Pakistani MIT physicist calls for greater science and research investment in Karachi visit

Pakistani-American physicist Dr Nergis Mavalvala has called for greater investment in scientific research, saying curiosity and access to opportunity were central to scientific discovery and that universities had a responsibility to nurture both. Speaking at Habib University on Thursday, Mavalvala, dean of the School of Science at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) and a leading figure in the Nobel Prize-winning LIGO collaboration, said some of humanity’s most consequential discoveries had originated from questions with no immediate practical application. “Every single person at birth is research-minded,” she said during an extended question-and-answer session following her lecture. “The reason some of us get to do it in adulthood is [access to] opportunity.” Mavalvala was speaking at the 10th Yohsin Lecture, titled "The Joy of Discovery: Curiosity, Science, and the Pivotal Role of Universities", which drew an estimated 4,000 to 5,000 people to the university campus. Long queues formed as students, academics, alumni and members of the public gathered to hear the physicist speak about curiosity, scientific discovery and the role of universities in advancing knowledge. Reflecting on humanity’s longstanding fascination with the universe, Mavalvala said the impulse to explore was not necessarily driven by an immediate practical benefit. MIT dean Dr Nergis Mavalvala speaks during a panel discussion at Habib University in Karachi on Thursday. Photo: Express “Even pre-human cultures were looking up at the sky, in part because it was just mysterious,” she said. “A hundred years from now the only thing that will matter is that we’ve opened a new window into the universe.” She argued that universities should not be viewed merely as institutions for professional training, saying they also had a role in cultivating curiosity, creativity, perseverance and intellectual freedom. Mavalvala also stressed the importance of public and government investment in science and research. “Research has shown there is no investment that any government does that has greater return than investment in research and science,” she said. The lecture followed a two-day visit to Habib University during which Mavalvala met students, faculty, alumni and members of Pakistan’s scientific and business communities. She held discussions with faculty members on nurturing curiosity in classrooms and met science and humanities students from schools across Karachi. She also participated in sessions with the Entrepreneurs’ Organization and members of the scientific community. During her interaction with the university’s leadership, discussions also focused on the role of liberal arts education in developing students’ curiosity and the importance of teaching and mentorship. Habib University President Wasif Rizvi said the public response to the lecture demonstrated the value of making access to knowledge and leading thinkers more widely available. “This access had not been attempted in Pakistan before. It exists because the community in this room and outside decided that it should,” Rizvi said. He linked the initiative to the university’s philanthropic model, saying its students demonstrated what private philanthropy could achieve in expanding access to higher education. Mavalvala, who is known for her work on the detection of gravitational waves, thanked the university’s leadership, board and donors for creating the institution and said her interactions with its students and alumni had impressed her. “I've met with a number of students and alumni and just have been wowed,” she said. The Yohsin Lecture Series is based on Habib University’s founding philosophy of Yohsin, described by the institution as the thoughtful cultivation of the self. Previous speakers have included Noam Chomsky, Ashis Nandy, Reza Aslan, Azra Raza and Thomas Blom Hansen. The event concluded with a reception on the university’s Central Street, where attendees continued discussions sparked by the lecture.

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Two washed away in Bisham floods

Torrential rain and lightning triggered a sudden flash flood in Shangla's Bisham tehsil on Friday, sweeping away two children and injuring a woman, while residential houses, the Bisham police station, several other buildings and property suffered extensive damage, according to local sources. The flash flood also affected dozens of vehicles. It damaged electricity poles and power lines, while the Karakoram Highway was hit by floodwaters at several points in Bisham and remained completely closed to traffic until late at night. The Bisham-Alpuri Road was also affected by landslides at several locations. The sudden deluge occurred after heavy rain caused a local stream in Bisham to swell rapidly, sending a powerful torrent of water, mud and stones through the area. Two children were swept away by the flash flood, while a woman was injured and shifted to hospital for medical treatment. The torrent caused severe damage to several properties along its path, including the Bisham police station, residential houses and other buildings. Several vehicles were also caught in the floodwater and debris and were damaged. Floodwater and debris inundated roads, severely disrupting traffic and causing considerable difficulties for residents. The heavy rain and flash flood also badly affected Bisham's electricity system. Several electricity poles collapsed, and power lines were damaged, disrupting electricity supply in various areas. Meanwhile, the Karakoram Highway was also affected at several points in Bisham by flash floods, mud and rocks. The highway remained completely closed to traffic until late at night, with long queues of vehicles forming on both sides.

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Pakistan brought US, Iran ‘under one roof’ through Islamabad talks, says PM Shehbaz at UNGA

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Friday said Pakistan had brought the United States and Iran “under one roof” for negotiations aimed at resolving the conflict that had engulfed the wider region. Addressing the 81st session of the United Nations General Assembly in New York, the prime minister highlighted the US-Israel attack on Iran, which he said led to the resumption of the war earlier this year, calling it an “unfortunate incident”. “Unfortunately, conflict engulfed the Gulf along with the wider Middle East. Precious lives were lost, economies suffered, critical maritime routes, particularly the Strait of Hormuz, came under severe pressure,” he said, highlighting Pakistan’s efforts to resolve the conflict. He said that at the critical juncture, Pakistan had chosen to act swiftly and successfully brought Washington and Tehran “under one roof”. “From the Islamabad talks to the Islamabad memorandum of understanding, many historic steps were taken to bring an end to this serious conflict,” he said. The prime minister, who was speaking at the session for the fourth consecutive year, also appreciated the efforts of Chief of Defence Forces and Chief of Army Staff Field Marshal Asim Munir, saying his “relentless efforts” had helped create space for diplomacy while also hailing the efforts of the Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar. Shortly before the prime minister's address, Pakistan’s entire delegation arrived at the General Assembly hall. The delegation includes Deputy Prime Minister Dar, Defence Minister Khawaja Asif, Minister for Investment Affairs Qaiser Ahmed Sheikh, Chairman of the Kashmir Affairs Committee Rana Qasim Noon and other staff members. During his stay, the prime minister held meetings with several world and business leaders, including Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian, Bangladeshi Prime Minister Tarique Rahman and his Lebanese counterpart, where they discussed bilateral ties and opportunities for greater cooperation. He also met with business leaders and intellectuals and discussed investment prospects in Pakistan. Read: Islamabad MoU remains acceptable to Iran, Pezeshkian tells PM Shehbaz in UNGA meet Earlier, addressing the US Business Council for International Understanding (BCIU) and the US-Pakistan Business Council (USPBC), the premier invited US businesses to invest in Pakistan. He pointed to agriculture as the country’s “biggest potential” and highlighted opportunities in mining, information technology, artificial intelligence and infrastructure. Business figures from the IT, AI, finance, beverages, manufacturing, pharmaceuticals and organic products sectors attended the meeting. A day earlier, the prime minister met with the Iranian president on the sidelines of the UNGA in New York. PM Shehbaz reaffirmed Pakistan’s readiness to continue playing a “sincere and constructive role” in support of regional peace during a meeting with Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian. The two leaders reaffirmed the close and longstanding ties between Pakistan and Iran and underscored the need to further strengthen bilateral cooperation across all areas of mutual interest. .............. More to follow

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Kundi urges KP govt to abandon long march, says ground reality ‘not in favour’

Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa Governor Faisal Karim Kundi on Friday urged the provincial government to abandon its planned long march towards Islamabad, claiming that the “ground reality is not in favour” of the protest and alleging that some people were either in hiding or had opted for voluntary arrests to avoid participating in it. The PTI had announced last month that it would march to Islamabad on September 27 to press for the release of party founder Imran Khan. Today it said the party has postponed the march to take place on October 4 instead. The party had been preparing a central convoy from K-P, with caravans from other parts of the country expected to join before proceeding towards the federal capital. The federal government warned the party against going ahead with the march. “I would recommend the provincial government to abandon the long march,” Kundi said while addressing a press conference in Peshawar. “The ground reality is not in favour at all. Some people are in hideouts, while others have offered voluntary arrests to skip joining the long march,” he alleged. He also said that the chief minister had failed to gather support during his recent visit to Punjab and that should have made him course-correct. The governor accused the PTI-led provincial government of diverting its attention and resources towards the planned march instead of addressing the issues confronting K-P. Read: PTI postpones Islamabad march to October 4: party sources He said the provincial government should focus on the deteriorating law and order situation, particularly in southern K-P, the merged districts and Malakand division, along with problems related to healthcare, education, electricity, potable water, tourism and the mining sector. “All resources have been channelled towards the long march,” Kundi lamented. He also questioned the purpose of the proposed protest, saying that PTI had repeatedly changed its demands. According to Kundi, the party initially sought relief for its incarcerated founder, claiming that he had been wrongfully punished, but later changed its demands to judicial issues and, subsequently, quicker hearings and access to healthcare for him in custody. He warned the provincial government against using state resources and officials for what he described as a political agenda. “You cannot use state machinery for forwarding personal agendas,” he said. He asserted that the provincial government planned to keep the police at its disposal during the long march towards Islamabad. The governor said he supported the constitutional right of citizens to hold peaceful protests but stressed that it was necessary to determine whether a particular demonstration remained peaceful. “I second the right of the people to protest under the democratic right ordained to them under the Constitution, but it is important to see if the protest is actually peaceful or not,” he said. Kundi highlighted that PTI leaders had previously caused disruptions in Islamabad, damaged government property and harmed military installations during protests. He also referred to remarks by a PTI president and an MNA about politics involving casualties, saying such statements did not correspond with peaceful political activity. He criticised a recent speech by the K-P chief minister in the provincial assembly, saying the provincial government should concentrate on governance rather than political confrontation. Citing previous long marches organised by the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP), Kundi said his party did not use government officials or departments for political demonstrations. “We neither took government officials, cops, fire department staff or any other state official to back our protest.” The governor also praised the Jamaat-e-Islami for what he described as peaceful protests, saying the party had not damaged state or government property. Speaking on the imposition of governor rule in K-P, Kundi said the president and the federal government ought to decide on it. He said the constitution provides for its imposition under special circumstances that need to be assessed by the relevant authorities. “It was imposed in the past as well. It is not unconstitutional,” he said about the governor rule, but refrained from announcing its imposition in the province. The new police act A major part of Kundi’s criticism centred on the proposed K-P police law. The governor said the provincial government was seeking to increase its control over the police department, despite what he described as a February ruling of the Peshawar High Court (PHC) concerning the command structure of the force. He said the court had made it clear that the police department was headed by the inspector general of police and that transfers and promotions should be based on merit rather than political considerations. “PTI always sloganeered against politicisation of police, but now they themselves wish to convert the police force into PTI’s Tiger Force,” the governor remarked during the press conference. Read more: Police hunt PTI leaders, activists Expressing concern over provisions in the proposed police legislation, Kundi said it would give the provincial government unfair control over police affairs. According to him, the draft reserves 25% of the quota for direct DSP appointments for the chief minister. He also questioned the proposed police policy board, saying that if all matters relating to the police were brought under the control of the K-P government, there would be little purpose in maintaining an independent police department. Kundi also assailed the proposal to place the finances of the police department under the provincial finance ministry. “The ministry of finance always says that the treasury is empty,” he said, arguing that a force fighting terrorism and crime should not be subjected to excessive political and administrative interference. “The force which is fighting [terrorism and crime] and laying down lives is being tossed around in the province — under the cabinet, home secretary and chief minister,” he lambasted the provincial government's approach. Kundi further highlighted that the proposed police law would bear negative consequences on judicial processes, outlining, “They have even directed the reports submitted to courts by police to go through them [provincial government].” “The proposed system would allow the government to manipulate police reports for political purposes,” he expressed concern. “Everyone knows PTI is behind the May 9 attacks and yet the new law will allow them to manipulate reports to suit their politics,” Kundi claimed. He further alleged that under the proposed law, police officers could be rewarded or punished on the basis of their willingness to comply with political demands. “They will award promotions to those cops who give in to their demands and punish those who don’t.” ‘Illegal and unconstitutional’ Governor Kundi also declared the proposed police legislation “illegal and unconstitutional”, while clarifying that he would examine the legislation formally once it had been passed by the provincial assembly. “I will scrutinise the act when I receive it after it gets passed by the assembly,” he said, adding, “The current provisions of the act that I have come across are absolutely unacceptable.” The governor remarked that he would not assent to the new police legislation unless relevant amendments were incorporated. He also predicted that the legislation could face a legal challenge, saying he expected the court to strike it down if the federal government approached the judiciary for relief. The governor urged the K-P lawmakers to “not pass the act through the assembly”, stressing previous court decrees against the use of state assets for personal or political agendas. Law and order concerns Kundi said the debate over police administration could not be separated from the security situation in K-P and recalled the sacrifices made by police personnel in the province. The governor also referred to a recent Counter-Terrorism Department operation in which a suicide bomber allegedly planning an attack in Peshawar was eliminated. He said the sacrifices of security personnel should be recognised and their families provided with the facilities and benefits they deserved. “Previously, our military officers and sepoys were killed in Kohat, following a recurring pattern,” he said. Kundi urged the provincial government to look at the security situation in southern K-P, the merged districts and Malakand division, where, he said, law and order remained a major concern. He also criticised the provincial government for, in his view, devoting political energy to the long march while neglecting the demands of families of police personnel killed in the line of duty. Instead of providing facilities to the families of those who had sacrificed their lives for the country and helping them secure their right to receive presidential awards, he said, the government had focused its attention elsewhere. Governor Kundi further stressed that the provincial government should concentrate on problems affecting ordinary citizens rather than the planned political campaign. He took a jab at the government for overlooking protests by members of the medical community seeking an increase in remuneration. He also raised concerns over the reported increase in dengue and polio cases, the condition of the education sector, electricity-related problems and the availability of potable water. The governor also pointed to what he described as the decline of the tourism sector and the underdevelopment of mining in the province. He alleged that financial allocations meant for the former FATA and PATA regions had not been properly utilised for the benefit of local communities. Kundi said police personnel in these areas were protesting. “If they are protesting, who will look after law and order?” he asked. Kundi also took apart the provincial government for failing to secure what he described as the province’s due share of oil and gas royalties from the federal government. “K-P produces the most oil and gas for the country, but we have failed to acquire royalty for it,” he stated during the press conference. “We have failed to seek relevant resources from the centre to uplift our people,” he added. Support for police Despite his criticism of the proposed legislation, Kundi said the provincial police had received equipment and vehicles required to improve its operational capabilities. He said several items requested for the K-P police had already been provided to the province, while additional equipment would be delivered according to the government’s commitments. “We will receive 23 anti-drone guns in October, and the rest will be given in December,” he said. Kundi maintained that strengthening the police and addressing the province’s security challenges should be prioritised over political mobilisation. He urged the PTI-led administration to focus instead on overcoming what he described as provincial governance lapses.  

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‘You botched the case, you’re also suspicious’: Judge grills SSP over Mir Raza probe

The judicial commission probing the death of Mir Raza came down hard on the police investigation on Thursday, with Justice Omar Sial telling SSP Samiullah Soomro that the case had been “botched” in its crucial early days and questioning whether the police officer himself had become a subject of suspicion. Mir Raza, 25, was allegedly found dead near a wedding hall in Gulistan-e-Johar on July 29. The case had initially been surrounded by uncertainty over whether he had been murdered or died by suicide. The court ordered a second post-mortem exam of the victim after the first report failed to determine the circumstances surrounding his death. The findings of the second post-mortem consolidated his family’s longstanding claim that he had been murdered. The police probe is under serious scrutiny because of lapses that were admitted by the Sindh Police chief. The commission also grilled senior health officials over the abrupt replacement of a medical board, including the decision to replace Karachi-based specialists with doctors from Hyderabad, and questioned the legal authority behind the changes. The proceedings, headed by Justice Sial, produced a series of pointed exchanges over the handling of CCTV footage, Mir Raza’s mobile phone and smartwatch, the crime scene, witness statements and the police’s apparent focus on a possible suicide and financial-pressure narrative. Read: Mir Raza case: Commission says Dr Usama targeted Dr Summaiya with smear campaign During questioning, Justice Sial told SSP Soomro that the first six days of the investigation were crucial and appeared to have seriously compromised the case. “You botched the case. You are also suspicious,” the judge remarked, according to the proceedings. Soomro told the commission that he had been assigned the investigation on August 2 and headed a team that included SSP East Zubair Nazir, SSP East Investigation Usman Saduzai and, later, officers from the Citizens-Police Liaison Committee. The commission repeatedly questioned why the family’s statements had not been formally recorded. Soomro said he had directed SSP Zubair Nazir to meet the family, but was told that they had initially declined. Family members disputed that account during the proceedings, saying they had met police officers on August 3. Justice Sial questioned Soomro over the failure to personally ensure that the family’s statements were recorded, saying that he was the head of the investigation team regardless of the administrative control exercised by other officers. The commission also challenged the police’s handling of CCTV footage. Soomro acknowledged that only footage from one street had been examined showing Mir Raza travelling in the area, despite the presence of multiple streets and dozens of cameras around the location. Soomro said more than 30 CCTV clips had been collected, but Justice Sial demanded the relevant memos and questioned why investigators had not systematically secured footage from all surrounding streets before it became unavailable. The judge also questioned a video circulated in the media in which Mir Raza appeared to throw something away. Police had suggested that he was throwing his mobile phone, but Soomro conceded that the footage did not establish this conclusively. Also Read: Mir Raza commission warns businessman over media interviews The handling of the mobile phone came under further scrutiny. Soomro said he had neither seen the phone nor the officer who recovered it, while the commission questioned why the recovery and subsequent transfer of such a crucial piece of evidence had not been properly documented. The smartwatch was another major point of contention. Soomro said it had been seized before he took charge and that he had not personally seen it. Justice Sial pointed out that another police officer had said the smartwatch was handed to Soomro, highlighting conflicting accounts within the investigation. The commission also questioned why no action had apparently been taken against subordinate officers despite contradictions in their statements and evidence-handling procedures. Crime scene under scrutiny The treatment of the crime scene drew some of the strongest criticism. Soomro told the commission that investigators had initially failed to find a shell casing and that bushes near the scene were later burned during a search. He said an SIU inspector, Ghaus, had taken the decision to burn the bushes, while a 40-member team subsequently found the shell casing on August 6. Justice Sial questioned whether burning vegetation at a crime scene was standard investigative practice and demanded the name of the person who had authorised the action. The judge also questioned why a holster allegedly recovered on July 31 had not been found when Mir Raza’s body was discovered on July 29. Soomro said the holster should have been recovered on the day the body was found if the scene had been properly searched. Justice Sial criticised the overall handling of the crime scene, saying the recovery of evidence had effectively been compromised. Suicide, financial-pressure narrative questioned The commission also examined how the narrative of suicide and financial pressure entered the investigation. Soomro said statements from Raza’s friends and business associates referred to financial pressure and that investigators had also received information about his cryptocurrency trading. He denied having deliberately promoted a suicide narrative in the media, saying he had told a journalist that the available evidence raised concerns about suicide. The commission questioned how police could publicly discuss such a theory when the family’s formal statements had not yet been recorded. Jibran Nasir, counsel for Mir Raza’s family, argued that the police had failed to properly investigate alternative lines of inquiry and had focused disproportionately on financial pressure. Read More: Cyber probe ordered into online campaign against police surgeon The commission also questioned the role of ASP Nida, asking why she appeared repeatedly in different stages of the investigation. Soomro said she had initially been involved in speaking to Mir Raza’s fiancée and had accompanied officers during interviews and meetings. Justice Sial questioned whether she had been assigned any specific investigative responsibility and why she was involved in interactions with several officials and agencies. The proceedings also touched on claims involving Raza’s alleged financial dealings, including screenshots and a voice note attributed to Ali Shahz. The commission questioned how such material reached the media and why some witnesses were not formally examined until weeks after the incident. Medical board switch Earlier, the commission questioned Health Secretary Tahir Hussain Sangi over the decision to alter the medical board dealing with the case. Justice Sial asked why the board had been changed late at night and why Karachi specialists were replaced by doctors from Hyderabad. Sangi said he had been informed that the existing board did not include sufficiently senior forensic specialists and that adding independent experts was considered more transparent. The judge questioned the legal basis for changing the board and asked whether the police surgeon had the authority to constitute a medical board for an exhumation. When Sangi referred to previous court orders involving medical boards, Justice Sial challenged him to produce a specific legal precedent, saying the secretary appeared to be shifting responsibility to the courts. Also Read: NCCIA obtains Binance, crypto transaction data in Mir Raza murder case The commission also questioned whether Sangi had authorised Special Secretary Health Shaharyar Memon to seek a fresh review of the board. Sangi said he had directed the special secretary to ensure that the board was changed in accordance with the court’s directions, while maintaining that individual members could be added without his personal approval. Justice Sial questioned why Hyderabad doctors had been brought into a case based in Karachi, asking whether Karachi or Hyderabad was geographically closer under the relevant law. The judge also questioned whether the change had actually improved transparency, noting that the earlier board already contained experienced specialists. Special secretary denies authority Shaharyar Memon, now director general health services and formerly special secretary, was subsequently summoned by the commission. Memon denied having the authority to replace the medical board, saying he had merely asked the DG Health to review the existing arrangement after learning that the police surgeon had constituted a board. The commission repeatedly pressed him on the legal basis for ordering a review and asked whether he had acted beyond his authority. Memon said the decision was taken in good faith and in light of the court order. Justice Sial, however, questioned the contradictory accounts between Memon, Sangi and the former DG Health over who had initiated the changes and who had proposed the new members. The judge also questioned Memon over his connection to Liaquat University, where he had studied, and raised the fact that other individuals connected to the case had also studied there. The commission was told that the police had now requested the formation of a new “super medical board”. Memon confirmed that an application had been received from DIG Amir Farooqi under the Sindh Medico-Legal Act 2023 and was being reviewed. Investigation records under microscope The commission also questioned the police over witness statements, with the proceedings indicating that several statements had allegedly been recorded by people other than the designated investigating officer and subsequently signed by him. Soomro acknowledged that such a practice would be contrary to procedure and that investigating officers should record statements themselves. Justice Sial questioned whether investigators had deliberately relied on weak investigative procedures and criticised the repeated shifting of responsibility among officers. The commission also examined geofencing, vehicles and people appearing in CCTV footage, the role of guesthouse employees and the possible movements of a motorcyclist seen in the area. Read: Police surgeon alleges pressure, threats to hide evidence suggesting murder before Mir Raza judicial commission Soomro said investigators had interviewed guesthouse employees and found nothing suspicious among four people examined, while one person had reportedly left for Umerkot and another motorcyclist could not be traced. The commission questioned why investigators had not pursued every person appearing in the available footage. Advocate Nasir also alleged that the family had identified suspicious activity at a guesthouse and that some people fled after being shown Mir Raza’s photograph. These claims were put before the commission during the proceedings. Advocate Nasir alleges police trying to portray murder as suicide Later, speaking to reporters after proceedings before the Judicial Commission, Nasir alleged that police had failed to properly investigate the case and were instead attempting to establish the death as a suicide. He said the police had remained focused from the outset on the premise that there was no killer involved. “The killer’s identity will emerge from CDR and CCTV footage. How can a killer be identified through a bullet mark or acid?” he asked, alleging that police were trying to turn the case into one of suicide. Nasir said the statements of the Sindh health secretary and SSP Samiullah Soomro were recorded before the commission during Thursday’s proceedings. He said it had also been confirmed that a request had been made by Amir Farooqui for permission to constitute a super medical board to review the findings of the previous medical boards. “How will a super medical board identify the killer?” Nasir questioned, alleging that the move was aimed at protecting officials from scrutiny. The Mir Raza family lawyer said the proceedings had exposed shortcomings in the initial police investigation, claiming that there were nine streets in the area but CCTV footage from only one street had been examined. The police, he alleged, conducted “interviews” of witnesses instead of recording their statements through the prescribed legal procedure and subsequently promoted their own narrative. Nasir also questioned why investigators had repeatedly recorded the statement of Dr Usama while no member of the medical board had so far had their statement recorded. “Dr Usama was called on August 9, which the SSP has confirmed. But why was Police Surgeon Dr Summaiya Syed not asked to give a presentation in the same manner?” he asked. According to Nasir, investigators had yet to establish the identities of the person travelling in a white Alto and a motorcyclist seen in connection with the case. He also said the family had not been informed about the telephone numbers identified through geofencing. “CCTV footage may have been lost, but geofencing and CDR records still exist,” he added. Read More: Discrepancies emerge in Mir Raza autopsy as ‘missing’ details surface in judicial commission hearing Nasir alleged that crucial evidence had been lost during the first 10 days of the investigation and questioned whether any action had been taken against police officers responsible for the initial probe. He said the investigation team had also refused to provide access to certain records before the commission. “The police have given their account on oath and have effectively shown that they did not conduct the investigation properly. The JIT has to do the work that the police investigation failed to do,” he said. Nasir said there was no legal bar on constituting a Joint Investigation Team and reiterated that the family had demanded a JIT from the first day. He also alleged that the investigation had failed to establish the movements of Shahzaib Mushtaq in Karachi between August 4 and 6, adding that SSP Soomro had expressed ignorance about the matter. The commission, according to Nasir, observed that police had examined CCTV footage from only one street and had failed to check other available cameras. He said the family had requested that additional IGs and DIGs concerned be summoned before the commission in their personal capacity. Nasir further said the request for a super medical board had raised questions about the intentions of the new investigation team. “If the Sindh government takes any administrative decision to constitute a super medical board on the police’s request, we will challenge it,” he added.  

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Supreme Court puts brakes on Dr Shahnawaz Kumbhar custodial killing trial days before hearing

The Supreme Court has stayed the trial of Dr Shahnawaz Kumbhar’s alleged custodial killing and desecration of his body, days before proceedings were due to begin at the Mirpurkhas district and sessions court, throwing into question the Sindh High Court’s order shifting the case from the Anti-Terrorism Court. The apex court issued the stay on a petition by Dr Ibrahim Kumbhar, complainant in the FIRs concerning Dr Shahnawaz’s alleged custodial killing and desecration. The petitioner has sought restoration of the ATC’s jurisdiction, challenging the SHC’s April 7 order directing the transfer of the case to the sessions court. The sessions court was scheduled to commence the trial on September 29. Advocate Sajjad Ahmed Chandio, representing the complainant, argued before the Supreme Court that the case should continue before the ATC and objected to the circumstances in which it was transferred. In a further twist, Chandio told the apex court that Sindh’s deputy prosecutor general, who was expected to prosecute the case against the accused police officers, had instead filed an application on behalf of a DIG and two SSPs accused in the FIR, seeking transfer of the case from the ATC. The counsel argued that since one of the FIRs under trial had been registered with the FIA, the Sindh deputy prosecutor general had no jurisdiction to represent the accused in seeking transfer of the case. According to him, the matter was supposed to be handled by the federal law officer. The Supreme Court has issued notices to the Prosecutor General Sindh, Advocate General Sindh and Attorney General for Pakistan for October 13, fixing the matter before a three-member bench. Dr Shahnawaz Kumbhar was shot dead in what the complainant describes as a staged police encounter on September 19, 2024, after he surrendered to Mirpurkhas police in Karachi in connection with a blasphemy FIR. After his death, his body was allegedly set on fire by a mob while it was being transported to a graveyard in Umerkot district for burial. The first FIR was registered at Sindhri Police Station, Mirpurkhas, on September 27, 2024, under sections 201, 364, 302, 34, 147, 148, 149 and 120-B of the Pakistan Penal Code, Sections 6 and 7 of the Anti-Terrorism Act 1997, and Sections 8 and 9 of the Torture and Custodial Death Prevention and Punishment Act 2022. A second FIR was registered at the FIA’s Composite Circle Mirpurkhas on October 29, 2024, in connection with the allegation of custodial killing. Former DIG Mirpurkhas Javed Sonharo Jiskani, former SSP Mirpurkhas Muhammad Asad Chaudhry and former SSP Umerkot Asif Raza Baloch are among 23 accused in the case. The three police officers had approached the ATC Mirpurkhas seeking transfer of the case to the district court, arguing in effect that the terrorism provisions incorporated into the FIR should not apply. The ATC rejected their plea on October 23, 2025. They subsequently approached the SHC, but their two separate criminal revision applications were dismissed on December 12, 2025. However, a division bench of the SHC comprising Justice Miran Muhammad Shah and Justice Muhammad Hassan subsequently ordered the ATC on April 7, 2026, to transfer the case to the district and sessions court along with the complete record. The complainant has now challenged that transfer before the Supreme Court, seeking permission for the ATC to proceed with the trial. The apex court’s stay means the sessions court proceedings scheduled for September 29 can not proceed pending further orders in the matter.

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Nine major road projects on hold

Amid a severe economic and financial crisis and major cuts in development funds, nine mega projects for upgrading major roads in Rawalpindi, including the alternative to the city's main artery Murree Road, Rawal Road, have been deferred and placed in the red zone until Dec 31, 2027. The projects include upgrading, carpeting and widening of roads as well as local infrastructure schemes. Their estimated costs are likely to increase by 100 per cent. The projects have also been deleted from the Annual Development Programme. The development department has temporarily halted nine major road rehabilitation and reconstruction projects due to the unavailability of funds. These include the Khayaban-i-Sir Syed Road project, involving rehabilitation of a 1.6-kilometre road at a cost of Rs213 million; the 1.5-kilometre Bokra Road project costing Rs226 million; and the 1.74-kilometre Fifth Road project costing Rs138 million. The Rawal Road upgrade project, covering a two-kilometre stretch from Ali Nawaz Intersection to Murree Road, was also deferred at an estimated cost of Rs241 million. The Chandni Chowk to Commercial Market Road project, covering 0.8 kilometres, was estimated to cost Rs115 million, while the 1.2-kilometre Railway Workshop Road project was estimated at Rs247 million. Projects for China Market to Gordon College Road and Satellite Town 4-B Road were also dropped due to lack of funds. In addition, projects for upgrading healthcare facilities and hospitals, providing new facilities at medical centres and hospitals and expanding buildings have also been temporarily placed in the red zone due to budget constraints.

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