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  The ride-hailing driver who transported Wafflix owner Mir Raza Ali shortly before his death has shared details of the young man’s final journey, describing how Ali personally guided him through several roads in Karachi before being dropped outside a bank in Gulistan-e-Johar. Ali, 25, was allegedly abducted from the PECHS area before his body was discovered in bushes near a wedding hall in Gulistan-e-Johar. Police initially suspected that he may have been tortured before being shot. The circumstances surrounding his death remained unclear for some time, including speculation over whether he had been murdered or had died by suicide. However, a second post-mortem reportedly strengthened his family’s claim that Ali had been killed. In a video statement released on Wednesday, the driver, Ehsanullah, recalled accepting Ali’s ride during the early hours of the morning. He said the booking came through at around 3:57am. After accepting it, he reached the pickup location at approximately 4:06am and called Ali a minute later to inform him that he had arrived. According to the driver, Ali asked him to wait for a couple of minutes before coming outside. Ehsanullah said Ali arrived around 4:09am, after which the journey began. The driver said they initially left the street and headed towards Khalid bin Waleed Road. He recalled that when he was about to take a turn, Ali stopped him and instructed him to use another route towards a one-way road leading towards Imtiaz and Tariq Road. During the journey, Ali reportedly asked whether the vehicle had Bluetooth or a speaker. After connecting his mobile phone, he played music while continuing to guide the driver. Ehsanullah said he relied on the navigation system while also following Ali’s instructions. The route reportedly took them from Tariq Road to Bahadurabad and then towards Aga Khan Hospital, Stadium Road, Millennium Wall and Perfume Chowk. They subsequently travelled through Johar Mor, Mosamiyat and Samama before reaching Continental Bakery. The driver said Ali then directed him to take another turn and continue ahead before eventually asking him to stop. Ehsanullah said he dropped Ali outside a bank and then left the area. Meanwhile, Sindh Inspector General of Police Javed Alam Odho acknowledged shortcomings in the investigation into Ali’s death. Speaking at a ceremony at the Sindh Bar Council, he said the case was being reassessed following a new medico-legal report. Odho described Ali’s death as tragic and said a new investigation team had been instructed to conduct a transparent and independent inquiry. He acknowledged that there had been lapses, particularly concerning the medico-legal process, and said the shortcomings would be addressed. Ali’s body was discovered on July 29 with a gunshot wound. Investigators later recovered a .30-bore pistol casing from the crime scene on August 6, although the firearm itself had not been found. Following concerns raised by Ali’s family and evidence suggesting he had been shot from behind, the previous investigation team was dissolved. A new team, headed by DIG Investigation and Crime Amir Farooqi, was formed. The family’s lawyer, Jibran Nasir, had previously called for an impartial investigation and alleged that the family had been pressured to accept a suicide explanation. A judicial magistrate in Karachi’s East district has also directed police to submit a progress report in the case by August 15 as the renewed investigation continues.

CHAKWAL: Authorities have busted an illegal cigarette factory near Dhrabi village in Chakwal and seized goods, machinery and raw materials worth more than Rs250 million, according to officials. The raid was conducted jointly by the Intelligence and Investigation team of the Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) and other intelligence officials following a tip-off about an illegal cigarette manufacturing network operating in the area. According to FBR officials, the facility was a complete cigarette manufacturing unit that allegedly operated at night to evade Federal Excise Duty (FED) and General Sales Tax (GST). The factory was reportedly producing cigarettes under different brand names and supplying them to the market. Officials said the manufacturing unit was not registered with the FBR. The cigarette packets also allegedly lacked barcodes, which authorities said was part of the tax-evasion mechanism. The raid uncovered a substantial manufacturing operation. Eleven cigarette-making machines and three industrial generators were sealed during the operation. A large warehouse at the site contained significant quantities of finished cigarettes and raw materials. Authorities seized approximately 72,000 cigarette packets that were ready for sale, along with around 12,000 kilograms of raw tobacco. Other materials recovered from the premises included white paper rolls, silver and golden packaging rolls, aluminium foil rolls, polythene rolls and more than 107,000 empty cigarette packets. Officials also confiscated 30 cartons of filter rods, 14 cartons of filter paper, adhesive material and drums used in the manufacturing process. The initial assessment by FBR officials puts the combined value of the raw materials, finished products and seized machinery at more than Rs250 million. Authorities are also calculating the potential amount of tax allegedly evaded through the operation. The discovery highlights the scale of illegal cigarette manufacturing and the potential loss of government revenue through unregistered production and tax evasion. Authorities are continuing their investigation into the illegal cigarette network to determine the individuals and businesses involved in the manufacturing and distribution of the products. The illegal cigarette factory in Chakwal is among the latest targets of enforcement operations aimed at curbing illicit tobacco production and protecting government tax revenues.