muhammad Azhar, upon his release, maintained that he had not committed any crime, asserting that his sole offense was organizing an election rally. He highlighted the apparent disparity in treatment, alleging that all political parties were allowed to conduct rallies and public gatherings, except the PTI.
In Karachi, over 20 PTI workers were arrested as the party attempted to conduct an election rally near Clifton Teen Talwar. Violent clashes erupted between PTI workers and the police, turning the area into a battleground. The confrontations resulted in injuries to police officials, including SHO Boat Basin Riaz Niazi, whose jaw was reportedly broken.
Police used baton charges and tear gas to disperse the PTI workers, leading to further injuries among the protesters. The clash disrupted traffic near Teen Talwar, Clifton, for a significant period.
SSP South Sajid Amir Sadozai told Express Tribune that no prior permission was taken by PTI workers to hold a rally in Clifton.
The PTI workers had blocked the road, following which the police asked them to clear the road.
In reply, they attacked the police with stones and sticks as a result more than 10 police personnel including SHO Boat Basin and a lady SHO were injured. SHO Boat Basin’s jaw was broken and he is in critical condition.
PTI Secretary General Omar Ayub Khan condemned the actions of Karachi Police, emphasizing the constitutional right of every citizen to hold a peaceful rally during the election campaign.
Similarly, in Peshawar, PTI workers held rallies across various locations in the city, including Ring Road. The police apprehended 30 individuals from Pahari Pura, Faqieerabad, Sharqi, Hayatabad, Khazana, and Sarband.
Moreover, cases were filed against over fifty workers and community leaders.
Seventeen individuals were mentioned in the FIR within the jurisdiction of Paharipura police station, with seven of them being taken into custody. Likewise, Faqeerabad police station detained seven workers.
Sarband police arrested 17 individuals, while Hayatabad and Sharqi police each apprehended three PTI workers.
Earlier, PTI Chakwal candidate Ayyaz Amir reported a peculiar situation emerging in Chakwal involving the police. He highlighted instances of police raids on the homes of prominent local citizens, arrests of their family members, and acts of vandalism against local leaders.
Major election rallies were observed in various constituencies, including Lahore, Sheikhupura, Gujranwala, Faisalabad, Rawalpindi, Sialkot, Okara, Chakwal, Mandi Bahudin, Layyah, Bahawal Nagar, Mansehra, Gagu Mandi, Chitral, Banu, Peshawar, Karachi, Hyderabad, and other cities.
