Motorway controversy rocks Senate: officer suspend…

Heavy rain in Rawalpindi has caused flooding in several low-lying areas, creating difficulties for residents. Water entered homes in Sadiqabad and Dhoke Elahi Bakhsh. Residents faced problems as rainwater accumulated inside residential areas. Several major roads were also affected. Rainwater collected on Murree Road, Rawal Road and Dhoke Khaba, disrupting traffic and making movement difficult. The situation became more difficult as WASA drainage teams had yet to reach some affected areas. Residents were waiting for authorities to clear the accumulated water. Water also entered shops in some areas, causing inconvenience to traders and residents. Meanwhile, the rain in Rawalpindi and Islamabad later stopped. Following the end of the rainfall, the water level in Nullah Lai began to fall. At Kattarian, the water level dropped to around 14 feet. At the Gawalmandi Bridge, the water level was recorded at around 16 feet. The rainfall has highlighted the vulnerability of low-lying areas in Rawalpindi to urban flooding. Residents have called for timely drainage operations to prevent rainwater from entering homes and businesses. The weather department has also forecast rain at some places in Punjab, Balochistan and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. Authorities are expected to remain alert in areas vulnerable to flooding and water accumulation.

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.

An anti-terrorism court (ATC) in Islamabad has granted police another seven days of physical remand of Saad Abbasi, who is accused of killing Pakistan Air Force (PAF) Group Captain Asim Tariq. Abbasi was produced before the court on Monday after completing his initial seven-day physical remand. ATC Judge Abul Hasnat Muhammad Zulqarnain heard the case. The prosecution requested an additional 15 days of physical remand to continue the investigation. Prosecutor Raja Naveed Hussain Kayani told the court that police had recovered the pistol allegedly used in the killing. He said the suspect had allegedly concealed the weapon after the incident. The prosecution also informed the court that investigators had yet to recover the suspect’s mobile phone. Police said the phone could provide further information relevant to the investigation. After hearing arguments from the prosecution, the court reserved its decision on the remand request. The court later approved seven more days of physical remand. Abbasi was handed back to police custody for further investigation. The court directed police to produce the suspect before it again after the completion of the additional remand period. The case relates to the death of Group Captain Asim Tariq in Islamabad on July 5. According to the investigation, the PAF officer intervened when the suspect allegedly attempted to forcibly take a woman away. The situation reportedly escalated after Tariq intervened. The suspect allegedly opened fire, and the officer was struck by a bullet. Tariq succumbed to his injuries and was later declared a martyr. Islamabad police arrested Abbasi within nine hours of the incident. Investigators are continuing to examine the circumstances surrounding the shooting. Police are also working to recover the suspect’s mobile phone and gather additional evidence.