AJK reserved seats election: Polling set for Augus…

Seven workers were abducted after a group of armed men raided a private mining site in Chagai district and allegedly took away vehicles, fuel and other equipment worth millions of rupees. According to sources, the incident occurred around 1pm on Tuesday at a mine in Mahian Kaur, located approximately 15 to 18 kilometres west of Chagai town. Eight unidentified armed men reportedly arrived at the mining site on motorcycles. They took control of the facility and held the workers hostage before taking seven employees away with them. Four of the abducted workers were from Gilgit. They were identified as Wajahat, Wajid, Shahid and Sabir. The other three workers were locals. They were identified as Ziauddin from Dalbandin, Shah Saleem from Mahian in Chagai and Saeed Muhammad, who is also from Mahian. Sources said the armed men remained at the mining site for several hours. They reportedly stayed there until around 7pm before leaving with the hostages and equipment. The attackers allegedly took a Zambad vehicle and a four-wheel-drive pickup from the site. A motorcycle was also reportedly taken. More than 20 solar panels were among the items removed from the mining facility. The attackers also allegedly took bedding, kitchen equipment and other supplies used by the workers. A large quantity of fuel was also taken. Sources said the stolen fuel included around 2,500 litres of diesel and 1,500 litres of petrol. The attackers reportedly carried out the operation without facing resistance. They then left the area with the seven workers and the stolen property. The incident was reported to the relevant authorities soon after the attackers departed. Local administration and security officials have launched efforts to trace the abducted workers and recover the vehicles and other property. Search efforts are continuing in the area, while authorities are also investigating the identity and motives of the armed men. The abduction has raised fresh security concerns for workers and private mining operations in Chagai, where remote mining sites can be difficult to secure. At the time of reporting, there was no confirmed information about the whereabouts or condition of the seven abducted workers.

KARACHI: An eight-member medical board has completed a fresh post-mortem examination of Wafflix owner Mir Raza Ali’s exhumed remains and sent samples for DNA and chemical testing, amid questions over the identity of the body and the circumstances surrounding his death. Ali’s grave was exhumed on Saturday at the Tariq Road cemetery in Karachi, where the medical board collected evidence before the remains were reburied. Professor Dr Naseem, a member of the medical board, said the samples had been properly preserved and would be examined at a laboratory. The testing will include DNA analysis and chemical examination, which officials say could provide crucial evidence in the case. The exhumation and re-post-mortem were conducted under the supervision of the judicial magistrate and police surgeon. Advocate Jibran Nasir said the process began at around 11:07am and was completed after the medical team collected the required evidence. He said the board had also addressed questions previously raised by the police surgeon. According to Nasir, an initial medical report was expected later on Saturday, while the final findings would be issued after completion of the chemical examination. The fresh examination is expected to help determine whether Ali died by suicide or was murdered and whether the injuries found on the body were self-inflicted or caused by another person. Nasir said the proceedings had been conducted satisfactorily and expressed appreciation for the judiciary’s intervention in the matter. He said the investigation could help resolve speculation and unanswered questions surrounding the young entrepreneur’s death. However, another member of the medical board, CPLC official Amir Hasan, raised a significant question over the identity of the remains. Hasan said the board was not yet certain that the exhumed body belonged to Ali. To establish the identity, DNA samples were collected from the remains as well as from Ali’s parents. He said the DNA comparison would determine whether the body buried at the cemetery was indeed that of Ali.

The father of businessman Mir Raza Ali has raised fresh concerns about the investigation into his son’s death. Speaking to the media on Monday, Mir Hassan claimed that his son’s business partner went missing after being questioned by police. He said police had questioned the business partner once. The man was allegedly not seen again after the questioning. Hassan said the family had not been informed about the investigation involving employees of the guest house in Gulistan-e-Johar. Mir Raza’s body was found near the guest house. “We have not been told what investigations were conducted with the employees,” he said. The victim’s father also questioned why CCTV footage from the guest house had not been made public. The latest concerns have emerged as investigators continue to review the circumstances surrounding Mir Raza’s death. The case took a new turn after the businessman’s body was exhumed for a second post-mortem examination. The second medical examination found a firearm injury and several wounds that had occurred before death. It also reported signs of internal bleeding. According to the findings, a bullet entered the upper right side of Mir Raza’s back and exited through the left side of his chest. The bullet fractured his sixth rib and caused internal bleeding. The report also documented injuries to different parts of his head, face, neck and chest. Following the medical findings, police added Section 302 of the Pakistan Penal Code to the case. The section relates to murder. The original FIR had been registered under Section 365, which concerns kidnapping. Mir Raza, 25, was allegedly abducted from the PECHS area. His body was later found in bushes near a wedding hall in Gulistan-e-Johar. Police had earlier suspected that he may have been tortured before being shot. The case initially faced uncertainty over whether Mir Raza had been murdered or had died by suicide. His family, however, consistently rejected the suicide theory. The second post-mortem has strengthened the family’s claim that Mir Raza was killed. Questions had also been raised about the first post-mortem report. Karachi Police Surgeon Dr Summaiya Syed had pointed out several issues in the initial examination. She had questioned why the body was not X-rayed and why hand swabs were not collected for gunshot residue testing. She had also raised concerns over the scientific measurement and photography of firearm injuries. Questions were further raised about the documentation of the bullet’s path and the examination of the entry and exit wounds. Following these developments, police dissolved the previous investigation team. A new team was formed under the leadership of DIG Crime and Investigation Amir Farooqi. The new team was tasked with conducting a fresh investigation based on the latest medical findings. Investigators were also expected to revisit the crime scene. They were directed to re-question the victim’s family and other relevant individuals. The team was also expected to examine forensic, technical, physical and circumstantial evidence. Mir Raza’s family has repeatedly criticised the handling of the case. They have maintained that he was murdered and demanded that those responsible be identified and brought to justice. The family’s lawyer, Jibran Nasir, had also alleged that investigators pressured the family to accept a suicide theory. He called for an independent and impartial investigation. The Sindh government has meanwhile decided to establish a judicial commission headed by a Sindh High Court judge. The commission is intended to oversee a transparent and impartial investigation into Mir Raza’s death.

The weather in Karachi is expected to remain hot and humid over the next 24 hours.The sky will remain partly cloudy during the period. According to the Meteorological Department, some parts of the city may receive light drizzle. The possibility of scattered drizzle has been forecast for the next 24 hours.The weather conditions are expected to remain largely warm despite the possibility of rain. The department said the maximum temperature in Karachi could rise to between 33°C and 35°C.Sea breezes are also continuing to blow across the city. Their speed has been recorded at around 18 kilometres per hour. The humidity level in Karachi has been recorded at 78 percent. The high humidity is likely to make the weather feel warmer and more uncomfortable. The Meteorological Department also reported the minimum temperature during the past 24 hours. The lowest temperature recorded in the city was 28.5°C.Meanwhile, weather experts have said that rainfall could begin in most parts of Sindh by August 2. The expected rain may bring some relief from the ongoing hot and humid conditions. However, weather conditions may vary across different parts of the province.Residents of Karachi are advised to remain prepared for changing weather conditions. People should also take precautions against the heat and high humidity, particularly during the warmer hours of the day. The weather department will continue to monitor the situation. Further updates are expected as the weather system develops.