4 suspects arrested over alleged murder, sexual assault of 5-year-old girl in K-P's Haripur

Haripur District Police Officer (DPO) Shafiullah Gandapur said on Tuesday that the force had arrested four suspects in connection with the alleged abduction, sexual assault and murder of a five-year-old girl. Addressing a press conference, the DPO expressed sorrow over the death and said the disappearance or abduction of a child was not merely a family tragedy but a matter of concern for the entire society. According to the police, her father reported her missing on August 10. A case was registered under Sections 361 (kidnapping from lawful guardianship) and 364-A (kidnapping or abducting a person under the age of fourteen) of the Pakistan Penal Code, following which a search and investigation were launched. A special investigation team comprising senior police officers was formed. Female police officers and investigators were also included in the team. Read: Missing Haripur minor sexually assaulted A separate technical team was tasked with collecting and analysing CCTV footage, call data records, geofencing information and other digital evidence. Police obtained and reviewed footage from around 200 CCTV cameras and analysed records of 20 suspected phone numbers. Officials said footage from 12 cameras proved particularly useful in tracing the child’s movements after she left her home and identifying the suspects travelling on foot and by motorcycle. Police subsequently arrested three suspects and recovered the motorcycle allegedly used in the crime. The police said one of them confessed before a court to abducting and sexually assaulting the child, and his statement was formally recorded by the judge. The other two were produced before the court for physical remand. Due to his age, one of them was sent to Haripur Central Jail on judicial remand, while one was handed over to police on a two-day physical remand. Police later traced and arrested a fourth suspect. Acting on his identification, police discovered a deep, dry and overgrown well in a vacant plot near the Link Road on University Road, close to a warehouse. Read More: Child abuse cases in Pakistan rise 8% to 3,630 in 2025: Sahil The body was recovered from the well with the assistance of Rescue 1122. The recovery operation was supervised by the DPO and senior members of the Special Investigation Team. The body was taken to the Rescue 1122 Trauma Centre in Haripur, where doctors conducted a post-mortem examination. X-rays and samples for DNA, kidney, intestinal and other forensic tests were collected and sent for analysis. Further investigation is under way. The DPO said the investigation had faced several challenges because some of the suspects were underage and did not have identity cards, making it difficult to trace SIM cards directly registered in their names. Police therefore obtained and analysed records of their family members and other suspected numbers. https://ift.tt/W4Bhi32 The investigation also involved extensive search operations. At one stage, more than 400 police officers and personnel, along with Tehsil Municipal Administration (TMA) and Water and Sanitation Agency (WASA) staff, were divided into teams to search the area. The searches covered drains, sewerage lines, dense vegetation, areas around the University of Haripur, the fertiliser factory grounds, Pathan Colony and adjoining areas, vacant plots and deserted locations. Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa Inspector General of Police Zulfiqar Hameed took notice of the case, while Hazara Deputy Inspector General of Police (DIG) Nasir Mahmood Satti visited Haripur and reviewed the investigation. The DPO briefed him on the CCTV evidence, the investigative progress, and the suspects' statements. The DIG also met the father and family and assured them that justice would be served. Police said the family and relatives were kept informed and accompanied investigators during various stages of the investigation and search operations. The Haripur police thanked religious scholars, traders, media representatives, civil society members and local elders for maintaining patience and restraint. They also appreciated residents and traders of Pathan Colony and adjoining areas for providing access to CCTV cameras and footage. The DPO urged citizens with CCTV cameras to keep them functional and preserve recorded footage, saying such evidence could help police trace suspects involved in serious crimes. He said the Haripur police would maintain the chain of investigation, use all available resources, and ensure that all legal requirements were met to bring those responsible to justice. K-P Chief Minister Sohail Afridi also took notice of the incident and directed authorities to form a special investigation team to conduct a comprehensive probe. The chief minister strongly condemned the alleged crime and said that all aspects of the case would be investigated in a transparent manner. Read: Missing Haripur minor sexually assaulted CM Afridi said the reported assault and murder of the child was deeply disturbing and that those responsible would be brought to justice and awarded the strictest punishment under the law. He extended his condolences to the bereaved family and assured them that the provincial government stood with them during their time of grief. The chief minister said crimes against children would not be tolerated under any circumstances. He added that those involved would receive no leniency and would be dealt with strictly in accordance with the law.

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PM Shehbaz launches National Olive Value Chain Policy to cut import bill

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Monday formally launched Pakistan’s National Olive Value Chain Policy, describing the country’s growing olive sector as a rare success story capable of transforming national agriculture and easing the pressure of a multi-billion-dollar edible oil import bill. Addressing farmers, growers, diplomats and young entrepreneurs at a ceremony here organised in collaboration with the Italian government, the prime minister said Pakistan currently spends around four billion dollars annually importing crude edible oil, a burden he noted the country could significantly reduce by expanding domestic olive cultivation. “Olive oil is among the healthiest fruits available, and if we produce it ourselves, even saving a fraction of that import bill would be an enormous service to the nation,” the prime minister said, adding that with sustained effort Pakistan could become self-sufficient in edible oil within a few years. وزیرِ اعظم محمد شہباز شریف کا ’’پاکستان نیشنل اولیو ویلیو چین پالیسی‘‘ کے اجراء کی تقریب سے خطاب وزیرِ اعظم نے زرعی انقلاب کے لیے عملی اقدامات کو ناگزیر قرار دیتے ہوئے کہا ہے کہ حکومت کسانوں کو ہر ممکن سہولیات فراہم کرے گی۔ زیتون کی کاشت سے ملک کو خوردنی تیل کی پیداوار میں خود… pic.twitter.com/SQRcc1UIjA — Government of Pakistan (@GovtofPakistan) August 24, 2026 PM Shehbaz paid tribute to farmers who pioneered olive cultivation despite early scepticism from their own families and communities, singling out growers from Balochistan and Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa whose orchards had since won international awards in New York, London and Dubai. He said their perseverance proved that “if you are determined and have passion in your heart, such revolutions can be brought about,” and congratulated provincial governments for supporting farmers through the process. The prime minister also thanked Italy for decades of cooperation with Pakistan, recalling the two countries’ seven-decade partnership spanning archaeology, agriculture, trade and industry. He announced that Pakistan would fund the training of 100 young agriculture graduates in Italy, covering olive cultivation, processing and marketing, so they could return to strengthen the local value chain. The premier said his government remained committed to expanding edible oil crops more broadly, including palm and sunflower cultivation, alongside the olive initiative, calling on farmers and officials to keep working together in the field rather than “only on paper.” The prime minister, in his closing address, personally thanked Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, calling her a wonderful leader and expressing gratitude for Italy’s support to Pakistan. He recalled that Pakistan-Italy trade ties stretched back to his early years as a businessman in the 1960s and 1970s, when Pakistan was a major importer of Italian textile machinery, which he said was outstanding equipment, and noted that tractor manufacturing was another area where cooperation between the two countries had been excellent. The new policy sets out a roadmap to expand olive production, processing, quality control, branding and marketing, positioning Pakistan as a regional hub for olive oil in South, Central and Eastern Asia. Read More: Farmers must be heard The officials at the event said the number of olive trees in the country has grown from roughly 500,000 in 2016 to more than seven million today, spread across Punjab, K-P, Balochistan and Sindh, with orchards now covering some 60,000 acres nationwide. Earlier in the ceremony, the officials noted that Pakistan secured a permanent seat at the International Olive Council this year during the body’s 123rd session in Portugal, and that the country’s first Olive Sensory Evaluation Lab has been established in Islamabad. Minister for National Food Security and Research Rana Tanveer Hussain said the policy was designed to move Pakistan’s olive sector beyond raw production toward processing, packaging, branding and export-oriented growth. He said that the government was not merely implementing a policy but “setting a new limit for agriculture”. He said the real competition in agriculture today lay in quality, value addition, packaging, branding and market access, not just production, and credited the premier’s leadership with securing Pakistan’s permanent seat at the International Olive Council after Islamabad had first sought membership in 2014. Ministry of National Food Security and Research Secretary Amir Ali Ahmed briefed the audience on the objectives of the policy, saying it would make Pakistan an important centre for olive oil production in South, Central and Eastern Asia. He said that PM Shehbaz’s guidance had been that the sector should not be limited to planting alone but should build a full system of processing, value addition, branding and marketing. He also announced that Pakistan had become a regular member of the International Olive Council this year and that the country’s first Olive Sensory Evaluation Lab had been established in Islamabad. Italian Ambassador Ugo Ciarlatani thanked PM Shehbaz and the Ministry of National Food Security and Research, calling the policy the result of a long partnership between Italy and Pakistan dating back more than 70 years. The ambassador said Italian cooperation had helped establish sensor and phytosanitary laboratories, trained plant pathologists and chemists, seven notified nurseries, and 36 business development groups led by women and youth, and cited the €20 million Professional Capacity Building and Extension Agriculture Programme as the latest example of that partnership. Ambassador Ciarlatani also spoke of the personal and cultural significance of olive oil in Italy, saying it remained “part of our identity, our traditions and our way of life”. The event also featured testimonies from farmers and entrepreneurs who have built olive businesses from Loralai to Mardan, several of whom were honoured on stage by the prime minister for their contribution to the sector’s growth. Coordinator to the Prime Minister Ahmed Umair moderated a dialogue segment with farmers from across the country, saying the aim was to introduce the audience to “the people who are actually behind this success in remote areas of Pakistan”. Abdul Jabbar, an olive farmer from Loralai, Balochistan, said he began growing olives in 2011 despite his family’s scepticism, whereas his orchard, supported by the Olive Culture project and local officials, began production in 2017 and has since grown into tens of thousands of plants, some of which produced the olive oil that won Pakistan awards in New York and London. Dr Qurat-ul-Ain Irfan, described as one of Pakistan’s leading female olive farmers, said she planted more than 14,000 olive trees on over 600 canals of land in Mardan after an Italian government survey identified the region’s potential in 2008-09. Yaqub Izhar, who runs Pakistan’s largest private-sector olive nursery, said he became interested in olives after visiting an exhibition in Istanbul around 2007-08, despite having no background in agriculture or horticulture. Dr Marco Marchetti, described as an internationally recognised agronomist and one of the foremost architects of Pakistan’s olive sector, was invited on stage during the awards segment alongside farmers, Dr Qurat-ul-Ain and Hassan Tareem, a grower from Loralai, both of whom were honoured by the Prime Minister for their contributions. Earlier, Gianmarco, an Italian expert affiliated with the Mediterranean Agronomic Institute, described as having worked in Pakistan for 45 years, said his organisation was providing technical assistance to federal and provincial authorities to help establish the olive value chain.

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PTI walks out of Senate over Imran health row

PTI senators on Monday staged a walkout from the Senate after Opposition Leader Raja Nasir Abbas was denied permission to speak on party founder Imran Khan's health. The protest erupted shortly after proceedings began when the opposition leader sought the floor to raise the incarcerated leader's health while PTI Parliamentary Leader Barrister Ali Zafar attempted to move a resolution on the former prime minister's treatment. The deputy chairman refused to allow either move, saying the matter was sub judice, prompting PTI members to stand at their seats and raise slogans. Law Minister Azam Nazeer Tarar and the deputy chairman opposed its introduction. The law minister argued that the matter was already before the courts and that PTI itself had filed a contempt petition. "Then why is a resolution being moved in the Senate?" he asked. The deputy chairman also refused to allow the resolution to be moved, saying the Senate Secretariat had not been informed about it in advance. During the House business, the opposition leader again rose from his seat and sought permission to speak. However, the deputy chairman again declined to allow him to discuss a matter pending before the courts. PTI members reacted strongly, standing up in protest and continuing their slogans. Amid the opposition protest, Senator Abdul Qadir moved a bill seeking further amendment to the Members of Parliament (Salaries and Allowances) Act, 1974. The PTI members continued their protest, saying they would not allow the House to function in this manner. Deputy Chairman Syedal Khan Nasir told the opposition leader that he would certainly be given time to speak, but asked the opposition to allow the proceedings to continue. "You will definitely be given time. Please allow the House to function," he said. He urged members to let the business proceed, saying the House would function according to its rules and not according to the wishes of any individual. "Let the business continue. The House will function according to the rules, not according to your wishes," he said. During the protest, PTI Senator Mashal Yousafzai pointed out a lack of quorum. PTI members then walked out of the House while protesting. Bells were rung to summon members and complete the quorum, but the required number of senators could not be secured. The Senate proceedings were subsequently adjourned until 11am on Tuesday (today). Earlier, eight private members' bills were introduced in the upper house and referred to the concerned committees for further consideration. Senator Shahadat Awan introduced the Criminal Laws (Amendment) Bill, 2026, seeking further amendments to the Pakistan Penal Code, 1860, and the Code of Criminal Procedure, 1898. Senator Mohammad Abdul Qadir introduced the Fatima Institute of Science and Technology Multan Bill, 2026, providing for the establishment of the Fatima Institute of Science and Technology.

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Form-47 assemblies have no legitimacy to change country's structure: Salman Akram Raja

PTI Secretary General Salman Akram Raja said on Monday that Form-47 assemblies lacked the legitimacy to change the country’s structure or alter the system of government. “We have to sit with everyone and move forward with everyone. The Form-47 assemblies do not have the legitimacy to change the structure of the country or alter the system of government. If there is agreement on our principled position on this, then we can move forward together,” said Raja while speaking to a private television programme, Capital Talk. Raja said his party was ready to work on principled grounds with all political parties, including the Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam-Fazl (JUI-F). He invited them to join its Sept 27 protest to strengthen the democratic and federal system. He said his party’s meeting with JUI-F chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman at his residence had resulted in an agreement on matters of principle. “There was agreement on matters of principle. In the current situation of the country, whoever wants to move with us based on principles can do so. Why would we keep anyone away from us?” Read: Opposition alliance takes shape Raja said the PTI was not relying on anyone and was not subordinate to any political party. “We are not dependent on anyone, nor are we subordinate to anyone. If someone wants to move with us, they can do so, and if someone wants to leave, they can leave. We will continue the politics of principles that we are pursuing,” he said. Responding to a question about the long march announced by the PTI for Sept 27, Raja said the party would not prevent anyone from participating. “We will not stop anyone from participating in the long march. We will come out for the survival of this country. Whoever wants to move with us can do so, but the decision will be taken at the level of the core committee and political committee,” he said. Regarding the contempt petition filed over the government's alleged failure to comply with a Supreme Court order concerning the shifting of PTI founder Imran Khan to Shifa International Hospital for treatment, Raja clarified that the PTI had not filed the petition. “The petition had been filed by Uzma Khan and her lawyer, Uzair Bhandari, who had said it was his professional decision to determine whom to make a party to the case,” Raja said while responding to a question about why Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi had not been made a party to the case, despite the interior secretary being named as a respondent. Also Read: PTI files contempt petition in SC over alleged violation of order on Imran's hospital transfer He said Adiala Jail was located in Punjab; therefore, the relevant provincial officials were responsible for ensuring that Imran was shifted from the jail to Shifa International Hospital in accordance with the SC's order. “Adiala jail is located in Punjab, so it was the responsibility of the relevant officials in Punjab to shift Imran from Adiala jail to Shifa International Hospital under the SC's order. But because Shifa is located in Islamabad and Imran was taken to PIMS instead of Shifa, all those government officials who were present on the ground are responsible,” he said. Raja rejected the government's position regarding compliance with the SC's order, saying it was incorrect to claim that the order had not been violated. He questioned whether there had been any violation of the order or if the treatment of other patients at Shifa Hospital had been disrupted. “If some people, driven by emotion, come themselves and stand on the footpath and shower flowers in an organised manner, there is no violation of any order,” he said.

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UNESCO widens Pak heritage map

UNESCO has added 12 more historical and cultural sites from Pakistan associated with Gandhara and Buddhist heritage, Mughal-era architecture, historic forts and other cultural heritage to its Tentative List of World Heritage Sites. The latest additions take the total number of Pakistani sites on the list to 37. Their inclusion marks an important first step towards securing World Heritage status and will help highlight Pakistan's diverse cultural and historical heritage on the global stage. Currently, Pakistan has six sites inscribed on UNESCO's World Heritage List. The latest inclusion on the Tentative List does not confer World Heritage status on these sites; rather, it represents an important preliminary step towards possible future nomination to the final list. The cultural landscape of the Kalash Valley in Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa and other important archaeological and historical sites in the province have already been included. According to the latest records of UNESCO's World Heritage Centre, the Kalash Valley was added to the Tentative List in March 2026. Three sites from Punjab - Pharwala and Rohtas forts and the Tomb of Sultan Muqarrab Khan - were added to the Tentative List on May 11, 2026, according to the records. Other additions include Mai Qamro Mosque, Bazira-Barikot, the Gor Khatri Archaeological Complex, Sethi House and the Bhamala Buddhist Complex. Sindh also has significant representation on the Tentative List, with the inclusion of Kot Diji, Naukot and Umerkot forts. According to UNESCO, Kot Diji Fort is an important example of military architecture from the Talpur period, while pre-Harappan remains have also been found in its surrounding area. Pakistan's six sites already inscribed on the World Heritage List are Mohenjo Daro, Taxila, the Buddhist Ruins of Takht-i-Bahi and neighbouring city remains at Sahr-i-Bahlol, Lahore Fort and Shalimar Gardens, the Historical Monuments at Makli, and Rohtas Fort. Among these, Taxila, Lahore Fort and Shalimar Gardens, and Rohtas Fort are located in Punjab. Punjab's sites already included in the Tentative List include the Badshahi Mosque in Lahore, Wazir Khan Mosque, the Tombs of Jahangir, Asif Khan and Akbari Sarai, Hiran Minar and Tank in Sheikhupura, Harappa, the Tomb of Shah Rukn-e-Alam, and the Salt Range and Khewra Salt Mines, among others. Former Archaeology Department director Malik Maqsood said the increase in the number of Pakistani sites on the Tentative List could help draw greater international attention to the country's historical and cultural heritage, while strengthening efforts for their preservation and eventual inclusion on the World Heritage List.

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PTI demands CT coronary angiography for Imran at Shifa International Hospital

Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) on Sunday condemned what it called the continued failure of authorities to conduct a CT Coronary Angiography on former prime minister and founder Imran Khan, demanding immediate and independent cardiac care for him at Shifa International Hospital. In a statement, Central Secretary Information, Sheikh Waqas Akram, said a government medical board had examined Imran on Aug 10 following complaints of heart palpitations and severe headaches. He said a cardiologist at the Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences (PIMS) had already recommended a CT Coronary Angiography on Aug 1 due to fluctuating blood pressure, restlessness and potential risks of cardiac complications, given Imran’s age and prolonged isolation. PRESS RELEASE PTI Demands Immediate and Independent Cardiac Care for Imran Khan Following Denied Diagnostic Tests ISLAMABAD: Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Central Secretary Information Sheikh Waqas Akram has strongly condemned the continued failure of authorities to conduct a… — PTI (@PTIofficial) August 23, 2026 “Even the government’s own doctors considered this diagnostic test medically necessary,” Akram said while alleging that when Imran was taken to PIMS, the recommended procedure was not performed. According to him, hospital officials claimed that the required equipment was unavailable, despite the presence of a functional CT scanner in the radiology department capable of conducting the test. He said the incident had intensified concerns over what he described as repeated delays and apparent negligence in providing Imran with timely and appropriate medical care. Read: PTI seeks contempt action over Imran Shifa fiasco “A former prime minister was taken to a government hospital in the middle of the night, assessed by doctors who recommended an essential cardiac investigation, and then returned to Adiala Jail without the test being conducted. This cannot be dismissed as an isolated administrative lapse; it reflects a deeply troubling pattern,” Akram said. He said the required specialist facilities were available at Shifa International Hospital. Akram also referred to a Supreme Court order concerning Imran’s comprehensive medical examination and treatment at Shifa International Hospital, alleging that authorities had bypassed the directive and instead transferred him to a facility where the CT angiography was not performed. “When the necessary facilities were available at Shifa International, deliberately taking Imran to a hospital unable or unwilling to perform the procedure raises a grave question: was the decision made in advance to prevent the CT Coronary Angiography from being conducted?” he asked. Also Read: Govt fully implemented SC order on Imran’s medical check-up, says Tarar “Authorities must explain why he was not taken to the facility specifically designated for his medical care,” he added. The PTI leader rejected government assertions that Imran was receiving adequate medical attention. He said Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif’s decision to form an inquiry committee only underscored what he described as a systemic failure, raising questions about why the medically recommended test had not been conducted, why inter-departmental coordination had failed and why directives concerning Shifa International had allegedly been ignored. The PTI demanded the immediate performance of the recommended CT Coronary Angiography at Shifa International Hospital under the supervision of independent specialists and Imran’s personal physicians. It also called for the prompt disclosure of all medical records, reports and diagnostic results to his family, personal medical team and legal counsel. The party demanded full implementation of the SC’s order regarding Imran’s comprehensive medical examination and treatment at Shifa International Hospital. It also called for a transparent and non-partisan inquiry into why Imran was taken to PIMS instead of Shifa International and who ordered that the recommended diagnostic procedure not be performed.

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‘Blind murder’ theory falls apart as TikToker killing probe uncovers family plot

The murder investigation into 28-year-old TikToker Shamsu Bibi, also known as Ayesha Gilamana, in Taxila took a dramatic turn on Saturday, with police alleging that her father, biological brother and close relatives were involved in the conspiracy to kill her. Police have arrested five suspects, including her father and brother, while the two alleged shooters are also in custody. Rawalpindi Operations SSP Malik Tariq Mehboob told a presser that preliminary investigations suggested Ayesha’s family disapproved of her TikTok and other social media activities, which had become a major source of conflict within the family. He said evidence gathered so far indicated that Ayesha had allegedly been killed in the name of honour and that her father, brother and other close relatives were allegedly involved in planning the murder. According to the SSP, an attempt was initially made to portray the killing as a blind murder and mislead the police by creating the impression that outsiders were responsible. However, as investigators widened the scope of the probe, evidence began pointing towards members of the victim’s own family. Mehboob said investigators examined footage from more than 100 CCTV cameras and used human intelligence and other sources to establish the circumstances surrounding the murder. The victim’s father and brother were subsequently brought into the investigation, following which details of the alleged planning and the roles of various suspects began to emerge. The SSP said the investigation indicated that Ayesha’s father Fazal, brother Bashir and other close relatives were allegedly involved in the conspiracy. In a surprising development, her father became the complainant in the murder case after her death, allegedly in an attempt to conceal the facts and mislead the law. He further disclosed that an earlier attempt had also allegedly been made to kill Ayesha. The suspects had reportedly planned to target her during a wedding ceremony in Haripur, but she escaped the attack after changing her route. Malik said five suspects had so far been arrested: the victim’s father Fazal, biological brother Bashir, cousin Ahsan, her father’s uncle Rozi Khan and the son of her cousin, Yasin. The two alleged shooters are also in police custody, while one of the arrested suspects has allegedly confessed during interrogation. The SSP said the preliminary investigation indicated that the murder was an alleged honour killing, but the probe was continuing and further significant revelations could emerge. He said investigators would strengthen the evidence against the arrested suspects before submitting the challan to the court.

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