All posts by : Web Desk

LAHORE — Significant progress has been reported in the murder case of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) leader Abdullah Tahir, with police naming three suspects already in custody in the case.

According to police sources, TikToker Lareeb and Abdullah Tahir’s driver, Asghar, have been nominated in the case. Lareeb and Asghar were named for allegedly providing Abdullah Tahir’s location to the suspects and facilitating the crime. The suspect accused of conducting reconnaissance has also been nominated in the case.

A total of five suspects, including those recently nominated, are currently in the custody of the Crime Control Department (CCD) police. However, police have so far been unable to arrest the alleged main shooter, Arslan, and two other shooters.

Also Read: PTI Leader Abdullah Tahir Murder Case: TikToker Arrested for Alleged Honey-Trap Plot

Meanwhile, a hearing was held at the Lahore Sessions Court on TikToker suspect Lareeb Shahzadi’s post-arrest bail application in the murder case, in which she was arrested on allegations of facilitation.

Ghulam Abbas Chadhar, a member of the Punjab Bar Council, submitted the power of attorney on behalf of the complainant, while Advocate Azhar Mayo appeared on behalf of the accused.

The police requested additional time to submit the case record. The court accepted the request and adjourned the hearing until September 10. The post-arrest bail application of Lareeb Shahzadi was heard by the Additional Sessions Judge.

The case has been registered by the Ghalib Market Police Station.

KARACHI: A significant development has emerged in the murder case of young Karachi businessman Mir Raza, with the final examination report following his exhumation raising serious questions over the previously reported suicide narrative.

The final examination report prepared by a medical board headed by the Police Surgeon Karachi states that Mir Raza died after a bullet injury caused his heart to rupture.

According to the report, the bullet entered from the upper left side of Mir Raza’s back and travelled through his body before exiting from the front left side of his chest.

The medical board found that the bullet fractured the sixth rib and severely damaged a lung. Blood had accumulated in the chest, while two injuries were also found on the heart. The board concluded that the fatal injury caused the heart to rupture, resulting in death.

The report also found a high concentration of gunshot residue (GSR) at the bullet’s entry point on the back. GSR was also detected around the bullet holes in the shirt worn by Mir Raza.

According to the final examination report, the available evidence regarding Mir Raza’s death was not consistent with the suicide narrative. The report also documented an injury to his head and a fracture in part of his skull.

Also Read: Mir Raza Case: 9 Samples Sent to Karachi University Destroyed, Reports of 4 Received by Police

A toxicology examination detected the local anaesthetic drug bupivacaine in Mir Raza’s samples. However, no other narcotic, psychoactive or poisonous substance was detected in the tested samples.

The DNA examination also confirmed Mir Raza’s identity. According to the report, genetic samples obtained from the body matched those of his parents with 100 percent compatibility.

The final report carries the names and signatures of eight members of the medical board, including the convener, senior member, other board members, a forensic expert, a forensic identification expert and a pathologist.

Meanwhile, the high-level investigation team of Sindh Police received the final report of the second post-mortem conducted after Mir Raza’s exhumation on August 31, 2026.

Police said the report was being made public in view of public interest and the progress of the investigation. The investigation team is conducting a detailed review of the findings and will proceed further in light of the evidence contained in the forensic and medical reports.

The latest findings are expected to play an important role in determining the circumstances surrounding Mir Raza’s death and in guiding the ongoing investigation.

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s prisons are facing severe overcrowding as the growing number of under-trial prisoners continues to put pressure on the country’s already limited jail capacity, with delays in court proceedings being cited as a major factor.

According to available figures, prisons across the country have a combined capacity of around 64,000 inmates, while approximately 110,000 prisoners are currently being held in jails nationwide.

The situation is particularly critical in Punjab, where 45 prisons have the capacity to accommodate around 38,000 inmates. However, approximately 70,000 prisoners are currently incarcerated in the province, meaning the prison population is nearly twice the available capacity.

Of the 70,000 prisoners in Punjab, only around 16,000 are convicted, while the vast majority are under trial.

Sindh is also facing significant overcrowding. The province has 23 prisons with a combined capacity of around 14,000 inmates, but approximately 25,000 prisoners are currently housed in its jails.

Also Read: Sohail Afridi Warns of Sit-in at National Assembly, Threatens to Block Federal Budget

Only around 4,000 of the prisoners in Sindh are convicted, indicating that the overwhelming majority are awaiting the conclusion of their cases.

In Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, 39 prisons currently hold approximately 11,382 inmates. Of these, only around 2,000 are convicted prisoners, while the remaining inmates are under trial.

The figures highlight the mounting pressure on the country’s prison system, with under-trial inmates making up a substantial proportion of the prison population. The prolonged pendency of cases has contributed to prisoners remaining in custody for extended periods before their trials are concluded.

The growing prison population has also raised concerns about overcrowding, living conditions and the ability of jail administrations to provide adequate facilities to inmates.

ISLAMABAD: The Islamabad High Court (IHC) has rejected petitions filed by three prisoners seeking access to private hospital treatment and telephone communication with family members living abroad, ruling that such facilities cannot be claimed as an inherent legal right.

Justice Muhammad Asif issued a written judgment on a petition filed by prisoner Muhammad Ismail. The court dismissed two petitions submitted by inmates of Adiala Jail, who had sought treatment at a private hospital, the constitution of a medical board and permission to communicate with family members overseas by telephone.

The court observed that the petitioner had failed to establish that an August 2 office order was unlawful or that it violated his fundamental rights.

According to the judgment, a prisoner has no legal right to demand transfer to a private hospital of his own choice. The court noted that imprisonment necessarily involves restrictions on liberty imposed in accordance with law and that every facility available to an inmate cannot automatically be treated as a fundamental right.

The IHC held that the primary responsibility for providing medical treatment to prisoners rests with the state and the administrative system of government hospitals. However, where the required treatment is not available at a government hospital, treatment at a private hospital may be considered on the recommendation of a medical board.

The court directed jail authorities to continue providing prisoners with all necessary medical facilities in accordance with the Pakistan Prison Rules, 1978.

Also Read: Supreme Court Clears Way for Hearing of PTI Contempt Petition in Imran Khan Case

Regarding telephone contact with family members residing abroad, the court observed that authorities may consider requests for communication through WhatsApp, video calls or other available means where such facilities are permissible under the law. Any such communication, however, would remain subject to jail discipline, security requirements and the applicable prison rules.

During the proceedings, reference was also made to the transfer of former prime minister and PTI founder Imran Khan to Shifa Hospital. The court observed that judgments of the Supreme Court are binding on high courts, but noted that the Supreme Court’s August 18 directions were interim in nature and the case cited in the proceedings remains pending before the apex court.

Therefore, the high court said, an interim order could not be treated as a final determination of the issue.

The IHC further clarified that the absence of treatment for a prisoner cannot, without the opinion of a medical board, automatically be declared a violation of a fundamental right. It noted that prison rules already provide a procedure for transferring inmates to outside hospitals when medically necessary.

The ruling effectively reaffirmed that prisoners are entitled to necessary medical care, but access to a privately chosen hospital or specific communication facilities remains subject to medical recommendations, applicable laws, prison regulations and security considerations.

KARACHI: The Sindh Home Department has released the judicial commission’s report into the Gul Plaza fire, concluding that the shopping centre remained in commercial use despite being declared hazardous and violating fire-safety regulations, while its administration failed to rectify known deficiencies.

The commission examined the responsibilities of various parties involved in the tragedy and identified multiple institutional and administrative failures that contributed to the loss of life.

According to the report, Civil Defence inspections conducted in 2024 and 2025 had already identified the absence of essential fire-safety equipment at Gul Plaza. The reports also flagged the presence of combustible materials and deficiencies in emergency exits.

Despite these findings, no effective measures were taken to address the identified shortcomings, the commission observed.

The report said the notification of the fire to the fire brigade was delayed in an “extremely unwise” manner. The subsequent disconnection of electricity plunged the building into darkness, further reducing the chances of people on the upper floors escaping.

Although a speaker system was installed in the building, it was not used during the emergency, the commission found.

The report also highlighted overcrowding and the excessive presence of combustible goods. While the regularised plan of Gul Plaza provided for 1,102 shops, there were actually 1,153 shops operating in the building.

Rescue Response Also Questioned

The judicial commission raised serious questions about the response of the fire brigade and rescue authorities.

It said the fire brigade took longer than its own prescribed response standards to arrive, while effective firefighting operations began approximately 35 to 40 minutes after the incident.

Also Read: “No Fire-Safety Arrangement at PIMS Met International Standards”: Probe Report Submitted to PM Shehbaz

A shortage of water and the need for refilling affected both firefighting and rescue operations. The commission termed the failure to ensure an effective initial water supply, despite claims that water was available at fire stations, a significant administrative question.

The report further stated that emergency personnel arrived after the fire had broken out, but an opportunity for an effective rescue operation still remained.

According to the commission, rescue was possible between 11:00am and 11:20am, when some victims could still be seen. Access to the building through the ramp also remained possible until around 11:30am, but Rescue 1122 failed to turn the available window into a large-scale rescue operation.

The commission concluded that people died not only because of the fire but also because of delays, darkness and blocked exits. It said the failure to use available rescue opportunities in a timely manner contributed to the death toll.

Multiple Institutional Failures Identified

The report said the deficiencies identified in 2024 and 2025 were not followed by effective corrective action. Even after the courts became operational in 2025, legal proceedings were not taken forward effectively.

The commission said Civil Defence’s failure was not due to a lack of awareness of the danger, but rather a failure to ensure implementation of safety requirements.

It also observed that the Sindh Building Control Authority (SBCA) could not escape responsibility merely by maintaining that inspections were conducted on the basis of complaints.

The report identified failures in the building’s safety systems, auditing mechanisms, institutional coordination, firefighting arrangements and emergency response.

It further noted that the law required regular inspection of electrical installations and equipment. However, according to the statement of the Electrical Inspector, no formal electrical inspection of Gul Plaza had been carried out.

The commission concluded that responsibility for the tragedy could not be confined to a single institution or a single government. Various institutions exercising legal, regulatory, building-control, firefighting and emergency-response functions existed during different periods, but the overall system failed to operate effectively.

Fire Claimed More Than 70 Lives

The Gul Plaza fire broke out on January 17, 2026, at the well-known shopping centre on Karachi’s M.A. Jinnah Road.

The blaze continued for three days, killing more than 70 people, while the shopping centre was completely destroyed.

The judicial commission’s findings point to a combination of known safety violations, inadequate enforcement, delayed emergency response and institutional failures as key factors behind the scale of the tragedy.