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Waseem Abbas case: HRCP calls for independent probe after alleged extrajudicial killing of prime suspect

The Human Rights Commission of Pakistan (HRCP) on Wednesday expressed concern over the alleged murder of 15-year-old Waseem Abbas in Multan and the subsequent death of the accused in an alleged police encounter, calling for an independent and transparent investigation into the case. The suspect, Tauqeer Nazir, had allegedly chased Abbas in his car after a dispute over work and run him over in a private housing society in Multan on October 19. He was arrested and handed over to police on a four-day physical remand by a judicial magistrate the following day. Later today, police said the suspect fled custody and was then killed by his accomplices when a police party tried to re-arrest him. According to the HRCP, Abbas was reportedly chased and run over by his employer. The subsequent death of the accused in an alleged police encounter has raised serious questions about the state’s approach to protecting human life and upholding legal safeguards. The commission said extrajudic...
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PTI dismisses reports of internal rifts as Dogar signals possible resumption of talks with government

Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chief Whip Malik Aamir Dogar said talks with the government could resume in the coming days as the party on Wednesday dismissed reports of internal divisions over the Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa (K-P) chief ministership, party leadership and fears of a possible forward bloc. A day earlier, Information Minister Attaullah Tarar said a ban on the PTI was no longer necessary after the imposition of governor’s rule in K-P. The government and opposition failed to reach an agreement, and the emergency and governor’s rule were declared on October 11 after negotiations failed, following a PTI long march towards Islamabad that began on October 4. Last week, a joint session of parliament adopted two separate resolutions ratifying the presidential proclamations imposing a state of emergency and governor’s rule in K-P for two months, amid protests from the opposition. Before that, both houses of parliament had separately approved...

Maldives president lands in Pakistan for three-day state visit

Maldives President Mohamed Muizzu arrived in Islamabad on Tuesday for a three-day state visit to Pakistan from October 20 to October 22, at the invitation of Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, according to state media. According to a press release issued from the Office of the President of the Maldives, the visit coincides with the 60th anniversary of diplomatic relations between the Maldives and Pakistan, which were formally established on July 26, 1966, and also "marks the first high-level bilateral engagement between the Maldives and Pakistan in over a decade". The press release further added that upon arrival at Islamabad International Airport, the president and first lady were accorded a 21-gun salute. "The president will be accorded an official welcome tomorrow at Prime Minister House." Read: Maldives president arrives tomorrow A delegation from the Maldives arrived earlier today led by Foreign Minister Iruthisham Adam and comprised cabinet ministers and...

Mir Raza’s final hours: A trail of calls, a Rs30m plea and a vanishing act

A flurry of late-night phone calls, a WhatsApp message seeking Rs30 million, the sudden disappearance of social media accounts and a trail of CCTV footage that eventually runs cold — the final five hours and 14 minutes of Mir Raza Ali’s life are marked by a series of unexplained developments. A forensic examination of his mobile phone has pieced together a timeline of his movements and communications in the hours before he vanished on July 28, offering a minute-by-minute account of his final known activities. The sequence began late on July 27, with a series of calls between Mir Raza and his friends. At 11:24pm, his friend Raziq called him for 30 seconds. Six minutes later, Mir Raza called Ahmed Bhardey. The two spoke again at 11:39pm, a minute after Raziq had called Mir Raza for the second time. Another call from Raziq followed at 11:43pm, but it lasted just two seconds. At 11:49pm, Mir Raza made a much longer call to his friend Sarim bin Tahir, speaking for 168 se...

Pakistan has one expectation from Taliban regime, no use of Afghan soil for terrorism, says FM Dar at SCO

Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister (FM) Ishaq Dar on Tuesday said that Pakistan had "only one expectation from the Afghan Taliban regime: that Afghan territory must not be used for terrorism against Pakistan or any other country." "Pakistan continues to be desirous of a peaceful, stable, regionally-integrated and prosperous Afghanistan which is at peace with itself and all its neighbours. We have made sincere efforts to support Afghanistan's development and the well-being of its people. In return, Pakistan has only one expectation from the Afghan Taliban regime: that the Afghan territory must not be used for terrorism against Pakistan or any other country," FM Dar said during the narrow-format session of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) Council of Heads of Government (CHG) meeting in Dushanbe, Tajikistan. The foreign minister stated that sustainable economic development could not be guaranteed without durable peace and security in t...

Govt calls on all political parties to unite, forge consensus against terrorism and set aside differences

The government on Tuesday urged all political parties to set aside their differences and forge a consensus on a joint strategy to combat terrorism, saying it was a national issue that required collective efforts and a unified response. “This is a national issue. We can sit together and formulate a policy. When everyone puts their heads together, a decision can be made, as happened when Zarb-e-Azb was launched. Even now, if all political parties [..] sit together and discuss this issue, I am making an offer today: if all parties come together and reach an agreement on this issue, the prime minister is still willing to invite them to resolve it. He is ready to proceed with these operations with everyone’s support," said Special Adviser to the Prime Minister Rana Sanaullah while speaking in the Senate. Sanaullah said terrorism was a national issue that required all political parties to set aside their differences and agree on a joint strategy, adding that the govern...

SHC rejects state appeal challenging Mahrang's acquittal in terrorism, sedition case

The Sindh High Court (SHC) on Monday dismissed a provincial government appeal challenging the acquittal of Baloch Yakjehti Committee (BYC) leader Mahrang Baloch in an incitement case, declaring the appeal not maintainable. The case against Mahrang and others was registered in Karachi on Oct 11, 2024, on the complaint of a citizen, Asad Ali, under the country's terror law. The complainant stated that Mahrang was a facilitator of terrorist organisations that were enticing educated youth from Balochistan and arranging a movement of terrorists under the guise of processions and rallies. A year later, an anti-terrorism court (ATC) acquitted Mahrang, ruling that the prosecution had failed to present credible evidence. Subsequently, the acting prosecutor general Sindh challenged the acquittal before the SHC in December 2025. During today's hearing, the high court questioned the prosecution's authority to challenge the acquittal, observing that the original complainant in th...