Posts in category: Crime & Court

ISLAMABAD: The Supreme Court has ruled that the government may acquire private property without the owner’s consent for public purposes, observing that while the state possesses the power of compulsory acquisition, the authority is not absolute and must remain subject to constitutional safeguards.
In a detailed judgement authored by Justice Muhammad Ali Mazhar, the apex court held that the state’s power to acquire land in the public interest must be exercised in accordance with Articles 23 and 24 of the Constitution, which guarantee the right to property and regulate compulsory acquisition.
The court emphasised that a fair balance must be maintained between the state’s authority and the fundamental rights of property owners. It observed that landowners should receive just and equitable compensation, remarking that “gold should be compensated with gold, not with copper.”
The judgement further stated that compensation for acquired land should not be determined solely on the basis of official government rates. Instead, authorities must take into account the prevailing market value of the property, its potential use, and future development prospects.
The court also directed that where there is a delay in the acquisition process, any increase in land prices and the impact of inflation during the intervening period must be factored into the compensation awarded to the landowner.
The ruling is expected to serve as an important precedent in cases involving compulsory land acquisition, reinforcing the constitutional requirement that property owners receive fair and reasonable compensation when land is acquired in the public interest.

ISLAMABAD: An Anti-Terrorism Court (ATC) on Monday sent the prime suspect in the murder case of martyred Group Captain Asim Tariq to jail for a 14-day identification parade, marking a key development in the investigation.

The case was heard by ATC Judge Abu Al-Hasnat Zulqarnain. The accused, Saad Abbasi, was produced before the court under stringent security arrangements. Prosecutor Raja Naveed and the investigating officer also appeared during the proceedings.

The investigating officer requested the court to allow the accused to be sent for an identification parade, stating that the process was necessary for the ongoing investigation. The prosecutor informed the court that two eyewitnesses had been identified in the case.

Accepting the request, the court directed the authorities to shift the suspect to jail for the identification parade and ordered the investigating team to submit a report upon completion of the exercise.

The court further directed the police to produce the accused again on July 20 for further proceedings.

Lahore: Footage has surfaced showing Raza Dar taking two foreign women to the airport in Lahore.

In the footage that has come to light, a vehicle can be seen speeding on Ghazi Road and colliding with another car. The car that collided with Raza Dar’s vehicle has also been identified in the footage.

According to Stephanie’s statement, when the accident occurred, they got out of the vehicle. The family in the other car also came out and called police on 15.

Stephanie said that when the police arrived at the scene, they felt safe.

Meanwhile, Raza Dar was in contact with someone referred to as “boss.” In Gabrielle’s statement, she said people were shouting at Raza Dar and telling him that the “boss” had given different instructions for the situation.

Gabrielle said they were crying and shouting, asking him to drive faster, but Raza Dar was driving slowly. During this time, the vehicle hit a citizen’s car, after which they jumped out.

Also Read: Police Arrest Five More Suspects, Including ‘Boss,’ in Foreign Women Kidnapping and Rape Case

The women entered a mechanic’s shop, where a traffic warden arrived and informed the police. Police then began taking them away, saying they were being taken to the airport. However, when they were being sent toward the airport, the women again became suspicious that they were not actually being taken there.

They were told that the vehicle had broken down and they would have to travel in another car, but the two women fled from there as well and started moving toward the airport according to their location.

Stephanie said a police mobile then arrived, and a female officer told them that the incident was already in their knowledge. When the police showed them proof, they felt satisfied. The police then took them to the police station, and their statements were recorded the next day.

ISLAMABAD: The Supreme Court has fixed for hearing the petitions filed by Iman Mazari and Barrister Hadi Chattha seeking the suspension of their sentences.

The Supreme Court has scheduled both petitions for hearing in connection with the requests for the suspension of the sentences awarded to Iman Mazari and Hadi Chattha.

A three-member bench headed by Justice Muhammad Ali Mazhar will hear the petitions on June 6. Justice Musarrat Hilali and Justice Shahid Bilal are also members of the bench.

Earlier, the Supreme Court had directed that a decision on the petitions of Iman Mazari and Hadi Chattha be made within 15 days. However, after no decision was issued within that period, petitions were filed before the Supreme Court.

It is pertinent to mention that the petitions seeking the suspension of the sentences of Iman Mazari and Hadi Chattha are currently pending before the Islamabad High Court.

Also Read: Court Orders Arrest and Production of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Suhail Afridi

LAHORE: Court in Lahore has granted a five-day physical remand of four suspects accused of allegedly abducting two foreign women in a case linked to a reported ransom demand involving crypto.

The suspects were produced before Judicial Magistrate Azhar Mahmood at the Cantonment Courts. After reserving its decision, the court approved the police request for a five-day physical remand. Police had sought a 14-day remand, but the court granted custody for five days. Following the order, the suspects were taken into police custody.

The case has been registered at Defence C Police Station in Lahore. The FIR was lodged on the complaint of a Dutch woman who was recovered after the alleged incident.

According to the FIR, the alleged abduction took place on June 29. The complainant stated that she had met a man from Lahore while in Singapore. She alleged that the man invited both women to Pakistan and also arranged their visas.

The FIR further states that on June 29, the man, his boss, and three other individuals allegedly abducted the two women.

According to the complainant, the abductors behaved “very aggressively” during the incident, while the man who had invited them to Pakistan pretended to be a victim himself.

Also Read: Murree Police Recover 15-Year-Old Hindu Girl Safely from Haripur

The complainant further alleged that the suspects demanded ransom in exchange for their release. She also alleged that her companion was raped multiple times and that an attempt was made to rape her as well.

A significant portion of the FIR has been recorded in English based on the complainant’s statement.

DIG Operations Lahore Faisal Kamran told BBC Urdu that the father of one of the recovered women called the police helpline 15 from Spain. He informed police that his daughter had arrived in Pakistan two days earlier and that during their last conversation she had told him she had been abducted by the suspects named in the FIR, who were demanding $1.5 million in crypto for their release.

The senior police officer said that whenever such a call is received from abroad, senior officers and the Chief Minister’s House are informed immediately.

According to DIG Faisal Kamran, as soon as the call was received, the Chief Minister directed police to recover the two women and arrest the suspects within two hours.

He said the caller from Spain also informed police that the woman had managed to tell her father the registration number of the vehicle in which the suspects were taking them.

Also Read: Bannu Police Kill 5 Terrorists in Intelligence-Based Operation Following Fatah Khel Police Post Attack

However, the DIG said the two women had come to Pakistan of their own free will and had been sharing updates and photographs of their movements with their families.

“We immediately obtained all the photographs from the families, including images showing the vehicle in which they were travelling with the suspects. Using the vehicle’s registration number, we retrieved its details and began tracing it,” he said.

According to DIG Faisal Kamran, CCTV footage helped investigators determine when the vehicle passed through Shahdara, reached Sargodha, travelled to Islamabad, and where it stopped during the journey.

“Following the trail, we eventually reached Lahore’s Defence area, where we conducted a raid and recovered the two women,” he said.

He added that after recovering the women, police used information provided by the arrested suspects to apprehend the remaining suspects.

ISLAMABAD: The Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) is continuing its extensive operations against individuals involved in human smuggling and the so-called “Dunki” mafia.

According to the media reports, between 40,000 and 50,000 Pakistani citizens attempt to leave the country illegally every year, with the FIA serving as the biggest obstacle to such attempts.

The FIA has not only exposed dozens of human smuggling networks through coordination within Pakistan and with international contacts, but has also brought human smugglers responsible for sending thousands of Pakistanis abroad through illegal means before the courts, resulting in strict punishments.

The agency is using digital surveillance, mobile data analysis, tracking systems, and the exchange of information with international organizations as part of its efforts against human smuggling, making it the country’s largest force combating the crime.

According to the information, the FIA has uncovered dozens of smuggling networks and taken legal action against human smugglers who sent thousands of Pakistanis illegally to Europe, the Middle East, and other countries.

From 2023 to 2026, the FIA’s Anti-Human Trafficking Circle registered more than 7,000 cases across the country and arrested over 10,000 suspects. Assets worth more than Rs17 billion linked to human smuggling cases were also frozen.

Also Read: FIA Islamabad Busts Illegal Kidney Transplant Network, Arrests Nine Suspects

Most of these cases involved the illegal European route, commonly referred to as “Dunki.” During the past six months, the FIA shut down more than 200 fake travel agencies and unlicensed overseas employment offices that were using social media to claim they could send young people to European countries.

In addition, the FIA placed 15,000 passports on its suspicious list over the past year, while 5,000 individuals were offloaded from airports, preventing them from becoming victims of human smuggling. According to the information, these individuals were attempting to travel abroad using illegal visas, fake invitation letters, and dangerous routes. It added that timely action prevented them from potentially being held hostage by smugglers.

According to the FIA report, a large number of human trafficking victims are people who fall into the traps of smugglers due to poverty, unemployment, and a lack of awareness. To address this, the FIA has been conducting awareness programmes in schools, colleges, and rural areas over the past two years.

International cooperation also remains a key part of the FIA’s campaign. Through information sharing with law enforcement agencies in the European Union, the United Kingdom, Türkiye, Gulf countries, and Iran, and with the support of Interpol, more than 120 international warrants were executed in 2025, leading to the arrest of key figures in major human smuggling networks.

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The FIA has also carried out operations against the trafficking of women and children. Over the past three years, more than 1,500 women and children were rescued after allegedly being lured with promises of overseas jobs or marriage for the purpose of trafficking.

According to the provided information, the FIA’s effective operations have resulted in a 35 percent decline in human smuggling in 2026 compared to 2019.

Karachi: Deadly traffic accidents involving heavy vehicles continue unabated in Karachi, with a total of 480 people losing their lives and 5,747 others sustaining injuries in traffic accidents across the city so far this year.

According to media reports, two more fatal traffic accidents were reported on Wednesday. In Korangi, a sand and gravel truck ran over a young boy, killing him on the spot, while in North Karachi, a young motorcyclist also lost his life in a separate traffic accident.

Following these latest incidents, the total number of fatalities in traffic accidents this year has reached 480, while 5,747 people have been injured, including men, women, boys, and girls.

Data shows that 158 people have died in fatal traffic accidents involving heavy vehicles during the current year. Among these, trailers were involved in the highest number of fatal accidents, claiming 73 lives, followed by water tankers, which were responsible for 41 deaths.

Also Read: Karachi Police Foil Drug Smuggling Attempt Using Rickshaw, Arrest Three Suspects

The latest incident occurred near Murtaza Chowk in Bilal Colony, Korangi, where a truck loaded with sand and gravel ran over a young boy. Rescue volunteers from Chhipa shifted the body to Jinnah Hospital for legal formalities.

According to rescue officials, the deceased was identified as 10-year-old Siddiq Hussain. Awami Colony SHO Adnan Bukhari said the accident occurred while the sand and gravel truck was reversing. The driver fled the scene immediately after the incident.

Police have taken the truck into custody and launched a search operation to arrest the absconding driver.

Officials said the deceased boy was a resident of the same locality. After the completion of legal formalities, the body was handed over to his family.

Muzaffarabad: Law enforcement agencies in Azad Kashmir have arrested Shaukat Nawaz Mir, a key core member of the banned Joint Awami Action Committee.

According to the police, Shaukat Nawaz Mir was wanted in multiple cases and was arrested during an operation carried out within the jurisdiction of Dhirkot.

Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) Muzaffarabad, Riaz Mughal, confirmed the arrest, stating that Shaukat Nawaz Mir was taken into custody during an operation in the Dhirkot area.

Meanwhile, Deputy Commissioner Muzaffarabad, Munir Qureshi, said that Shaukat Nawaz Mir was arrested from the area located between the boundaries of Muzaffarabad and Bagh.

It is pertinent to mention that the banned Joint Awami Action Committee has been accused of inciting the public against the state. The committee has also been demanding the abolition of refugee seats in the Azad Kashmir Legislative Assembly.

Also Read: 5.9-Magnitude Earthquake Shakes Islamabad, Lahore, KP and Other Regions

Earlier, the Azad Kashmir Home Department had announced cash rewards for individuals assisting in the arrest of four active leaders of the banned Joint Awami Action Committee, including Shaukat Nawaz Mir.

The leaders named in the reward list are Shaukat Nawaz Mir, Umar Nazir Kashmiri, Khawaja Mehran Arshad, and Sardar Aman.