Tag: Pakistan

  • Marwah rape case: Five-year-old assaulted even after death

    Marwah rape case: Five-year-old assaulted even after death

    The two men who confessed to raping a minor girl earlier this month in Karachi continued the sexual assault even after the five-year-old was dead.

    The child’s burnt body was found from a garbage dump two days after she was reported missing. The girl had gone to buy some sweets from a neighbourhood shop in the Old Sabzi Mandi area when she was kidnapped.

    Officials investigating the rape and murder case said the arrested suspects had done this heinous crime on the roof of a house, adding that they have confessed to their crimes.

    “This is not just a rape case but a gang-rape case,” a police officer familiar with the investigation said, adding that the fingerprints of both suspects had also matched.

    The two prime suspects, Faiz and Abdullah, lived in the same area where the girl’s house is located. While Faiz is a tailor by profession, Abdullah is a garbage collector of Afghan origin. Abdullah has also been reportedly deported from the UK after seven years. Faiz was the one who first kidnapped the child but both men had raped her.

    Faiz has been involved in the same crime before and lived alone a few houses away from the child’s residence in the same street. Abdullah, on the other hand, lived on a footpath in the area. Faiz had revealed the name of his accomplice after he was taken into custody.

    Faiz informed police that they had kidnapped the minor girl and brought her to his house, before raping her one by one, during which she died. He also confessed that the two had continued raping the child even after she died before wrapping her body in a waistcoat and stuffing it in a gunny bag to dump at the garbage site at Milk Plant plot in the PIB Colony police station’s jurisdiction.

    While both had confessed to the crime on Thursday, officials said they now had the fingerprint report that pointed towards Faiz and Abdullah’s involvement in the gang-rape and murder. However, a DNA report was yet to be released.

    One of the investigators in the Esa Nagri case said Faiz’s house is located across the girl’s.

    “The piece of cloth wrapped around [her] body was taken from Faiz’s shop,” the official said.

  • How govt outnumbered opposition for passage of FATF-related bills during joint session

    How govt outnumbered opposition for passage of FATF-related bills during joint session

    Opposition absentees outnumbered their counterparts on the treasury benches during the joint sitting of parliament on Wednesday, which passed three bills related to the Financial Action Task Force (FATF), official records revealed Thursday.

    According to The Express Tribune, the attendance record released by the National Assembly Secretariat showed that more than two dozen opposition lawmakers did not turn up for the joint sitting, including 13 from Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) and 11 from the Pakistan People’s Party (PPP).

    From the treasury side, those conspicuous for their absence were Asim Nazir, Amir Liaquat Hussain, Ahmed Hussain Dehar and Abdul Majeed Khan of the ruling Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), and Chaudhry Moonis Elahi of the Pakistan Muslim League.

    In the parliamentary session, 317 members of National Assembly, out of the Lower House’s current strength of 340, were present. From the Upper House of parliament, which currently has 103 members, around 14 opposition senators were absent.

    The prominent absentees included former president Asif Zardari, who did not attend because of illness and Syed Khurshid Shah, who is in the custody of the National Accountability Bureau. Besides these two top PPP lawmakers, Sardar Akhtar Mengal of the Balochistan National Party (BNP), was also absent.

    The list also includes Amir Haider Hoti of the Awami National Party (ANP), Ali Wazir, a lawmaker from the former tribal areas, Afrin Khan of the Muttahida Majlis-e-Amal (MMA), PML-N’s Afzal Khokhar, Ahmad Raza Maneka, Ehsanul Haq Bajwa and Riaz Pirzada and the PPP’s Makhdoom Jamiluz Zaman, Amir Magsi, Khalid Loond, Roshan Junejo and Ghulam Ali Talpur.

    According to the attendance record, the senators who skipped Wednesday’s joint sitting were PML-N senators Kulsoom Parveen, Chaudhry Tanveer, Shamim Afridi, Raheela Magsi, Saleem Zia, Dilawar Khan, Yaqub Nasir and Najma Hameed.

    Other absentee senators were Talha Mahmood and Ataur Rehman of the Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam, Rubina Khalid of the PPP, Sitara Ayaz of the ANP, Ashok Kumar of the National Party (NP) and Tahir Bizenjo and Shafiq Tareen of the Pakhtunkhwa Milli Awami Party (PkMAP).

    PASSAGE OF FATF BILLS:

    Earlier, the government on Wednesday managed to pass three crucial FATF-related laws in a joint session of the parliament that was marred by the opposition’s protests.

    Prime Minister (PM) Imran Khan also attended the joint session which was chaired by National Assembly Speaker Asad Qaiser. Leader of the Opposition in the National Assembly Shehbaz Sharif, PPP chief Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari, former premier Shahid Khaqan Abbasi and others, including senators Sirajul Haq, Mushtaq Ghani and Raza Rabbani among others were also in attendance.

    After walking out in protest, opposition leaders held a joint press conference and criticised the government over the passage of FATF-related bills.

    Opposition leader Shehbaz termed today as a “black day in the history of democracy”. He said that the government “crossed red lines” today and added that “until now, the opposition cooperated with the government for the sake of Pakistan”.

    The PML-N president also said that the NA speaker had “disappointed everyone”.

    PPP chief Bilawal also lashed out at the government, saying that the vote count could have been conducted again but the treasury members were “scared of being exposed”.

    “The opposition only has one option remaining and that is [to move] a no-confidence [motion],” said Bilawal.

    Both Shehbaz and Bilawal told reporters that the opposition will come up with a strategy in the multi-party conference.

  • VIDEO: Police arrest TikToker for risking his life for TikTok video

    A boy who got hit by a train while recording a TikTok video in Abbottabad has been arrested. Umar Hayat was shooting a video of himself near the railway tracks of the Haripur station.

    In the video, Hayat can be seen posing beside the railway tracks while one of his friends was filming him. It looked like he misjudged the distance between him and the train and was hit by one of its handles on the back of his head. 

    Read more – TikTok reunites man with family after more than a year

    The boy survived and was later arrested by the police.

    According to the details, a case under Section 325 (attempt to commit suicide) of the Pakistan Penal Code and Section 122A1 of the Railways Act, 1980 has been registered against him.

  • India in flames as govt moves to change status of Gilgit-Baltistan with representation in parliament?

    India in flames as govt moves to change status of Gilgit-Baltistan with representation in parliament?

    The Prime Minister (PM) Imran Khan-led Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) government plans to make Gilgit-Baltistan (GB) the country’s fifth province, two years after powers of the Islamabad-controlled council for the region were transferred to a local assembly.

    The government’s plans have been outlined by Federal Minister for Kashmir and Gilgit-Baltistan Affairs Ali Amin Gandapur, who said the region will be accorded the status of a full-fledged province with constitutional rights such as representation in both houses of the parliament.

    “After consultation with all stakeholders, the federal government has decided in principle to give constitutional rights to GB,” he said, adding that the government has decided to deliver on the promise it made to the people there.

    PM Imran is expected to visit the region soon and make a formal announcement about the change, Gandapur said.

    While there has been no immediate reaction to the minister’s remarks from Indian officials, New Delhi has consistently opposed changes made in the region by Pakistan because it claims GB as part of Jammu and Kashmir.

    Gandapur also said that subsidies and tax exemptions for the region wouldn’t be withdrawn after the grant of constitutional rights. “Until the people there stand on their feet, they will continue to enjoy this facility,” he said.

    The minister contended that the deprivation faced by the people of GB for 73 years would end with the change. “Besides constitutional rights and a provincial setup, important steps are being taken for developing the region.”

    People familiar with developments told The Current that people concerned, including those a part of the establishment, had been in touch with political parties regarding the changes.

    “The PTI is backing changes with an eye on upcoming elections in GB so that it can make political gains and form the next government in the region,” an official told this scribe on the condition of anonymity.

    Preparations for the elections that are likely to take place in November are complete, and the distribution of tickets by the PTI will begin soon, they added.

  • Woman allegedly cuts off blackmailer’s genitals in Lahore

    Woman allegedly cuts off blackmailer’s genitals in Lahore

    A woman allegedly cut off the genitals of her ‘boyfriend’ in Lahore’s Harbanspura area.

    As per reports, the woman was infuriated over the victim’s attempt to blackmail and harass her.

    According to the complaint, the 37-year-old resident of the Vehari district came to Lahore six months ago for work. He claimed that he had a date with the woman, who also lived in the same area, for the last 18 years.

    The man claimed that the woman had called him over to her place a few days back, revealing that, “She attacked me with a sharp weapon and cut my genitals and then locked me in a room”.

    When he cried out for help, some neighbours took him to a hospital.

    The police have filed a case, recorded statements of witnesses and gathered all evidence from the crime scene.

    According to details, the man was involved in harassing and blackmailing the culprit forcing her to take the law in her own hands and take this step as a ‘self-defense’ move.

  • Eight school teachers in Peshawar test positive for coronavirus

    Eight school teachers in Peshawar test positive for coronavirus

    Eight teachers of Government Higher Secondary School Rashkai in Peshawar have tested positive for the novel coronavirus.

    According to the Elementary and Secondary Education Department of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, the infected teachers have been sent to their homes on 15 days leave.

    Meanwhile, academic activities are ongoing under strict precautionary measures.

    Earlier on Tuesday, an educational institute in Islamabad had been sealed after coronavirus cases were reported there.

  • ‘Police in Pakistan now have an anti-eggary unit to save kids from eating too many eggs’

    ‘Police in Pakistan now have an anti-eggary unit to save kids from eating too many eggs’

    Senior journalist Kamal Siddiqui has poked fun at the police for “having an anti-eggary unit to save our children” by making sure that “they do not eat too many eggs”.

    “So in Pakistan, we have a special police unit that saves children from eating too many eggs,” he jokingly wrote while tweeting a picture of an anti-beggary unit mobile minus the ‘B’.

    “Let’s save our children” could also be seen inscribed on the Sindh police vehicle.

    CRACKDOWN ON BEGGARS IN SINDH:

    In line with Sindh cabinet’s ban on child beggary and directions to the social welfare department to pick up children begging at traffic intersections and in streets and rehabilitate them at welfare centres, the aim of the anti-beggary unit is to tackle beggary, especially in the port city of Karachi.

    According to the findings of a committee on the issue of beggary, there are enough laws available to deal with the issue such as Section 7 of the West Pakistan Vagrancy Ordinance 1958 that prohibits beggary.

    A 2018 report of the committee said that beggars have also been seen with children who they use to create empathy in the givers’ eyes. This is a violation of Section 49 of Sindh Child Act 1955.

    It pointed out that in 2011, the Sindh assembly had passed the Sindh Child Protection Authority Act 2011 which called for ensuring the rights of the children in need of special measures and to provide matters ancillary thereto.

    Sindh Chief Minister (CM) Murad Ali Shah, in consultation with the cabinet, had earlier decided to ban beggary all across the province. He had also directed the Social Welfare Department to launch a special drive against child beggary.

    He had directed the district administration and the police to help the Social Welfare Department in the drive and round up the child beggars and send them to Sweet Home and Street Children Centre, Korangi, where they would be rehabilitated.

  • Affordable SUV gifted to Imran Khan by ex-Malaysian PM to be launched in Pakistan market

    Affordable SUV gifted to Imran Khan by ex-Malaysian PM to be launched in Pakistan market

    Malaysian auto giant Proton has collaborated with Al-Haj — the makers of FAW automobiles in Pakistan — to launch its crossover SUV X70 by December along with a sedan named Saga.

    According to reports, the said cars, that are actually Chinese manufacturer Geely’s vehicles directly imported and licensed by Proton for the Malaysian market, will be offered in completely built-up (CBU) form in Pakistan.

    The company will start assembling the cars locally in the year 2021.

    X70 is powered by a 1.8 liter turbocharged 4-cylinder petrol engine that makes 182 horsepower, 285 newton/meters of torque, and comes mated to a 6-speed automatic or a 7-speed DCT gearbox. The vehicle will be available in both Front-Wheel Drive and All-Wheel-Drive forms.

    The car is loaded with features such as an air purifier system, rear air vents, automatic dual-zone climate control, steering wheel switches, tilt, and telescopic adjustment, advanced gauge cluster with an LCD information screen, central door locking with auto-lock, a push-start button and a myriad of other modern features. Given that the X70 is a compact crossover SUV, it will go up against the Kia Sportage and the Hyundai Tucson.

    The X70, back in December 2019, was gifted to Prime Minister (PM) Imran Khan by former Malaysian PM Mahathir Mohamad.

    The other car, Saga, is a compact sedan that has recently entered its 4th generation. Saga features a 1.3 liter naturally aspirated 4-cylinder petrol engine that makes 94 horsepower, 120 newton/meters of torque and is mated to a 5-speed manual or a 4-speed CVT automatic transmission.

    The vehicles will be launched at a relatively lower price for success in the Pakistani market.

  • Educational institute in Islamabad sealed after coronavirus cases emerge

    Educational institute in Islamabad sealed after coronavirus cases emerge

    An educational institute in Islamabad has been sealed after the emergence of the coronavirus cases, confirmed the National Command and Operation Centre (NCOC) on Tuesday.

    As per details, the institution was sealed after 16 coronavirus cases were reported. Meanwhile, contact tracing is currently underway to contain the spread of the deadly virus.

    Educational institutes across Pakistan have reopened today (Sept 15) after nearly a six-month-long break due to the pandemic.

    Earlier in the day, Federal Minister for Education Shafqat Mahmood welcomed the students and advised them to follow all the SOPs (standard operating procedure) 

  • Aviation vlogger Noel Philips shares experience of travelling on ‘banned’ PIA

    Aviation vlogger Noel Philips shares experience of travelling on ‘banned’ PIA

    Travel expert and aviation vlogger, Noel Philips, recently released a vlog, sharing his experience of travelling on Pakistan International Airline (PIA) that is now banned in Europe and the United States (US) after it was revealed by the aviation minister that a large number of commercial pilots hold fake licenses.

    Noel shared his experience in a video titled ‘Flying a banned airline – Pakistan International Airline‘.

    Phillips said he was quite surprised after “seeing so many people with so much excess baggage”. As he entered the plane, he was welcomed and guided to his seat by a PIA official. 

    He then shared that a few passengers were shouting on flight attendants.

    “Most of the customers are onboard and a few people are on wrong seats and we’ve got passengers shouting at flight attendants and things, flight attendants running around with bits of paper in the hands.”

    Because of the chaos, the flight took off half an hour later than the scheduled time. 

    Phillips said he liked the food served on his flight.

    Sharing the cons, he said he was shocked to see garbage under the seats after he pushed his seat back. He further said that when he laid down to take some rest, he was woken up by “the unmistakable smell of cigarette smoke.” 

     “Passengers are strictly prohibited from smoking onboard PIA flights. I mean, there is a sign and everything and I am sure that not a single member of the crew or passengers would ever want to bend those rules, not on PIA surely.”

    Phillips, who flew from India to Islamabad, said that he liked the capital’s scenic views, the hospitality of Pakistani people and masala curries. 

    He wanted to share what people think about PIA through his vlog and was of the opinion that even a little amount of investment can improve the airlines.

    “And I really do think that given a little bit of investment in their aircraft, PIA could be up there with some of the best airlines,” he said while signing off.