5 tourists killed after boat capsizes in Swat's Saifullah Lake

At least five tourists were killed after a boat capsized in Saifullah Lake in the Kalam area of Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa’s Swat district on Wednesday, police said, while rescue teams continued searching for the remaining missing passengers. Police initially said the boat was carrying seven people, including the boatman. However, officials later said eight members of the same family were on board when the accident occurred. Swat District Police Officer Mohammad Omar Khan said five bodies had been recovered from the Mahodand area and that rescue teams, police, and local volunteers were continuing search efforts for the remaining missing persons. Read: Foreign tourists' boat capsizes due to rough seas According to the police, the boatman was rescued with serious injuries and taken to the hospital for treatment. K-P Governor Faisal Karim Kundi expressed grief over the incident, describing the boat accident as "deeply tragic and heartbreaking". While extending condolences to the bereaved families and praying for the departed souls, he urged the relevant authorities to make the rescue operation more effective and continue the search without interruption until all the missing persons were located. The governor also called for strict enforcement of safety measures and boating regulations at tourist destinations. K-P Chief Minister Sohail Afridi took notice of the incident and sought an immediate report from the relevant administration. Also Read: Nine die as rescue boat capsizes in Bahawalnagar He directed that action be taken against those responsible if negligence or lapses were established. The chief minister said the provincial government stood with the affected families during the difficult time. He also directed rescue authorities to continue search and relief operations with full responsibility and urgency to recover a missing girl.

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CTD opens five fronts in Karachi Rangers attack probe

Five cases have been registered by the Sindh Counter Terrorism Department (CTD) in connection with the terrorist attack on a Rangers transport company in Karachi's Gulistan-e-Jauhar, in which three Rangers personnel were martyred. Investigators said an arrested terrorist claimed the attackers belonged to the banned Jamaat-ul-Ahrar outfit and revealed details of the alleged planning, facilitators, and commanders behind the assault. The main case was registered on the complaint of an officer posted at the Rangers Transport Company (TC) Workshop. According to the complainant, around 8pm on June 27, a suicide bomber detonated himself at the workshop's main gate, martyring three Rangers personnel stationed there on the spot. Read: Rangers foil attack on Karachi camp, three soldiers martyred The complaint stated that as Rangers personnel moved forward following the blast, three armed terrorists carrying automatic weapons entered the premises, opened indiscriminate fire and hurled hand grenades during the attack. The complainant said he and other Rangers personnel engaged the attackers, while the Rangers Special Force and Quick Response Force (QRF) also reached the scene. According to the first information report, security personnel responded with official submachine guns (SMGs), killing two terrorists, while a third attacker was wounded and captured alive by Rangers personnel. Local police also arrived at the scene shortly afterwards. The arrested terrorist identified himself as Usman alias Ali. An SMG, ammunition, and a hand grenade were recovered from his possession. During interrogation, the suspect identified his deceased accomplices as Umar, Abdul Hadi, and suicide bomber Janan. Investigators recovered an SMG, ammunition, and magazines from Umar's body, while Abdul Hadi was carrying an SMG, a double magazine, and 16 rounds of ammunition. Police also recovered 43 spent SMG shell casings and seized an unexploded hand grenade from the scene. The Bomb Disposal Squad was called in, while the attack caused extensive damage to government property and vehicles. Also Read: Pakistan summons Afghan envoy over terrorist attack on Rangers camp in Karachi The martyred and injured Rangers personnel were taken to the hospital immediately after the attack. The arrested terrorist was later transported to the hospital by ambulance for medical treatment. During interrogation, the suspect told investigators that he was from Jalalabad, Afghanistan. He claimed that Janan and Umar were also Afghan nationals, while Abdul Hadi was a Pakistani citizen from Bajaur who had long been associated with a terrorist organisation in Afghanistan and had arrived in Karachi a week before the attack. According to the investigation, the attackers stayed at a temporary safe house in Korangi with the assistance of local facilitators. They carried out reconnaissance of the Rangers' workshop before launching the assault. The suspect claimed that all four attackers belonged to the banned Jamaat-ul-Ahrar organisation operating from Afghanistan. He alleged that commanders Umar Qari, Maulvi Ahrar, and Abdul Wajid dispatched them to Pakistan to carry out the attack. He further claimed that the commanders instructed the group to inflict maximum casualties on Rangers personnel and disrupt peace and security. The suspect also alleged that Afghanistan-based members of the organisation — Mullah Tahir Afghani, Mullah Abdul Mannan and Umar Afridi — provided training for the attack. The remaining four cases related to the attack were registered based on a complaint by a police officer. Crackdown on 'illegal' Afghan residents intensifies Meanwhile, the crackdown against Afghan nationals residing illegally in Karachi's Malir district intensified, with police arresting five Afghan nationals allegedly living unlawfully in a warehouse and booking the property's owner for providing them with accommodation. Quaidabad police conducted an operation near Khyber Gali, the Plastic Warehouse, and Sher Pao Colony, where they detained six individuals, including five Afghan nationals. Read More: Terrorists must not be called 'militants': Tarar The arrested individuals were identified as Abdul Hadi, Ayaz, Ehsanullah, Yaseen, Mohammad Akbar, and Hassan Nawab. Police said one of those arrested was the owner of the warehouse where the Afghan nationals were allegedly staying. A case has been registered against the five Afghan nationals under Section 14-D of the Foreigners Act. A separate case has also been registered against the warehouse owner under Section 11 of the Sindh Temporary Residence Act for allegedly providing accommodation to undocumented foreign nationals.

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Gohar seeks 'conducive environment' for talks

PTI Chairman Barrister Gohar Ali Khan on Tuesday said meaningful negotiations with the government could only move forward if a conducive political environment was created. He said that simultaneous convictions of PTI workers and calls for dialogue sent conflicting signals. Speaking to the media after being stopped by police near the Dahgal checkpoint while heading towards Adiala Jail, Gohar said there had been no progress in talks with the government despite Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif's offer of dialogue from the National Assembly floor. He said that confidence-building measures were essential before negotiations could bear fruit. "The prime minister has invited us for dialogue from the floor of the Assembly. We have also said that political issues should be resolved through political means, but the government has to create an environment for negotiations." "On one hand, our people are being sentenced, and on the other, there is talk of negotiations. This should not happen," he lamented. Commenting on prison meetings, Gohar welcomed the decision to allow Bushra Bibi's family to meet her. However, he expressed concern over restrictions on meetings with PTI founder Imran Khan. "It is a good thing that Bushra Bibi's family has been allowed to meet her. Meetings should take place. Imran Khan's family should also be allowed to meet him, but 36 weeks have passed and no meeting has taken place. This is a matter of concern," he said. Clarifying reports surrounding last month's protest at Chungi No. 26, Gohar said he had conveyed no message regarding any meeting. He said the family supported Imran Khan being transferred to a hospital for treatment. He recalled that a meeting with Bushra Bibi had also been scheduled the previous week but could not take place because her family did not arrive.

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Bilawal, Fazl urge govt, protesters to resolve AJK crisis through dialogue

Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam-Fazl (JUI-F) chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman and Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) Chairman Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari on Tuesday called for dialogue to resolve the ongoing unrest in Azad Jammu and Kashmir, while announcing an electoral alliance for the upcoming elections in the region and urging both sides to pursue a peaceful solution. Addressing a joint press conference after their meeting, Fazl revealed that the banned Joint Awami Action Committee (JAAC) had approached him to mediate the crisis, while Bilawal said that he was prepared to play a role in resolving the issue regardless of the personal consequences. The JUI-F chief said the sit-in in AJK was continuing and disclosed that, following his offer to mediate, the JAAC had sent a delegation to him and formally sought his mediation. https://ift.tt/brzEX69 He said Bilawal had supported his mediation efforts in Parliament despite being part of the government. "We are jointly conveying a message to the prime minister as well, and we hope Shehbaz Sharif will take positive steps regarding the situation in Azad Kashmir," he said. The JUI-F chief also said that if his party's AJK chapter entered into an electoral alliance with the PPP, he would fully support the arrangement. Bilawal said that Fazl had always played an important role in politics and that he had met him to discuss the ongoing protests in Kashmir. "We both have extensive experience of protest movements." The PPP chairman urged the federal government to support efforts aimed at resolving the Kashmir issue through dialogue. Also Read: PPP, JUI-F announce alliance for AJK polls "We request the government to also support us on the Kashmir issue. Elections in Kashmir have already been announced, and we want free and fair elections," he said. Bilawal also announced that the PPP and JUI-F would jointly contest the upcoming AJK elections. "The PPP wishes to form the government in Kashmir together with JUI-F," he said. He also appealed to JAAC to remain within the bounds of the law and the Constitution. Expressing concern over content circulating on social media relating to Kashmir, Bilawal said such material was worrying and deserved condemnation. "Every issue is resolved through dialogue, and political disputes can only be settled through political means. We have to resolve this matter politically," he said. Referring to the dispute over refugee-reserved seats in the AJK Legislative Assembly, Bilawal said the issue had reached a deadlock. "The refugee seats in Kashmir have reached a deadlock. These seats will not be abolished through protests or sit-ins. The only solution is a constitutional amendment through the legislative assembly," he said. Bilawal further disclosed that he had invited the JAAC to participate in the recently held All Parties Conference, but the group chose not to attend. "I am ready to resolve this issue even if I am punished for it. Kashmir is our jugular vein, and it has already suffered immense damage," he said.

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AJK police arrests JAAC leader Shaukat Nawaz Mir amid sit-in

Shaukat Nawaz Mir, head of the recently proscribed Jammu Kashmir Joint Awami Action Committee (JAAC), was arrested in Azad Jammu and Kashmir's Dhirkot area on Tuesday, according to an official. The situation in AJK remains tense after the government banned the JAAC, with the group continuing its sit-in and vowing to sustain the protest until its "legitimate demands" are met. Muzaffarabad Deputy Commissioner (DC) Munir Qureshi confirmed Mir's detention while speaking to The Express Tribune. Read: TTAP says police stopped AJK-bound delegation DC Qureshi said Mir was arrested in Dhirkot during a joint operation carried out by the district administration and police based on intelligence information. Following the arrest, the JAAC also confirmed Mir's detention in a statement, saying fellow member Saib Javed had also been arrested. It described the two as campaigners for "the people's rights, justice and a better future". https://ift.tt/ZDsEXea The group alleged that Mir was arrested while attempting to reach an ongoing sit-in, claiming that a combing operation involving intelligence agencies, police, and other institutions led to his detention before he could join the protest. In a separate statement, the JAAC said Mir's presence at the sit-in would have significantly boosted the morale of participants, but insisted that the arrest of a single leader would not weaken the movement. "One voice can be suppressed, but not resolve. One person can be arrested, but not the movement," it added. https://ift.tt/c5Ziyhx The JAAC said Mir was not alone and claimed the entire nation stood with him, expressing confidence that "victory will be for justice". Urging supporters not to lose heart, the group said public movements did not depend on any single individual. Also Read: AJK govt rules out blanket amnesty for JAAC "This is not just Shaukat Nawaz Mir's movement, nor solely that of the core members. This is the movement of the entire public," the statement said. The JAAC added that arrests, raids, imprisonment, and sacrifices had historically been part of public movements, expressing confidence that Mir would soon return to the people. Until then, it said, the public would remain "his voice" and carry forward his mission, adding that the movement would emerge stronger despite the arrest and that "ultimately, victory will belong to the people and defeat to tyranny, arrogance and the exploitative system." Background The recent unrest and deadly clashes broke out in areas, including Rawalakot, where the JAAC had been holding a sit-in outside the Combined Military Hospital Rawalakot. AJK police allege that armed JAAC members opened fire on deployed law enforcement in a planned attack, leaving four personnel dead and around 20 injured. JAAC, however, disputes this account, claiming security forces used tear gas and fired shells toward the hospital. According to the AJK police, three individuals linked to the JAAC and four law enforcement personnel were killed during the protests. JAAC, however, said in a statement on X that seven individuals were killed and dozens were injured when street firing was carried out in the dark after electricity was allegedly cut off. The clash came as the AJK government and the JAAC witnessed a face-off, as the election date for AJK was announced for July 27. Read More: Certain elements seeking to create instability in AJK despite repeated offers of dialogue: Rana Sanaullah AJK's 53-member legislative assembly includes 12 seats reserved for Kashmiri refugees — people who fled Indian-controlled Kashmir in 1947 and 1965 and are now scattered across Pakistan. Six seats represent refugees from the Jammu division (~434,000 people) and six from the Kashmir Valley (~30,000 people) — an already lopsided arrangement that many see as unfair. The region witnessed one of its most turbulent periods in October last year when protests led by the JAAC erupted over demands for constitutional and governance reforms. At least nine people, including three policemen, were killed during the unrest. The JAAC, which organised the protests and strike, had presented a wide-ranging charter of demands, including an end to the privileges enjoyed by the ruling elite, the abolition of 12 assembly seats reserved for refugees, and the scrapping of the quota system. Two days after the violence, the government and the JAAC reached an agreement covering 12 core and 13 additional points. Under the accord, both sides agreed to constitute a high-level committee to examine the issue of refugee seats in the AJK Legislative Assembly

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Placenta smuggling probe deepens

The Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) has continued its investigation into the alleged recovery and smuggling of human placenta seized from an illegal human organ processing facility operating from houses in upscale sectors of Islamabad. Three Chinese nationals and two Pakistani suspects, whose four-day physical remand ends on Monday, will be produced before a court to seek an extension of their custody. The FIA has also widened the scope of its investigation to hospitals from where the Chinese and Pakistani suspects allegedly obtained human placenta after childbirth. According to details, acting on intelligence received by FIA Islamabad Zone Director Shahzad Nadeem Bukhari, a joint team of the FIA Corporate Crime Circle Islamabad and the Human Organ Transplant Authority raided a house in Sector F-7/1, Islamabad. During the raid, the team found a complete plant allegedly set up for the illegal processing of human organs, particularly human placenta. The investigation revealed that the suspects were illegally processing and drying human placenta at the facility. The finished product, marketed as "She Placenta", was allegedly smuggled and exported to Vietnam. Officials recovered around 500 kilograms of fresh and processed human placenta and arrested five suspects, including three Chinese nationals - Li Gangcai, Wang Bao and Peng Fei Gua - and two Pakistanis, Waqas and Qasim Hanif. During the raid, another Chinese national, identified only as Li, arrived at the premises and introduced himself as a friend of Li Gangcai. Acting on leads linked to the same network, the FIA later raided another location in Islamabad's E-11 sector, where another fully operational processing centre equipped with refrigerators containing organs was found. Processing equipment and prepared material were recovered from the site, while two more Pakistani suspects were taken into custody and are being questioned. A case has been registered against the suspects under the relevant provisions of the Human Organs Transplantation Act (HOTA), 2010. The investigation has also been extended to hospitals in Rawalpindi, Peshawar and Lahore from where the suspects allegedly obtained human placenta after childbirth. Sources said further revelations are expected during the investigation.

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SC returns Imran appeal against IHC order

The Supreme Court has returned appeals filed by former prime minister Imran Khan and his wife, Bushra Bibi, challenging an Islamabad High Court (IHC) order that declined to decide their applications for suspension of sentence on merit in the £190 m case. It is learnt that the Supreme Court Registrar returned the appeals after raising objections, holding that the appropriate remedy against the IHC order lay before the Federal Constitutional Court (FCC). However, counsel for Imran Khan and Bushra Bibi, Salman Safdar, has contested the objection, maintaining that the appeals are maintainable before the Supreme Court under Article 185(3) of the Constitution. According to the petition, Article 175A(1)(a) of the Constitution provides that an appeal to the FCC lies only where it is expressly provided by law. The petition states that Section 32A of the National Accountability Ordinance (NAO), 1999, provides a second appeal to the FCC against a decision of a high court under Section 32 of the ordinance. However, it argues that the NAO does not expressly provide an appeal to the FCC against an order passed on a bail application under Section 9(b) of the NAO read with Section 497 of the CrPC, or against an order on an application for suspension of sentence, even where such an application is filed in a criminal appeal under Section 32 of the ordinance. "Consequently, in the absence of any specific statutory remedy of appeal under the NAO, 1999, the impugned order is assailable before the Hon'ble Supreme Court of Pakistan under Article 185(3) of the Constitution," the petition states. The IHC had disposed of the sentence suspension pleas in early May, observing that since the principal appeals had already been fixed for hearing, there was no justification for separately taking up the suspension applications. In his appeal, Imran Khan submits that he developed an eye condition during his imprisonment and had to be shifted outside jail for medical treatment. He argues that his continued incarceration despite serious health issues is unjust and contends that prolonged solitary confinement has caused him exceptional mental distress. The petition further alleges that the application for suspension of sentence was deliberately delayed and notes that Imran Khan had been granted bail during the trial after the allegations against him were found to be without basis. It argues that courts are legally empowered to examine the merits of a case while deciding applications for suspension of sentence and maintains that dismissing the plea without a preliminary assessment of the evidence was erroneous. The appeal also accuses NAB of repeatedly seeking adjournments, delaying the proceedings and denying the petitioners timely justice. It further alleges that Imran Khan's arrest was unlawful and politically motivated, adding that a higher court had previously ordered his release over the manner of his arrest.

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