2025.4.15 Karachi’s Korangi fire finally doused after 17 days
Gas emission still underway at site which erupted into blaze on March 29 during drilling of 1,200-foot-deep bore
KARACHI: The unabated fire in the city’s Korangi area has finally come to an end and has been extinguished on Tuesday after burning on for 17 days, with the pit still emitting gas resulting in boiling water at the site.
The fire, which started after a 1,200-foot-deep bore was drilled at the site on March 29, had led to concerns about the type and volume of gas responsible for the blaze.
Meanwhile, preliminary chemical analysis, as per PPL sources, of the water breaking out of the ditch at the site of the ongoing fire in the Korangi area had earlier revealed the presence of hazardous chemicals.
The initial report, compiled following water sampling from the fire site, has detected excessive quantities of benzene, toluene, and tetrachloroethylene.
2025.4.14 Eight Pakistanis killed in Iran’s Mehrestan district, bodies yet to reach Taftan
QUETTA: The bodies of eight Pakistani nationals who were gunned down in Iran’s Mehrestan district remain in Iran and have not yet been transported to Pakistan, authorities in Chagai district confirmed on Sunday.
The victims—car mechanics by profession—were killed last week by unidentified assailants at their workplace in Mehrestan, located approximately 230 kilometers from the Pakistan-Iran border. According to the Chagai Deputy Commissioner, the Pakistani embassy in Tehran is actively engaged with Iranian officials to expedite the repatriation process.
The embassy has indicated that the transfer of the bodies to the border town of Taftan may take up to two more days. Arrangements have already been made for onward transportation to the victims’ hometowns upon arrival in Pakistan, the deputy commissioner added.
Six of the deceased hailed from Khanqa Sharif in Bahawalpur, while the other two were residents of Tehsil Ahmedpur Sharqia. The killings have sent shockwaves through their home communities, where preparations for funerals are on hold pending the return of the bodies.
The impoverished Sistan-Baluchestan region of Iran, where the attack occurred, has long been plagued by unrest, drug smuggling, and intermittent clashes between Iranian security forces and separatist groups. Due to its strategic location near the Afghanistan-Pakistan border, the area remains volatile.
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Sunday condemned the killings, calling the attack a “heinous act of terrorism,” and demanded swift action by Iranian authorities to apprehend and punish those responsible. He also urged Tehran to make public the motives behind the killings.
Pakistani workers, especially from South Punjab, frequently cross into Iran for employment in auto repair shops and agricultural work. However, repeated incidents of violence have raised concerns about the safety of Pakistani labourers in Iran’s eastern provinces.
This latest tragedy follows a similar incident in January last year when nine Pakistanis were shot dead in southeastern Iran, shortly after both countries restored diplomatic ties following cross-border tensions triggered by Iranian strikes inside Pakistan.
No group has claimed responsibility for the recent Mehrestan killings so far.
2025.4.14 Police trace suspects in Rawalpindi KFC attack through CCTV footage
RAWALPINDI: Police on Monday said they had traced the individuals involved in vandalising an international fast food outlet in Rawalpindi’s Saddar area through CCTV footage, and pledged swift arrests.
The incident, which occurred Sunday evening, is part of a broader trend of attacks targeting outlets of international food chains—particularly Kentucky Fried Chicken (KFC)—amid public anger over Israel’s ongoing assault on Gaza.
According to the first information report (FIR) filed by the manager of the KFC Saddar branch, a group of 10–12 armed men stormed the premises around 8:30pm, harassed customers, and shouted slogans. “When we tried to stop them, they hurled abuses and threatened to kill us,” the complainant stated.
The FIR, registered at Cantt police station, invoked sections 148 (rioting with deadly weapons), 149 (unlawful assembly), and 506(ii) (criminal intimidation with threats of grievous harm) of the Pakistan Penal Code.
2025.4.13 The country witnessed a sharp increase in terror attacks in January 2025, surging by 42% compared to the previous month, according to data released by the Pakistan Institute for Conflict and Security Studies (PICSS), a think tank.
The data revealed that at least 74 militant attacks were recorded nationwide, resulting in 91 fatalities, including 35 security personnel, 20 civilians, and 36 militants. Another 117 individuals sustained injuries, including 53 security forces personnel, 54 civilians, and 10 militants.
KP remained the worst-affected province, followed by Balochistan. In KP’s settled districts, militants carried out 27 attacks, resulting in 19 fatalities, including 11 security personnel, six civilians, and two militants.
The tribal districts of KP (erstwhile Fata) witnessed 19 attacks, leading to 46 deaths, including 13 security personnel, eight civilians, and 25 militants.
2025.4.11 Islamabad records highest number of gang rape incidents in Pakistan, report reveals
ISLAMABAD: The federal capital, Islamabad, has reported the highest number of gang rape incidents in Pakistan, surpassing the combined totals from Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Balochistan, and Gilgit-Baltistan, according to a recent crime report published by The News.
The report reveals a disturbing national crime toll, with 11,074 murders, 2,142 gang rape cases, 4,472 incidents of Zina, and 34,688 cases of kidnapping or abduction recorded across the country.
Punjab emerged as the most affected province, topping all categories, including murder, gang rape, and kidnapping. Islamabad, however, stood out with 22 gang rape cases reported in 2024, raising serious concerns about safety in urban areas.
In terms of murders, Punjab recorded the highest toll with 4,908 cases, followed by Khyber Pakhtunkhwa with 3,444. Sindh reported 1,862 murders, while smaller totals were noted in Balochistan (528), Islamabad (155), Gilgit-Baltistan (122), and Azad Jammu and Kashmir (75).
When it comes to gang rape, Punjab again had the highest number with 2,046 cases, while Sindh recorded 71 cases. Khyber Pakhtunkhwa reported one gang rape and 402 cases of Zina, and Balochistan had no gang rape cases, only 43 Zina cases. Islamabad, with 22 gang rape cases, also reported 125 Zina cases, while Gilgit-Baltistan had one gang rape case. Azad Jammu and Kashmir reported 33 cases of Zina but no gang rape incidents.
Kidnapping and abduction cases were also notably high, with Punjab reporting 28,702 cases, followed by Sindh (4,331), Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (533), Balochistan (406), Islamabad (238), Gilgit-Baltistan (108), and Azad Jammu and Kashmir (370).
Despite these alarming statistics, Punjab had the lowest number of riot cases, with only two reported, while Islamabad saw no riot cases at all. Across Pakistan, a total of 4,533 riot cases were recorded in 2024, with Sindh having the highest number at 3,472.
These statistics underscore the pressing need for improved security measures and judicial reforms to address the rising crime rates in various regions of the country.
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