Tag: police

  • Police arrest university’s chief security officer for objectionable videos of female students, drug possession

    Police arrest university’s chief security officer for objectionable videos of female students, drug possession

    Trigger warning: Sexual assault

    Islamia University Bahawalpur’s Chief Security Officer was apprehended by police on charges of drug possession and possession of objectionable material, including videos and pictures of the university’s female officials and students, reported Dawn.

    Baghdadul Jadid SHO said the police acted on intelligence-based information to apprehend the suspect.

    The arrest took place when the suspect’s car was stopped at a police checkpoint, and upon searching the vehicle, authorities found 10 grams of ice and aphrodisiacs. The individual was identified as Syed Ejaz Hussain Shah, Chief Security Officer at IUB.

    Police investigation revealed that his two mobile phones contained numerous objectionable videos and pictures of women, including those of officials from various departments of the university and female students. Shah admitted to using and selling drugs, as well as possessing the illicit material.

    Further investigation is underway. Police have been actively working to eradicate drug peddlers from educational institutions, said SHO.

  • Wall collapse claims 11 lives amid heavy monsoon rains in Islamabad

    Wall collapse claims 11 lives amid heavy monsoon rains in Islamabad

    Islamabad’s Peshawar Road witnessed a devastating incident after heavy monsoon rains led to the collapse of a building’s wall, resulting in the unfortunate deaths of at least 11 individuals on Wednesday, reports Dawn.

    Rescue and police officials said six others were injured in the incident. The bodies of the deceased, believed to be laborers, were recovered from the rubble with the assistance of machinery.

    The bodies were taken to the Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences (Pims), while the injured individuals, one of whom was discharged after receiving first aid, were also brought to the hospital for treatment.

    Heavy rainfall in Islamabad and Rawalpindi has caused waterlogging in low-lying areas, causing disruptions and posing hazards to residents.

    According to an official statement by Islamabad Deputy Commissioner Irfan Nawaz Memon, the collapse occurred when the building’s wall fell onto a tent that the laborers had set up. Efforts were underway to rescue any individuals still trapped in the debris.

    As per details, the laborers were involved in the construction of an underpass on the Grand Trunk Road in the city, as instructed by the National Highway Authority (NHA). However, the NHA issued an official statement denying reports that the collapsed wall was part of the underpass structure.

    The NHA asserted that the underpass walls and construction site were safe and secure, expressing sorrow over the incident and offering prayers for the deceased and their families.

    Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has also expressed deep grief and sorrow over the incident and extended prayers for the departed souls. He directed the district administration to remain vigilant in light of the heavy rains.

  • Islamabad hike rape case false accusation, guy was set up: Islamabad Police

    Islamabad hike rape case false accusation, guy was set up: Islamabad Police

    The ‘victim’ in the Margalla Hills hiking trail case has confessed to be a part of a scam group, Islamabad Police has said on Tuesday.

    The case turned out to be a dramatic episode with plenty of twists and turns, as revealed by police. In a statement on Twitter, the capital city police said that the petitioner, Sidra who has accused Noman of raping her at the Margalla Hill trail, was taken before the magistrate for her statement, where she confessed to being a hired imposter by the suspect’s friend-cum-enemy.

    According to the girl’s statement, the main accused Noman had a quarrel with his friend Anwar who hired a gang to take revenge. The gang of scammers included Saima, Dr. Sidra, Ismail and Shakeel [fake journalists] and also a fake police officer Manzoor.

    The police investigation revealed that the man behind it all- Anwar- contacted Saima, a resident of Rawalpindi, to falsely accuse Noman of rape. Saima further contacted Sidra, who is from Sheikhupura, to play the role of victim.

    The master plan was that Sidra will walk with the accused to trail three and then start screaming for help, saying that Noman has attempted to rape her. Meanwhile, the rest of the group would reach the spot and make videos, which could be used to blackmail Noman and his family for extortion.

    The plan turned out to be an epic fail as Sidra waited for her accomplices after they reached trail three, but they couldn’t make it in time and she had to return with the accused to Rawalpindi. Afterwards, the gang opted for plan B. Sidra lodged a FIR for rape against Noman in Rawalpindi and went back to Sheikhupura.

    The police launched an investigation covering every aspect of the case which led to Sidra’s confession in front of the magistrate. The probe further disclosed that two cases had been filed against Sidra in Sheikhupura and Anwar-al-Haq, an operative of the scammer gang, was a proclaimed criminal in police record.

    A campaign was launched on social media while the case was under investigation, which according to the police was too soon to jump to conclusions. The police underscored that haste could lead one in the wrong direction and it’s better to wait at least for the investigative report before forming a conclusion, especially during the probing phase of such sensitive cases.

    “Citizens are requested not to believe in rumors until the final report of the police. Such a campaign could affect the police investigation which would benefit the accused,” said police.

  • Suspect handed over to police by SHC for murdering his teenager wife

    Suspect handed over to police by SHC for murdering his teenager wife

    Sindh High Court (SHC) on Monday rejected a suspect’s plea for pre-arrest bail in a case pertaining to the murder of his teenaged wife.

    He was handed over to the police.

    In an Instagram post, Pakistani civil rights activist and lawyer Mohammad Jibran Nasir shared that the suspect Hassan is finally in police custody almost a year after brutally murdering 19-year-old Hifza. The suspect strangled his wife and then hung her body by the ceiling fan to make it look like suicide.

    Nasir further stated that two days before her murder, Hifza on a recorded phone call, complained to her brother-in-law about being subjected to sexual violence, beatings and abuse by the suspect.

    The suspect runs a madrassah, along with his father who is co-accused in the murder case. The lawyer pinpointed that they lived in the upper portion of the madrassah where the murder was committed.

    Nasir admired the efforts made by the victim’s mother Farzana, saying it was her struggle for justice that led to the culprit’s arrest.

    In the video posted by him, police can be seen taking the suspect away while the mother of the victim tells him that he is an imposter not a mullah, “I had married my daughter to you because of your religious status, but you are a phony.” In response, the suspect threatened her that “You will be next.”

  • Interior Minister takes notice of threats to Hindu community

    Interior Minister takes notice of threats to Hindu community

    Interior Minister Rana Sanaullah on Friday took notice of threats to the Hindu community, instructing ministry officials to contact officers of Sindh government.

    Member of the National Assembly (MNA), Kheal Das Kohistani, met Rana Sanaullah and informed him about the recent situation and events in Sindh. In the meeting, it was emphasised to improve protection of the Hindu community.

    The Interior Minister further said that the protection of all religious minorities, including the Hindu community, is the responsibility of the state.

    On the other hand, in the northern districts of Sindh, police have increased the security of Hindu temples. According to police officials, the security has increased after the threats of dacoits for the return of Seema Rind.

    It should be noted that in the beginning of this month, Seema Haider, a Pakistani citizen, reached India with her four children after befriending a Hindu Indian boy on the PUBG game. In interviews given to BBC, Seema has said that she will live in India and not return to Pakistan.

    The highly publicised story led to extremist threats against the Hindu community in Sindh.

  • Suspects surrender to police after killing two in court premises

    Suspects surrender to police after killing two in court premises

    Two persons were killed within the premises of a local court in Lahore on Thursday, Dawn has reported.

    According to police, the two slain were identified as Sughra Bibi and Muhammad Amin. The victims were present at the court for a hearing when they were shot dead.

    The Punjab Inspector General has instructed the police to catch the suspects as soon as possible and also find out their motive, however, the suspects turned themselves in after the incident and the weapons used in the crime were also found.

    They have been taken to the SP City Office for further investigation. They are being interrogated to determine if anyone else was involved, said police.

  • ‘It did take a toll on my mental heath’: F-9 park harassment survivor speaks up

    ‘It did take a toll on my mental heath’: F-9 park harassment survivor speaks up

    Trigger warning: discussion of sexual harassment

    On Thursday, a video from the Instagram account sab.chutzpah.hai went viral on social media. The clip, shared by the anonymous account of a woman, detailed her account of a visit to F-9 park in Islamabad, where a man flashed her, then kept following her around as she ran to her car and tried to look around for police authorities, but found no one present for help.

    The incident prompted a response from the Islamabad police who wrote in the comment section that they wished to get in touch with the survivor to arrest the culprit.

    When The Current reached out to A*, she revealed that the incident took place on the June 26.

    She recounted that she visited the park to walk a bit around afternoon before attending her class at the university. She had been walking around the track which was near the parking lot, when suddenly she realised that someone was closely walking behind her.

    “There weren’t a lot of people in the park that day, and not even police men,” said A. “Which is odd because police officers are constantly patrolling the park and questioning people about their coming and going.”

    The woman recalled that the man was walking next to her as if they were together, and suddenly he came close to her and said “Aap ko jism dubwana hai [Do you want your body massaged]”?

    “I remembered being completely taken aback and shocked by this,” recounted A. “Then I threatened him to leave or I’ll call the police. But he was already aware of the fact there were no police officers present at the park and he didn’t stop walking behind me as I rushed to my car. I was frantically rushing to my car, while trying to find some police man standing around who could stop this man, but there were two cars there and in one a driver was present, and I was afraid that he might be involved with the man.”

    A said she sat in her car and tried to start it, but the man stood outside her window and kept jerking off as he looked at her directly.

    “I was incredibly worried and scared of what was going on,” she said. “So then I decided to make proof of this and recorded a video. I tried to hide behind the window blinds so he can’t notice, but he did and he tried to conceal his face, but I made the video. My car started immediately and when I came to the gate, there was no police man in sight even though it was afternoon.”

    A chose to remain anonymous and did not want her identity to be revealed to the police, as she hasn’t revealed the incident to her family, and decided to share this video with a public account instead.

    “They had shared a similar video of a man assaulting a woman,” she said. “That’s when I decided that I should share my experience with them.”

    On whether officials from the Islamabad Police had reached out for more details, A said they had informed the admin of the page that an FIR had been launched and a man hunt was underway in search of the harasser.

    She recounted that the incident had taken a toll on her mental health:

    “I feel so conscious about men around me now,” confessed A. “I don’t go out now without my mother.”

    Previously, a gang-rape case in February had drawn anger from activists and residents of Islamabad, when a woman and her colleague were attacked by two armed men, who raped her at gunpoint.

    A senior police official from the Islamabad Police told The Current that since the culprit has been identified in a video, all efforts will be made to catch him. “We will get all evidence from him regarding the immoral incident. Once the actions have been established what he was doing, we will charge him and then file a case for trial. We would encourage the victim to reach out to us directly and report it without going public but if she doesn’t, even then we will follow the law that will lead to prosecution subjected to availability of evidence.”

    The police official also said that the judiciary should also ensure in such cases that perpetrators are punished so that such harassment incidents must be discouraged and such practices must be stopped. “We would encourage all victims to report harassment incidents so that we can take proper action against perpetrators of harassment. In any civilised society, there are laws that deal with flashing or masturbation in public and other forms of harassment. We hope that our judiciary also makes a commitment to punishing harassers as it is against the norms, values and laws of Pakistan.”

    ⁩

  • Protests against loadshedding turn violent in Lyari

    Protests against loadshedding turn violent in Lyari

    Residents of Karachi’s Lyari staged a protest against prolonged load-shedding in their area on Wednesday, blocking both tracks of Mauripur Road and stopping vehicular traffic, Dawn reports. Police were allegedly forced to fire tear gas shells and baton charge the protestors to clear the road. 

    The vice chairman of UC-7 in  Lyari, Zohaib Baloch, who is one of the organisers of the protest, reportedly told Dawn that Lyari residents were facing up to 16 hours of load shedding daily, which exacerbated the crisis of water in the locality. 

    A large number of people, including women and children, staged a sit-in on Mauripur Road near Dua Hotel, blocking one of the busiest thoroughfares in the city. 

    A police officer, who wished to remain anonymous, claimed that they were compelled to take aggressive action when protestors started ‘smashing’ cars and other vehicles on the road.

    Baloch, however, claims that the police charged the locals with batons and fired tear gas at them in order to disperse the protest. He adds that their protest would continue until their demands were fulfilled. 

    According to Dawn, Baloch said that residents at Mira Naka in Lyari were protesting the same problem. Alas, this is not the first time residents of what is considerably one of Karachi’s oldest neighbourhoods have staged protests against insufficient facilities and provisions. 

    In fact, just earlier this week on Monday, residents of Lyari staged a protest against long hours of gas shortages, claiming that and the scarcity of fuel forces them to burn wood to cook meals. 

    The smoke that rises from the burning wood has caused sickness in children, while the infrastructure of houses has also been affected due to the use of wood fire. 

    Residents of Mandra Para, Rahiman Soomra and Baloch Mohallo placed gas cylinders and gas stoves on the road to protest, and the protestors included women and children.

    Karachi Press Club president Saeed Sarbazi said that K-Electric might have reasons to resort to load-shedding on the pretext of ‘losses’, but a host of issues must be considered for the problem to be resolved, Dawn reports. 

    He added that residents of Lyari were of a working-class background and thereby could not afford exorbitant electricity bills, saying that the problem required a political and social initiative.

  • Alcoholic man murders father over property dispute in India

    Yesterday, in Rajsthan’s Ajmer in India, a man, Mukesh, had reportedly murdered his father while he was drunk, during an argument that escalated over property division. According to the mother, the heated conversation began earlier in the day but had seemingly settled which is when she chose to depart the house. However, India Today reports that when the mother returned, she found her dead husband’s body and immediately reported to the police.

    Baldev Ram, in charge of the Ansagar Police Station, revealed to the media that the authorities had taken swift action to arrest Mukesh, and were keeping him under custody as the investigation continues. The body of the deceased has been sent for a post-mortem examination.

  • Export-quality rice production at risk: Rising theft incidents targeting water pumps, transformers

    Export-quality rice production at risk: Rising theft incidents targeting water pumps, transformers

    Pakistan is currently facing a major threat to its export-quality rice production as a result of extensive theft of high-voltage electric wires, transformers, and water pumps. This theft has left vast stretches of rice-producing land along the Lahore to Sheikhupura Motorway without access to tube-well water, precisely during the critical rice sowing season.

    This alarming situation, which has been verified by both farmers and officials from the Water and Power Development Authority (Wapda), demands immediate attention.

    According to The News, the area most severely affected is near village Warran on the Motorway, where farmers are grappling with the challenges of rewiring their tube-wells and procuring replacements for the stolen equipment required for rice cultivation. The thefts of agricultural-related electrical hardware have been escalating precisely when water is in desperate demand for the rice crops.

    Although the rice-growing season began two weeks ago, many farmers are unable to sow their crops due to the thefts, which have deprived them of crucial equipment necessary for water extraction. Agricultural experts caution that any further delays in rewiring tube-wells and replacing stolen equipment could have severe repercussions for this year’s rice production.

    Regrettably, the motorway police’s lack of cooperation, attributed to resource constraints, has further complicated matters. Despite filing First Information Reports (FIRs) for each incident, no thieves have been apprehended thus far. Some Wapda officials suspect that the stolen wires and accessories are being sold at discounted prices to factories for various manufacturing purposes. Additionally, there are allegations that local politicians may be protecting the thieves, impeding the police’s efforts to apprehend them. These circumstances intensify the urgency surrounding this issue.

    Pakistan’s export-quality rice production is currently under a significant threat due to widespread theft of essential electrical equipment. The unavailability of water for irrigation poses a grave challenge to the entire rice crop, placing immense pressure on farmers. Swift action is imperative to address this issue and prevent further harm to the agricultural sector.