Hepatitis screening made mandatory for Islamabad e…

Tensions across the Middle East intensified on Saturday as senior Iranian military and political officials issued strong warnings to the United States and its regional partners, while Kuwait reported intercepting drones it said were launched from Iran. Major General Abdollahi, commander of Iran’s Khatam al-Anbiya Central Headquarters, accused Washington of deliberately widening the regional conflict. In a statement shared on X and reported by Iranian state media, he alleged that the United States was pursuing a strategy aimed at expanding the war and increasing its influence across the Middle East. According to Abdollahi, the recent confrontation with Iran demonstrated that Washington was prepared to target the interests and resources of Muslim nations to achieve its objectives. He further claimed that the US was relying on the wealth, infrastructure, and strategic assets of regional countries to protect its military presence while reinforcing Israel’s security. The Iranian commander argued that the balance of power in the region had shifted in Iran’s favor, asserting that the United States and Israel failed to achieve their goals during the latest conflict. He also claimed they were now attempting to continue the confrontation through the territory of neighboring Muslim countries. Abdollahi urged regional governments to reconsider their cooperation with Washington, warning that nations acting as a “defensive shield” for the United States could eventually face the consequences of war. Separately, Iranian lawmaker Ebrahim Rezaei, a member of the parliament’s National Security Commission, warned that any future attack on Iran would have devastating consequences for the region. He claimed that such a conflict could reduce regional infrastructure to the “Stone Age” and cautioned against further military action. Meanwhile, Kuwait strongly condemned what it described as Iranian aggression after reporting drone attacks on key facilities. Kuwaiti authorities said their air defense systems detected and destroyed multiple hostile drones that entered the country’s airspace early Saturday. Officials stated that a government installation in northern Kuwait and civilian vehicles on Bubiyan Island sustained material damage from falling debris, although no casualties were reported. Kuwait’s Foreign Ministry described the attacks as a serious violation of the country’s sovereignty and said it reserved the right to take all necessary measures to protect its national security, interests, and critical infrastructure. Iran also warned that continued US maritime pressure could trigger broader consequences. Mohammad Bagher Zolghadr, secretary of Iran’s Supreme National Security Council, said ongoing American actions could ultimately lead to restrictions on the Strait of Hormuz and other strategic waterways, warning that such developments would have significant consequences for global energy markets and the wider economy. At the same time, Iranian Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf declared that Iran had emerged victorious from the recent conflict but stressed that the country must strengthen its long-term stability and national resilience. He emphasized expanding the authority of Iran’s supreme leadership as a key step toward securing the country’s future. Elsewhere, maritime security concerns remained high. The UK Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) reported that a commercial tanker was struck by an unidentified projectile off the coast of Oman, damaging its engine room and leaving it temporarily unable to maneuver. Authorities are investigating the incident. In Yemen, the Houthi movement denied reports that it planned to charge commercial vessels for passage through the Bab al-Mandab Strait, insisting that its maritime transit services remain free. However, the group claimed that its blockade had already forced several Saudi oil tankers to reroute around Africa via the Cape of Good Hope, underscoring the continuing disruption to regional shipping routes.

  Jibran Nasir, lawyer for Raza Mir, the father of young businessman Mir Raza who was found dead in Karachi’s Gulistan-e-Johar area, has said that he has no expectations from the Sindh government led by the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP), urging police officials to perform their duties and calling on the provincial government not to adopt a “double policy” in the case. Speaking to the media after the first meeting of the investigation committee formed to probe Mir Raza’s death, Nasir said the family had made a mistake by identifying an honest police officer who had tried to bring facts to light. “We made the mistake of finding an honest officer,” Nasir said, referring to an officer who had written a letter to the authorities on August 3, informing them about alleged mistakes made by officials working under him. The lawyer alleged that those attempting to bring the facts of the Mir Raza case before the public were being targeted. He said the medical board had been constituted on the orders of the court and criticised what he described as unfair criticism of officials who had performed their duties during the past 11 days. Nasir also defended Dr Samia, saying that targeting her with criticism was unjustified. He maintained that the Sindh government had corrected its earlier mistakes and had moved the investigation in the right direction. According to the lawyer, certain individuals had attempted to quickly portray the case as suicide. He said the government itself had not failed, but rather those who had adopted an incorrect position regarding the case had been proven wrong. Nasir said that after new facts emerged, evidence indicating that Mir Raza had been murdered was acknowledged. He added that those who had initially insisted that the death was a suicide had been proven wrong and that officers who helped move the investigation in the correct direction should be encouraged. Speaking on the occasion, Mir Raza’s father said that if these steps had been taken earlier, there would have been no need for the exhumation of his son’s body. He said the family had provided investigators with all the information they had and only wanted justice for their son. Earlier, Jibran Nasir had written to the Sindh government, stating that Mir Raza’s parents did not want a judicial inquiry. He said the family had complete confidence in the judiciary but believed that the government wanted to make the case controversial under the name of a judicial commission. He also maintained that, under the law, the police had the authority to conduct the investigation. Later, Sindh Home Minister Zia Lanjar said that the decision to establish a judicial commission had been postponed for the time being following a request from Mir Raza’s parents. Mir Raza’s body was recovered from Gulistan-e-Johar on July 29. Following the exhumation of his body, a second post-mortem examination was conducted on August 8. The examination reportedly revealed traces of acid in Mir Raza’s stomach. His lungs were also found to have been severely affected by acid, while signs of acid exposure were reportedly detected on his shirt, hands and feet. Police have sealed a guesthouse near the location where Mir Raza’s body was recovered. Six people working at the guesthouse have reportedly been taken into custody. So far, 21 people, including Mir Raza’s friends and business partners, have been detained for questioning, and their statements have been recorded. Meanwhile, a five-member investigation committee headed by DIG Crime Branch Amir Farooqi held a meeting to review the case. Authorities said Section 201 of the Pakistan Penal Code has also been added to the case, in addition to Sections 365 and 302. Section 201 relates to causing evidence of an offence to disappear or giving false information with the intention of screening an offender. The investigation is continuing as authorities examine the emerging evidence and statements from people connected to the case.