Minor boy assaulted, killed

A 10-year-old boy was allegedly abducted, sexually assaulted and killed after he went out to buy ice in the Dhuddi Wala area, police said on Wednesday. The body of Muhammad Bilal was recovered from a vacant plot in the area and handed over to his family after a post-mortem examination. Police registered a case under sections relating to kidnapping, murder and rape and detained several suspects for questioning. According to the first information report (FIR), Muhammad Parvez, 39, a resident of Rehmanpura, Chak 215-RB, told police that his 10-year-old son, Muhammad Bilal, went out at around 5pm on August 16 to buy ice but did not return home. The family searched for him in the surrounding areas and contacted relatives but could not locate him. The FIR stated that unidentified persons allegedly abducted the boy, sexually assaulted him and killed him by attacking his neck with a sharp-edged weapon before dumping his body in a vacant plot belonging to Sohail Akhtar. The body remained concealed among kikar trees, which had grown to a height of around 10 feet, and was not discovered immediately. Police were alerted after a citizen spotted the body while passing by the area. Police officials, including SI Iqbal, DSP Sadar Shahid Gujjar and SHO Sadar Muhammad Ali Khan, reached the scene and shifted the body to a hospital for post-mortem examination. After completing medico-legal formalities, police handed over the body to the family and registered a case under Sections 363, 302 and 376(3) of the Pakistan Penal Code. Bilal was later buried at his ancestral graveyard amid the presence of hundreds of mourners. Police detained several people considered suspicious for questioning. Police said Bilal went missing on August 16 after leaving home to buy ice. His family did not initially report his disappearance to police, and the authorities were informed after his body was discovered.

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Fact check: Viral video of girl hitting sixes in men's tape ball match is doctored

Multiple users, a majority of whom appear to be cricket fans based on their past posts, have been sharing a video across social media platforms since August 18, 2026, claiming it shows a girl hitting sixes in a men’s tape ball match. However, the video is AI-generated. On August 18, a social media user who appears to be a cricket fan shared a video on Facebook showing a girl hitting sixes in a men’s tape ball match. “Check the shot,” the caption read. The post racked up 75 million views. The same user shared a close-up angle of the same video as well, which garnered 5.4m views. On TikTok, a user shared the same clip with the caption: “Huge six by Mehak Pindi Wali.” The post gained 10.9m views. Another TikTok user also posted the clip, calling the six “unbelievable”. It accumulated 262,000 views. The video also gathered attention on X, where an account that shared it garnered 190,000 views. “You must have seen boys hitting sixes in tape-ball cricket. Today, take a look at the sixes hit by ‘Mehak Pindi Wali’ as well,” the caption read. Several other cricket fan accounts on Instagram, YouTube, X, and TikTok also shared the clip, as seen here, here, here, here, here, here, and here; collectively gaining 405,000 views. Separately, similar clips of the girl in different outfits and angles were shared on TikTok, as seen here, here, here, here, and here; collectively gaining 5.7m views. Methodology A fact-check was initiated to determine the veracity of the claim due to high virality and keen public interest in local cricket. A keyword search was conducted to verify whether any credible Pakistani or international media outlets had recently reported on a young girl gaining attention for her performance in a tape ball cricket match, but it yielded no results. A reverse image search was conducted to trace the origin of the viral clip, which yielded a video shared by the TikTok account TapeBall Voice on August 2, 2026. @tapeballvoice2 Big Deal 😲🤝🏏 Hassan Penda Join US Brand Rawalpindi #tapeballcricket #hassanpenda #viralfyp #viral1million ♬ original sound - TapeBall Voice It featured all the elements visible in the viral video: the second batter, the wicketkeeper, the pitch, and the lights. However, the batter on the crease in the August 2 clip has been replaced by a girl in the visuals circulating online. The video was subsequently analysed using AI-detection tools. While several AI detection tools did not flag the video, Hive Moderation found it to be 54.6pc AI-generated. Meanwhile, NVIDIA gave the video a synthetic score of 33.3pc, greater than the threshold of 30pc, adding that the clip was likely synthetic or AI-generated. Fact-check status: False The claim that a viral video shows a girl hitting sixes in a men’s tape ball match is false. The clip is AI-generated. This fact check was originally published by iVerify Pakistan — a project of CEJ-IBA and UNDP.

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Syrian foreign minister to visit Pakistan on Aug 19-20 amid regional tensions

Syrian Foreign Minister Asaad Hassan al-Shaibani will undertake an official visit to Pakistan from 19-20 August at the invitation of Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar, according to a statement issued by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MoFA) on Wednesday. The visit comes in the backdrop of recent Israeli airstrikes that hit an airbase in northwestern Syria. The MoFA statement said that Al-Shaibani "will be accompanied by a high-level official delegation" and that "during the visit, the two sides will hold in-depth discussions across the entire spectrum of bilateral relations, review avenues for further enhancing bilateral cooperation, and exchange views on regional and international developments". The statement noted that the visit marks an "important step towards further enhancing Pakistan-Syria relations and advancing cooperation between the two countries". 🔈 PR No. 2️⃣2️⃣1️⃣/2️⃣0️⃣2️⃣6️⃣ Curtain Raiser: Visit of the Foreign Minister of the Syrian Arab Republic to Pakistan 🔗⬇️ pic.twitter.com/oZJ7vDebu6 — Ministry of Foreign Affairs - Pakistan (@ForeignOfficePk) August 19, 2026 Earlier, MoFA strongly condemned the “unprovoked attack” by Israeli occupation forces on "Abu al-Duhur Airbase in Idlib, Syria". In a statement, MoFA said the attack was a “flagrant violation of international law” and warned that such “provocative actions” could further undermine regional peace and stability. Read: Pakistan condemns ‘unprovoked’ Israeli attack on Syrian airbase Pakistan expressed its “unwavering solidarity” with the Syrian people and reiterated its “full support” for Syria’s sovereignty, territorial integrity, peace and prosperity. Islamabad also called on the international community to play its role in ending “repeated violations of international law” by Israeli forces. 🔈 PR No. 2️⃣2️⃣0️⃣/2️⃣0️⃣2️⃣6️⃣ Pakistan Strongly Condemns Israeli Attacks against Syria 🔗⬇️ pic.twitter.com/vK6l4QFOpF — Ministry of Foreign Affairs - Pakistan (@ForeignOfficePk) August 19, 2026 Eight Israeli airstrikes hit an airbase in northwestern Syria early on Tuesday, Syrian state media said, in what the US envoy for the region called an "unnecessary escalation". Syria's state-run Ekhbariya, citing a military source, said the attack struck the runway and storage facilities at the Abu al-Duhur base, while a separate military source and a civilian who lives near the base said there were no casualties.

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ATC rejects Aleema's plea for int'l forensic

The Anti-Terrorism Court (ATC) Rawalpindi on Tuesday rejected a plea filed by Aleema Khan seeking an international forensic audit of a USB containing video evidence related to the November 26 protest case. ATC Judge Amjad Ali Shah announced the reserved verdict, dismissing the application. Arguments on the plea had been concluded by both sides on August 11, following which the court reserved its judgment. During the proceedings, special prosecutor Zaheer Shah raised objections against the request, which were accepted by the court.

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5.4-magnitude earthquake jolts Islamabad, parts of K-P

A 5.4-magnitude earthquake originating in Afghanistan’s Hindu Kush region jolted parts of Pakistan on Wednesday, with tremors felt in Islamabad, Peshawar and other areas of Khyber- Pakhtunkhwa, according to the Pakistan Meteorological Department (PMD). The PMD said the earthquake was recorded at 12:51pm, with a depth of 187 kilometres. Its epicentre was located in the Hindu Kush region of Afghanistan. Tremors were felt in Islamabad and its adjoining areas, as well as Peshawar, Malakand and other districts of K-P, according to reports. There were no immediate reports of casualties or damage. The United States Geological Survey (USGS), however, measured the earthquake at magnitude 5.3 and located its epicentre 35 kilometres south-southwest of Jurm, Afghanistan. Last week, a 4.0-magnitude earthquake struck Dalbandin in Balochistan, with its epicentre located 100 kilometres southwest of the town. Earlier in June, three people were injured after earthquake tremors were felt in Balochistan’s Barkhan district and adjoining areas, causing fear and panic among residents. In May, a series of mild to moderate earthquakes jolted parts of the country, with tremors felt in Islamabad, Balochistan’s Khuzdar district and Azad Jammu and Kashmir. No casualties or damage were reported.   ............................... More to follow.

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Sindh Police break silence on Mir Raza murder case after 19 days

The Sindh Police broke their silence for the first time in 19 days on the Mir Raza murder case on Tuesday, sharing a police statement and medical reports with the media as a high-level investigation team examines medical, digital, forensic and other evidence. Raza, 25, was allegedly kidnapped from PECHS before his body was found in bushes 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. However, the findings of the second post-mortem consolidated his family’s longstanding claim that he had been murdered. The police probe is facing constant scrutiny by the public because of earlier lapses that were also admitted by the Sindh Police chief. According to a Sindh Police press release, the investigation team is conducting a detailed review of medical reports, digital evidence and the proceedings of the previous investigation. Information obtained from family members, friends and other relevant sources is also being incorporated into the probe. The team has so far received two post-mortem reports, one final report and three chemical analysis reports, with the latest chemical analysis report received on August 17. The reports are being subjected to a detailed comparative and critical review, the police spokesperson said. Read: GSR, CCTV offer new clues in Wafflix owner's murder The review has identified certain points requiring further clarification and reconciliation, prompting investigators to seek additional information and verification from relevant authorities and institutions. The police have contacted the Punjab Forensic Science Agency for analysis of mobile phone and smartwatch data, while the National Cyber Crime Investigation Agency has been approached to investigate matters related to digital currency. Officials of Apple have also been contacted for assistance in unlocking the mobile phone, the spokesperson said. Police said clarification of the unresolved points identified in the chemical analysis report was expected to bring significant progress in establishing links among different aspects of the investigation and the available evidence. Jibran Nasir raises concern over ‘ambiguities’ in reports Reacting to the Sindh Police statement, lawyer for the Mir Raza family, Jibran Nasir, expressed concern over the police position that there were ambiguities in the medical and chemical reports. Following tickers issued by Sindh Police today. We strongly condemn continued approach of Police claiming confusion & lack of clarity in medical & chemical reports of #ShaheedMirRaza. Any attempts to push narrative of suicide will be suicide for Sindh Govt & Police's credibility. pic.twitter.com/UzF0t7T24v — M. Jibran Nasir 🇵🇸 (@MJibranNasir) August 18, 2026 He said the police’s continued references to confusion and a lack of clarity in the reports were a matter of concern and regrettable. Nasir stressed the need for a transparent investigation based on the available evidence and reports. He warned about the suicide narrative in his tweet on X, “any attempts to push narrative of suicide will be suicide for Sindh govt and police's credibility.”

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ISPR rejects 'highly dramatised, factually inaccurate' Indian documentary on Operation Sindoor

The Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) on Monday rejected an Indian documentary on so-called Operation Sindoor, accusing Indian content creators of distorting history and presenting a “highly dramatised, coloured and factually inaccurate” account of the military operation. In a statement, the military’s media wing said that more than a year after “Marka-e-Haq”, India had refused to face what it described as the reality of the conflict and instead sought to portray the outcome in a manner acceptable domestically. The ISPR said the documentary featured senior Indian political and military leadership and relied on selectively edited interviews, emotional narration and cinematic, Bollywood-style reconstructions to alter facts and rewrite the operational outcome. “For its lack of nuance and seriousness, the documentary can be characterised as a tragedy and a comedy at the same time,” the ISPR said. It said the documentary’s narrative contained “fundamental contradictions” that exposed what it called a belated attempt to manufacture a domestically palatable version of events. The ISPR particularly rejected what it described as an attempt to establish a deliberate link between an address by Chief of Defence Forces and Chief of Army Staff General Syed Asim Munir on April 16, 2025, and the Pahalgam incident of April 22, 2025. It said the documentary sought to create a conspiracy theory by linking the two events. More significantly, the ISPR pointed to what it described as a contradiction in India’s own account of the Pahalgam incident. It said India had subsequently claimed that the three alleged perpetrators of the incident were identified and eliminated on July 28, 2025, or 82 days after Operation Sindoor. “Yet the documentary presents so-called Operation Sindoor as the punishment for those responsible for Pahalgam,” the statement said, asking: “If the alleged perpetrators were eliminated on 28 July, India must explain, who it claims to have punished on 7 May 2025?” The ISPR also rejected the documentary’s claim of “100 percent mission success”, saying the assertion was inconsistent with what it called the operational record of the conflict.  It said during “Marka-e-Haq”, Pakistan’s armed forces thwarted Indian aggression and shot down eight military aircraft. It further said Pakistan subsequently conducted Operation Bunyanum Marsoos, employing Fatah precision-guided rockets and missiles, Pakistan Air Force precision munitions, long-range loitering munitions and precision artillery against 26 military targets. The ISPR said the targets included facilities used to target Pakistani citizens and entities allegedly involved in fomenting terrorism against Pakistan. The ISPR said the documentary itself undermined its claim of clear Indian dominance by featuring acknowledgements from Indian military leadership of extensive Pakistani missile, drone and air activity, sustained engagements along the Line of Control and the activation of Indian air-defence systems. “Such admissions are difficult to reconcile with its repeated portrayal of Pakistan being decisively defeated,” it said. The ISPR also challenged the documentary’s account of how hostilities ended, saying its own narration confirmed that the fighting ended following communication between the Director Generals of Military Operations (DGMOs) of the two countries and an agreed cessation of military action. It said this contradicted an attempt to portray Operation Sindoor as a unilateral Indian military triumph. “A cessation of hostilities, facilitated by US, cannot subsequently be repurposed as evidence of unconditional victory,” the statement said. Pakistan and India engaged in a four-day confrontation after the latter launched strikes inside the former on May 7, 2025 weeks after unknown militants targeted tourists in the Pahalgam area of Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir. India had codenamed the operation as Operation Sindoor, which Pakistan countered by launching Operation Bunyan-un-Marsoos on May 10, the very day when US President Donald Trump announced a ceasefire between the two nuclear-armed neighbours.

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