Blast kills five, injures 50 in Karachi

KARACHI: At least five people have been killed while almost 50 others including women and children were injured in a huge explosion that took place near the Cantt Railway Station, here on Saturday.

According to initial reports, the explosion occurred in a Sargodha-bound passenger bus which caught fire. Nearby vehicles and a hotel were also damaged in the explosion.

Eight of those injured are said to be in critical condition and emergency has been declared at JPMC.

Sindh police spokesman Imran Shaukhat said the cause of the explosion was not yet known.

Interior Minister Rehman Malik has taken notice of the explosion and summoned a report from IG Sindh Fayyaz Leghari.

However, SSP CID Chaudhry Aslam said no ball bearings were recovered from the bus, which indicated that a cylinder might have exploded.

Meanwhile speaking to Geo News the conductor of the bus said there was no CNG cylinder and it operated on diesel.

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Fond memories of a literary giant

Karachi

I have very fond memories of eminent critic, scholar, translator and senior journalist Dr Mohammad Ali Siddiqui, who wrote a literary column every week in Dawn under the pen name, Ariel.

I was introduced to him by my friend (late) Dr Qamar Abbas Nadeem in the early 1970s when we established Young Writers Forum. Dr Nadeem was also an excellent short story writer.

In those days Siddiqui Saheb was Assistant Editor, daily Hurriyat, Dawn Group’s Urdu newspaper, and lived near Rizvia Society in a lower middle class locality. Previously, he was associated with the British Information Department. I had joined the Soviet Press & Information Department, Karachi, in those days.

Very often we would meet at Dr Nadeem’s residence and at his house too. He was a bookworm and told us about great personalities such as Nehru, Gandhi, Jinnah, Premchand, Krishan Chandar, Bedi, Manto, Prof Mumtaz Husain, Prof Majnoon Gorakhpuri, Balzac, Kierkegaard and Kafka.

Once I wrote an article and went to Hurrriyat’s office and requested him to publish it. He published it but advised me very politely, “Shahid, aesey saada Urdu likho ke panwari ke bhi samjh mein ajaey.” That was great advice!

He would also patronise us in our literary pursuits under the umbrella of Young Writers’ Forum. His literary columns in Dawn are in fact cultural history in Pakistan and were read with keen interest by everybody, including men of letters, critics, journalists and students.

In fact, that treasure could be used as research material by the students of Mass Communications at our universities.

Never shy to learn he thereafter did his doctorate from the University of Karachi and started teaching at the Pakistan Study Centre, University of Karachi.

He also contributed to monthly magazine “Pakistani Adab” in the 1980s edited by eminent anthropologist and historian (late) Syed Sibte Hasan.

Sometimes his remark in his weekly column would irk poets, writers and critics. For instance, once he remarked about out literary giant Faiz Ahmed Faiz that when he wrote poetry a collection of Pablo Neruda was under his pillow. The remark was unfair but Faiz was such a tolerant person that he ignored it.

After getting retired from the Pakistan Study Centre, he joined a private sector university and became its dean.

He was also a champion of human rights and often invited by the Human Rights Commission of Pakistan (HRCP) office in Karachi to read papers.

Amongst his contemporaries were noted poet, academic and critic Prof Saher Ansari, revolutionary poet Hasan Hameedi, noted critic Syed Mazhar Jameel, Anwar Ahsan Siddiqui, etc.

Once he told me that when revolutionary poet Habib Jalib issued a statement against genocide in former East Pakistan (now Bangladesh) in 1971 and his life was threatened, poet Munir Niazi, who was apolitical, protected Jalib in Lahore.

During his long literary career, Ariel was equally respected abroad whether it was India, the United States of America or Canada, and attended literary conferences and seminars there.

But lately he had been irritated by the plethora of information needed in visa applications of western countries.

“I will prefer not to travel than to fill these visa forms,” he told a meeting at the HRCP office in Karachi, where he read a paper.

He hailed from Amroha, one of the most fertile areas in India, and was a fan of noted Urdu poet Joan Eliya, maestro Sadequain, noted Urdu short story writer, broadcaster and columnist Zahida Hina.

The new generation of writers, poets and critics felt pride if he wrote something on the flaps of their books. He inspired at least two generations of our writers, poets, critics and artists.

Read more »

Shujaat to meet president today

Karachi

PML-Q Chief Chaudhry Shujaat Hussain is scheduled to arrive in Karachi on Thursday (today) to attend a meeting with President Zardari at the Bilawal House.

This was disclosed to The News by Halim Adil Sheikh, a PML-Q leader and adviser to the Sindh chief minister.

Halim Adil Sheikh and Shujaat would attend the meeting with President Zardari, who had convened a meeting of the heads of the Sindh coalition parties. The president is set to discuss various issues such as the long march announced by Dr Tahirul Qadri on March 14 to Islamabad.

One of the major coalition partners that decided to join the long march of Tahirul Qadri was the Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM). Meanwhile, the PML-F was among the parties that decided not to participate.

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Three THOs face music for skipping measles meeting

Karachi

The Sindh health minister on Wednesday suspended three town health officers (THOs) for their absence from an important meeting held to review the measles vaccination drive in the city.

Dr Sagheer Ahmed told the media that the THOs of Baldia, Keamari and Malir, Dr Arif Niaz, Dr Ashraf-uz-Zaman and Dr Irshad respectively, had been suspended for not attending the meeting.

“These officials have shown a non-serious attitude. It is the height of irresponsibility.”

Earlier, while presiding over the meeting of the city’s THOs, Dr Ahmed said emergency measures were being taken to prevent an outbreak of measles in Karachi.

“Under these measures, 2.13 million children will be vaccinated for the disease in the city,” he said.

He said the availability of anti-measles vaccine and syringes was being ensured in accordance with the needs of each town.

119,078 vaccinated

The participants of the meeting were informed that around 119,078 children had already been vaccinated for measles in the current month.

The health minister warned that THOs would be suspended in case any child of the targeted age group in their towns was left unvaccinated during the campaign.

He also reiterated that action would also be taken against the THOs who failed to achieve a minimum of 95 percent routine immunisation coverage in their towns.

In a comparative analysis, he said 1,450 children in Karachi had been brought to hospitals on the suspicion of measles in 2012. However, 543 were confirmed as suffering from measles and 15 of them lost their lives due to the disease that year.

Dr Ahmed said the outbreak of measles in the interior parts of the province had made it extremely important to take the required precautionary steps.

“Special vaccination campaigns are already under way in eight districts, where measles cases were registered in December and January,” the minister added.

Public awareness

The minister stressed the need for taking steps to raise public awareness about the importance of routine immunisation of children.

He directed Health Secretary Aftab Khatri to ensure that medical superintendents of all hospitals dispatched measles-related data to the department’s officers on a daily basis.

Additional Health Secretary Taha Farooqui, Expanded Programme on Immunisation Sindh Project Director Dr Mazhar Khamisani and Executive District Officer Health Imdadullah Siddiqui also attended the meeting.

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Ariel to write no more

Karachi

Dr Muhammad Ali Siddiqui, renowned author, scholar, critic, educationist and columnist who was better known by his pen name Ariel, passed away on Wednesday. He was 75.

He was admitted to the intensive care unit of a hospital and breathed his last after suffering a cardiac arrest.

He has left behind a widow, two sons, three daughters and a brother.

His funeral prayer was offered at Farooq-e-Azam Masjid in North Nazimabad and he was laid to rest at the Sakhi Hassan graveyard. Some prominent figures who participated in the funeral included Naseer Turabi, Ahmed Umar Sharif, Dr Mazhar Jameel, Prof Ali Haider Malick, Shahid Hameed, Mehmood Ahmed Khan, Yousuf Amin, Anwar Jawed Hashmi, Ehtisham Anwar, Salman Siddiqui, Naeem Siddiqui, Feroz Bakhat, Iqbal Nazar, Dr Arshad Javed Rizvi, Abib Hayyat, Ali Osat Jaffery, A. Khayaam, AR Arif, Nadeem Hashmi, Dr Mazhar Haider, Dr Jamal Naqvi, Zafar Anwar Hameedi, Hayat Rizvi Amrohavi, Dr Jaffer Ahmed, Mubeen Mirza and Iqbal Akhtar Ansari.

Dr Siddiqui’s Soyem will be held on Friday after Jumma prayers at Farooq-e-Azam Masjid. A Quran Khawani will be held at the residence of Dr Siddiqui – A-592, Block J, North Nazimabad – in which women will participate.

Dr Siddiqui’s elder son, Mubashir Siddiqui, said his father had spent more than two weeks at the hospital before passing away.

“My father had complained of chest pain some 22 days ago and he was immediately rushed to a hospital where he received medical assistance at the emergency ward,” he told The News. “Later, the doctors said his condition was stable. He was shifted to the general ward. However, a few days later his condition started deteriorating and he was admitted to the intensive care unit, where he died of a cardiac arrest.”

Accomplishments

Ariel was the central president of the Anjuman Taraqqi Passand Musanifeen.

He was the author of 22 books. He was also decorated with the Pride of Performance Award, the highest civilian honour in the country, as well Tamgha-e-Imtiaz and Sitara-e-Hilal.

Most of Ariel’s books are about the issues revolving around education and literature.

He had also written around two dozens book on different forms of literature including poetry, short story, novels etc.

He had translated important works from English to Urdu. Ariel had made his mark in writing criticism on Urdu fiction and poetry as a modern critic, but kept pleading the cause of progressiveness and enlightenment in Urdu literature.

He was among the very few progressive critics in the country who remained updated with contemporary literature and literary trends.

He wrote a great deal on classical writers and poets and the contemporary ones.

Ariel also wrote several books on modern criticism while reviewing modern trends in literature, presenting comparisons of different writers. He was a regular columnist in English newspapers for a long time.

Regarded a true critic of modern times in Urdu literature, Ariel never compromised his principles on progressive ideology.

He had rejected the postmodernism movement introduced by some Indian writers.

He believed that all of that material was taken and translated from Western literature by those writers.

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our correspondent Thursday, January 10, 2013 From Print Edition New 0 0 0 [Five ‘TTP’ men held for Ayesha Manzil blast] Karachi Five men affiliated with the outlawed Tehrik-e-Taliban (TTP) were apprehended on Wednesday for their alleged involvement in the Ayesha Mazil blast that took place on the first day of this year and their role in the assassination of over six polio workers last year. The Crime Investigation Department (CID) also seized a large cache of arms and ammunition from their possession during a raid conducted in Muhammad Khan Colony in Orangi Town. Additional Inspector General (AIG) of police CID Ghulam Shabeer Shaikh during a press briefing at the Central Police Office said that acting on a tip-off the officials had raided the suspects’ hideout in Ittehad Town. On seeing the police, the gunmen opened fire, which was returned by the police. After an hour-long encounter, Ayub, Mohtim Khan, Bilal, Tauseef Ali and Saifullah were arrested. During the initial investigation, the accused confessed to being linked to the TTP. Seven people died and 45 other were injured in the Ayesha Manzil blast near Federal B Area after a remote-controlled bomb planted on a motorbike went off. Among the victims, one was a worker of the Muttahida Qaumi Movement. AIG CID Shaikh said that the accused were also involved in murdering polio workers during the year 2012, of which two female health workers were targeted in the Mochko police limits on December 18, 2012. The accused confessed to lobbing a Russain-made grenade inside the Tori Bangush police kiosk in July 2012. The low-intensity blast completely destroyed the kiosk and damaged three polio vehicles. The suspects had also killed a police constable and an ANP leader. The arrested men were planning an attack on the Quaid-e-Azam International Airport, the AIG added. The suspects said they had recently sent about 160 men to Waziristan to their commander Akram for training. They were also going to learn to make suicide jackets during their exercise. During the raid, police recovered a motorcycle planted with a bomb, 25 kilogram explosive material, five hand grenades, two pressure cooker bombs, nine tennis ball bombs, four Kalashnikovs, five 9MM pistols, five detonators and a number of live bullets. Sindh Governor Dr Ishrat-ul-Ebad, on learning about the police efficiency, announced a reward of Rs2 million for the CID team. Today's Newspaper Top story National World Business Sports Karachi Lahore Islamabad Peshawar Editorial Opinion Newspost More from Karachi School principal shot dead Private schools to close tomorrow in protest ‘Siraj shot injured Shahzeb again after being egged on’ Five ‘TTP’ men held for Ayesha Manzil blast Doctors recommend Mehzar’s treatment abroad Ariel to write no more Fond memories of a literary giant Three THOs face music for skipping measles meeting Man seeks justice against influential criminals Shujaat to meet president today Latest News One killed, 2 hurt in Karachi car blast [Watch Now] Waseem Khawaja still serving as DSP [Watch Now] Pak strongly rejects Indian allegation [Watch Now] Polls will be on time, PPP reiterates [Watch Now] LoC: Pak offers ‘third party’ inquiry [Watch Now] China 2012 trade surplus surges 48pc [Watch Now] Markets rise in early Asian trade [Watch Now] Australia team for 1st ODI against SL [Watch Now] Australia races to beat heat spike [Watch Now] Several accused held in New Karachi [Watch Now]

Karachi

Five men affiliated with the outlawed Tehrik-e-Taliban (TTP) were apprehended on Wednesday for their alleged involvement in the Ayesha Mazil blast that took place on the first day of this year and their role in the assassination of over six polio workers last year.

The Crime Investigation Department (CID) also seized a large cache of arms and ammunition from their possession during a raid conducted in Muhammad Khan Colony in Orangi Town.

Additional Inspector General (AIG) of police CID Ghulam Shabeer Shaikh during a press briefing at the Central Police Office said that acting on a tip-off the officials had raided the suspects’ hideout in Ittehad Town. On seeing the police, the gunmen opened fire, which was returned by the police. After an hour-long encounter, Ayub, Mohtim Khan, Bilal, Tauseef Ali and Saifullah were arrested.

During the initial investigation, the accused confessed to being linked to the TTP.

Seven people died and 45 other were injured in the Ayesha Manzil blast near Federal B Area after a remote-controlled bomb planted on a motorbike went off. Among the victims, one was a worker of the Muttahida Qaumi Movement.

AIG CID Shaikh said that the accused were also involved in murdering polio workers during the year 2012, of which two female health workers were targeted in the Mochko police limits on December 18, 2012.

The accused confessed to lobbing a Russain-made grenade inside the Tori Bangush police kiosk in July 2012. The low-intensity blast completely destroyed the kiosk and damaged three polio vehicles.

The suspects had also killed a police constable and an ANP leader.

The arrested men were planning an attack on the Quaid-e-Azam International Airport, the AIG added. The suspects said they had recently sent about 160 men to Waziristan to their commander Akram for training. They were also going to learn to make suicide jackets during their exercise.

During the raid, police recovered a motorcycle planted with a bomb, 25 kilogram explosive material, five hand grenades, two pressure cooker bombs, nine tennis ball bombs, four Kalashnikovs, five 9MM pistols, five detonators and a number of live bullets.

Sindh Governor Dr Ishrat-ul-Ebad, on learning about the police efficiency, announced a reward of Rs2 million for the CID team.

Read more »

Private schools to close tomorrow in protest

Karachi

Administrations of most private schools have decided to close their educational institutions on Friday (tomorrow) to protest the murder of the chairman of the United Private School Management Front.

Engineer Ali Haider was gunned down on his way to work in Sector 11-A of North Karachi on Wednesday.

Condemning Haider’s murder, the Private Schools Management Association announced keeping private schools closed on Friday in protest.

The association has also convened a gathering of owners and administrators of private schools to condole Haider’s demise and hold Quran Khawani for the departed soul.

The All Private Schools Management Association Sindh has also backed the decision to keep private schools closed on Friday.

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Man seeks justice against influential criminals

Karachi

A man from Larkana has appealed to Chief Justice Iftikhar Mohammed Chaudhry to provide him justice in the murder case of his minor son, who was kidnapped and killed on March 9 last year.

Addressing a press conference at the Karachi Press Club on Wednesday, Azfar Hussain Jatoi said that the body of his four-year-old son Umer was recovered from a ditch on the disclosure of some suspects who were arrested on March 13 last year, but the case proceedings had been slowed down since the criminals happen to be connected with highly influential people in the province.

On the occasion, Azfar Hussain played the voice of kidnappers that he had recorded in his mobile phone, demanding ransom money of Rs 5 million.

He said that in the wake of non-payment of ransom money, the kidnappers murdered his son and buried him in a ditch and now he and his family were being pressurised to withdraw the FIR.

Azfar said that if timely justice was provided to him then many innocent children could be saved from meeting the fate of Umer.

He said that the case was shifted from Larkana to Anti Terrorism Court-2, Karachi, after an appeal was made to the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court but justice was yet to be provided.

He said that the criminals were connected with some highly influential people, and as such the police had deliberately slowed down the case proceedings.

Azfar said that he and his family had been receiving threats of dire consequences due to which they have shifted to Karachi for safety after packing up entire business in Larkana.

He said police arrested Abdul Ghaffar Bux, Ali alias Allah Dino Magsi, Abdullah Magsi and Zahid Gopan after the body of his son Umer was recovered from a ditch on their disclosure, and these suspects were enjoying a good time despite being lodged at the Larakana police station lockup.

Azfar also appealed to journalists and human rights organisations to help him get justice over the murder of his son.

Replying to a question, he said that investigating officer of the case, Fida Sangi, happens to be a highly influential person and he had no regard even for the higher judiciary.

Read more »

Fond memories of a literary giant

Karachi

I have very fond memories of eminent critic, scholar, translator and senior journalist Dr Mohammad Ali Siddiqui, who wrote a literary column every week in Dawn under the pen name, Ariel.

I was introduced to him by my friend (late) Dr Qamar Abbas Nadeem in the early 1970s when we established Young Writers Forum. Dr Nadeem was also an excellent short story writer.

In those days Siddiqui Saheb was Assistant Editor, daily Hurriyat, Dawn Group’s Urdu newspaper, and lived near Rizvia Society in a lower middle class locality. Previously, he was associated with the British Information Department. I had joined the Soviet Press & Information Department, Karachi, in those days.

Very often we would meet at Dr Nadeem’s residence and at his house too. He was a bookworm and told us about great personalities such as Nehru, Gandhi, Jinnah, Premchand, Krishan Chandar, Bedi, Manto, Prof Mumtaz Husain, Prof Majnoon Gorakhpuri, Balzac, Kierkegaard and Kafka.

Once I wrote an article and went to Hurrriyat’s office and requested him to publish it. He published it but advised me very politely, “Shahid, aesey saada Urdu likho ke panwari ke bhi samjh mein ajaey.” That was great advice!

He would also patronise us in our literary pursuits under the umbrella of Young Writers’ Forum. His literary columns in Dawn are in fact cultural history in Pakistan and were read with keen interest by everybody, including men of letters, critics, journalists and students.

In fact, that treasure could be used as research material by the students of Mass Communications at our universities.

Never shy to learn he thereafter did his doctorate from the University of Karachi and started teaching at the Pakistan Study Centre, University of Karachi.

He also contributed to monthly magazine “Pakistani Adab” in the 1980s edited by eminent anthropologist and historian (late) Syed Sibte Hasan.

Sometimes his remark in his weekly column would irk poets, writers and critics. For instance, once he remarked about out literary giant Faiz Ahmed Faiz that when he wrote poetry a collection of Pablo Neruda was under his pillow. The remark was unfair but Faiz was such a tolerant person that he ignored it.

After getting retired from the Pakistan Study Centre, he joined a private sector university and became its dean.

He was also a champion of human rights and often invited by the Human Rights Commission of Pakistan (HRCP) office in Karachi to read papers.

Amongst his contemporaries were noted poet, academic and critic Prof Saher Ansari, revolutionary poet Hasan Hameedi, noted critic Syed Mazhar Jameel, Anwar Ahsan Siddiqui, etc.

Once he told me that when revolutionary poet Habib Jalib issued a statement against genocide in former East Pakistan (now Bangladesh) in 1971 and his life was threatened, poet Munir Niazi, who was apolitical, protected Jalib in Lahore.

During his long literary career, Ariel was equally respected abroad whether it was India, the United States of America or Canada, and attended literary conferences and seminars there.

But lately he had been irritated by the plethora of information needed in visa applications of western countries.

“I will prefer not to travel than to fill these visa forms,” he told a meeting at the HRCP office in Karachi, where he read a paper.

He hailed from Amroha, one of the most fertile areas in India, and was a fan of noted Urdu poet Joan Eliya, maestro Sadequain, noted Urdu short story writer, broadcaster and columnist Zahida Hina.

The new generation of writers, poets and critics felt pride if he wrote something on the flaps of their books. He inspired at least two generations of our writers, poets, critics and artists.

Read more »

Fond memories of a literary giant

Karachi

I have very fond memories of eminent critic, scholar, translator and senior journalist Dr Mohammad Ali Siddiqui, who wrote a literary column every week in Dawn under the pen name, Ariel.

I was introduced to him by my friend (late) Dr Qamar Abbas Nadeem in the early 1970s when we established Young Writers Forum. Dr Nadeem was also an excellent short story writer.

In those days Siddiqui Saheb was Assistant Editor, daily Hurriyat, Dawn Group’s Urdu newspaper, and lived near Rizvia Society in a lower middle class locality. Previously, he was associated with the British Information Department. I had joined the Soviet Press & Information Department, Karachi, in those days.

Very often we would meet at Dr Nadeem’s residence and at his house too. He was a bookworm and told us about great personalities such as Nehru, Gandhi, Jinnah, Premchand, Krishan Chandar, Bedi, Manto, Prof Mumtaz Husain, Prof Majnoon Gorakhpuri, Balzac, Kierkegaard and Kafka.

Once I wrote an article and went to Hurrriyat’s office and requested him to publish it. He published it but advised me very politely, “Shahid, aesey saada Urdu likho ke panwari ke bhi samjh mein ajaey.” That was great advice!

He would also patronise us in our literary pursuits under the umbrella of Young Writers’ Forum. His literary columns in Dawn are in fact cultural history in Pakistan and were read with keen interest by everybody, including men of letters, critics, journalists and students.

In fact, that treasure could be used as research material by the students of Mass Communications at our universities.

Never shy to learn he thereafter did his doctorate from the University of Karachi and started teaching at the Pakistan Study Centre, University of Karachi.

He also contributed to monthly magazine “Pakistani Adab” in the 1980s edited by eminent anthropologist and historian (late) Syed Sibte Hasan.

Sometimes his remark in his weekly column would irk poets, writers and critics. For instance, once he remarked about out literary giant Faiz Ahmed Faiz that when he wrote poetry a collection of Pablo Neruda was under his pillow. The remark was unfair but Faiz was such a tolerant person that he ignored it.

After getting retired from the Pakistan Study Centre, he joined a private sector university and became its dean.

He was also a champion of human rights and often invited by the Human Rights Commission of Pakistan (HRCP) office in Karachi to read papers.

Amongst his contemporaries were noted poet, academic and critic Prof Saher Ansari, revolutionary poet Hasan Hameedi, noted critic Syed Mazhar Jameel, Anwar Ahsan Siddiqui, etc.

Once he told me that when revolutionary poet Habib Jalib issued a statement against genocide in former East Pakistan (now Bangladesh) in 1971 and his life was threatened, poet Munir Niazi, who was apolitical, protected Jalib in Lahore.

During his long literary career, Ariel was equally respected abroad whether it was India, the United States of America or Canada, and attended literary conferences and seminars there.

But lately he had been irritated by the plethora of information needed in visa applications of western countries.

“I will prefer not to travel than to fill these visa forms,” he told a meeting at the HRCP office in Karachi, where he read a paper.

He hailed from Amroha, one of the most fertile areas in India, and was a fan of noted Urdu poet Joan Eliya, maestro Sadequain, noted Urdu short story writer, broadcaster and columnist Zahida Hina.

The new generation of writers, poets and critics felt pride if he wrote something on the flaps of their books. He inspired at least two generations of our writers, poets, critics and artists.

Read more »

Doctors recommend Mehzar’s treatment abroad

Karachi

When she was brought in 39 days back, the doctors had given up on her - she would spend her life on a ventilator, they had said.

Today, 12-year-old Mehzar is just out of a strenuous physiotherapy session. She is trying to walk again. But her doctors recommend that she be taken abroad for further treatment.

On November 30, Syeda Mehzar and her father Syed Nazar Abbas Zaidi were driving to school when they were shot by unidentified men.

The father expired, while Mehzar survived, with two ruptured lungs, a spinal cord injury, and a fractured wrist. The family maintains that this attack was sectarian in nature and the police second it.

Dr Gohar Javed, a neurosurgeon at the Aga Khan University Hospital who specialises in spinal cord injuries, has referred her to the Queen Elizabeth Hospital in the United Kingdom for further treatment.

This is the same hospital where Malala Yousufzai, who was shot by the Taliban for promoting girls’ education, was treated.

“She has a spinal cord injury and the patient is being referred to the Queen Elizabeth Hospital for further management,” said Dr Javed, who has been dealing with the case since day one.

Another doctor overseeing Mehzar, Dr Muhammad Arif Mateen Khan, the head of pediatric surgery at Aga Khan University Hospital, says she is “stable and recovering from wounds”.

“From a medical point of view, she can travel abroad,” he maintained.

The family has been demanding for some time that she be taken abroad for treatment. On their persistence, a team of doctors from the Governor’s House visited her and declared that she was unfit to travel.

The Governor’s House spokesperson was not available to comment on the matter.

Though Mehzar is showing improvement, the family believes her rehabilitation will be speedy abroad. More importantly, there will be no threats. The family is still reeling from the shock of the death of a loved one and almost losing another one at the hands of terrorists who they feel may target her again.

“Malala is just like my daughter. I feel her pain. The terrorists who did this to my daughter are the same who stopped Malala from going to school,” said the mother with a faint smile.

“I appeal to the government to give my daughter the best treatment; she is a survivor, do not let her fight for life go in vain.”

Read more »

‘Siraj shot injured Shahzeb again after being egged on’

Karachi

Siraj Talpur, one of the two prime suspects in the Shahzeb Khan murder case, fired more shots after he seriously wounded the 20-year-old student – just to ensure his prey did not survive, a court was told on Wednesday.

During an identification parade in the court of Judicial Magistrate (South) Waqar Ahmed Soomro, two witnesses identified Talpur, his brother, Sajjad Talpur, and their cook, Ghulam Murtaza Lashari, as three of the four men involved in the gruesome murder.

Another prime suspect, Shahrukh Jatoi, fled the country on a passport with a fake name on December 27, two days after the life of Khan, son of DSP Aurangzeb Khan, was cut down in his prime near Mubarak Masjid in Phase V of the Defence Housing Authority.

Jatoi’s father, Sikandar Jatoi, was named in the FIR registered with the Darakhshan police as a facilitator. He had been in hiding until Wednesday morning, when he managed to get protective bail from a court.

The two brothers and their cook were arrested last week only after the Supreme Court took suo moto notice of the incident, which sparked protests by civil society and rights activists, who demanded that the culprits be brought to justice. An anti-terrorism court (ATC) on Monday remanded the three in police custody for 10 days.

In their statements, the witnesses said Siraj had allegedly fired a shot at Khan’s car, seriously injuring him. They said the victim was still alive when Siraj fired several more bullets at the car after being egged on by his brother, their cook, and Jatoi.

A total of bullets hit the car. Dilip Khatri, a medico-legal officer of the Jinnah Postgraduate Medical Centre, who conducted the postmortem, told The News that two of the bullets hit Khan in the chest, which caused his death.

The judicial magistrate, who conducted the identification parade and recorded statements of the witnesses, will submit a report to the ATC, where the trial is being held.

He asked the witnesses to record their statements freely and fairly, and assured them that the law would protect them. He also advised the media not to disclose their names.

Pakistan has approached Interpol for the arrest of the absconding accused, Shahrukh Jatoi, who is said to have escaped to the US from the UAE.

Police have come under fire for delaying action against the defendants, who belong to two influential families. They registered a case only after senior PPP leader Nabil Gabol, an uncle of the murder victim, intervened.

Read more »

School principal shot dead

Karachi

Armed men roamed the city streets for yet another day on Wednesday and targeted three people, including a former UC Nazim and a school principal, in separate incidents.

Syed Ali Haider, 55, was gunned down when two armed men on a motorcycle sprayed his car with bullets from sophisticated weapons outside his residence in Sector 11/A of North Karachi in the Sir Syed Town police area.

The victim’s family and residents of the area took the body to the Abbasi Shaheed Hospital for legal formalities. An MLO said the deceased suffered at least five bullets wounds to the upper body.

SP New Karachi Syed Salman told The News that Haider was the owner of the Lal Qilla Grammar School and also the principal of the same institute. He added that the deceased was a member of the Arts Council and was also a candidate for president of the council.

He suspected that the victim was murdered in a targeted attack.

Former UC Nazim killed

Mahmood Ahmed Barkati, 87, a Hakeem and former UC Nazim was gunned down by two armed men who barged into his clinic near the Taleem-e-Bagh situated in the FB Area. The victim was gunned down with an automatic weapon and the assailants managed to flee on their motorbike.

The dispenser of the clinic, after hearing the shots, rushed to the doctor’s room and saw the body lying in a pool of blood.

The police were immediately informed and they shifted the corpse to the Abbasi Shaheed Hospital for legal formalities.

An MLO said that Barkati had been shot three times in the upper body.

SP Gulberg Amir Farooqi told The News that the deceased was killed in a targeted incident. Apart from being a Hakeem, the victim was a noted writer and had authored more than 24 books. He also wrote some 500 columns in different newspapers. Barkati, the police confirmed, was also a former UC Nazim from the Jamaat-e-Islami.

MQM activist shot dead

Thirty-five-year-old Syed Muhammad Shakeel, an MQM activist, suffered bullet wounds when two armed motorcyclists sprayed him with bullets from an automatic weapon while he was riding his own bike near Sector 11-1/2 of Orangi Town in the Iqbal Market police jurisdiction.

The rescue team was called to take the body to the hospital, but the injured man breathed his last on the way to the Abbasi Shaheed Hospital.

It was found that the victim had been shot four times in the upper part of the body. A mobile van of the Iqbal Market police reached the spot some 20 minutes after the incident and found the empty shells of 9MM bullets from the scene of the crime.

The police confirmed that the murdered man was an MQM activist and was targeted in this incident. As news of his death spread in the area, miscreants came onto the streets and forcibly ordered shop owners to close their businesses.

Altaf condemns killing

The Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) chief has expressed grief over the murder of Ali Haider, the owner of Lal Qila Grammar School. In a statement issued from London on Wednesday, Altaf Hussain termed the killing a conspiracy to provoke sectarian strife in Karachi.

Terrorists are gunning down innocent people according to a planned conspiracy to push the city into the flames of sectarian violence and bloodshed, he added.

He appealed to President Asif Ali Zardari, Prime Minister Raja Pervez Ashraf, Interior Minister Rehman Malik, Sindh Governor Dr Ishratul Ebad Khan and Sindh Chief Minister Syed Qaim Ali Shah to take notice of Haider’s murder and bring the killers to book.

He expressed his sympathies for the bereaved family members, and said their grief was equally shared by the workers and office-bearers of the MQM.

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Body of gang rape victim found

The decomposed and strangulated body of a young woman, believed to be a gang rape victim, was found in a blanket in a Nullah near Madina Colony in the Sachal police jurisdiction.

A mobile unit shifted the body to the Abbasi Shaheed Hospital for a postmortem.

A lady medico-legal officer at the Abbasi Shaheed Hospital said the woman was gang-raped and there were also some marks of torture on the body. She added that the corpse was three days old and the victim was murdered by strangulation.

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Efforts on to help people get Indian visas in Karachi, says Malik

Federal Interior Minister Rehman Malik called on Governor Sindh Dr Ishrat-ul-Ebad at the Governor House on Tuesday and exchanged views about prevailing situation, law & order and other important matters.

The interior minister said that the government was making efforts to facilitate the people of Sindh in getting Indian visas easily in Karachi. He informed the governor about the progress made in this regard.

Ebad informed Malik about the steps taken to implement e-policing and community policing, saying, this scheme was being implemented in industrial and commercial areas on priority basis. He said that he has provided funds for this purpose from his own uplift funds.

The interior minister said that the federal government would continue extending all out cooperation to the Sindh government for improving law and order in the province.

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PTI welcomes EC’s decision

The Pakistan Tehrik-e-Insaf (PTI), Karachi, has welcomed the Election Commission’s decision to allot election symbols to only those parties that would elect their representatives through intra-party polls.

PTI spokesman Faisal Vawda said that the country was being ruled by autocrats for 60 years, “and these monarchs would never transform their family limited companies into democratic organisations”.

He said that both Zardari and Nawaz were reluctant to transfer leadership to anyone other than their kith and kin, which shows their tacit understanding to monopolise democracy in the country. He said that Imran Khan was the only political leader who had been working with the support of different segments of society for the last 16 years.

Meanwhile, the PTI condoled the death of former Jamat-e-Islami chief Qazi Hussain Ahmed. The PTI leaders prayed for the departed soul and expressed sympathy with the bereaved family.

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MQM slams ‘evil conspiracy to fan sectarian strife’

Muttahida Qaumi Movement’s (MQM) Rabita Committee has condemned the ongoing sectarian killings in Karachi and termed them “an evil conspiracy to fan sectarian strife”.

In a statement issued on Tuesday, MQM said terrorists involved in sectarian bloodshed wanted to destabilise Pakistan by undermining peace in the metropolitan.

Party leaders said the people killing innocent citizens for their nefarious objectives were open enemies of Muslim unity.

They offered their sympathies to the grieving families who had lost their loved ones in incidents of sectarian strife across the city.

MQM leaders demanded the president, prime minister, interior minister, Sindh governor and Sindh chief minister to take notice of sectarian killings in Karachi.

They urged them to bring the killers to justice and take solid measures for protecting the lives and properties of the people.

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Shahrukh Jatoi dodges police again, ‘escapes to US’

Police have run into the sand yet again as Shahrukh Jatoi, the main accused in the Shahzeb murder case, has given them the slip once more and escaped from Dubai to the US.

A police team headed by DIG Dost Muhammad Baloch and Anti-Violent Crime Cell SSP Niaz Khosa had landed in Dubai on Monday to arrest Jatoi.

However, sources said Jatoi had left Dubai for the US on Monday morning at about 3am.

“The accused is still at large,” DIG South Shahid Hayat Khan told The News on Tuesday.

Jatoi is charged with the murder of 20-year-old Shahzeb near Mubarak Masjid in Defence Phase V on December 25.

He had reportedly fled the country on an Emirates flight two days after the murder.

An anti-terrorism court had issued non-bailable warrants for the arrest of Jatoi and his father on Monday. Three other suspects, Nawab Siraj Ali Talpur, Nawab Sajjad Ali Talpur and Ghulam Murtaza Lashari, were remanded in police custody for 10 days.

In a case lodged at the Darakhshan police station, Shahzeb’s father, DSP Aurangzeb Khan, has alleged that his son was killed by Shahrukh Jatoi, Nawab Siraj Ali Talpur, Nawab Sajjad Ali Talpur and their employee, Ghulam Murtaza Lashari, after his son stopped the employee from harassing his daughter.

The apex court had taken suo motu notice of the case after it was highlighted by the print, electronic and social media.

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Man gunned down in Mobina Town

A man was gunned down on Abul Hassan Ispahani Road opposite Lal Masjid on Tuesday night.

Mobina Town police said 35-year-old Arshad was on his way home in his vehicle when two men riding a motorcycle opened fire on him.

People sitting in a nearby hotel rushed to the spot and discovered the body in a pool of blood. Hearing the gunshots, police also arrived at the crime scene and moved the victim’s body to the JPMC

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Balochistan solution lies in democracy, says Bilawal

The Balochistan situation can only improve with the continuity and strengthening of democracy sustained through transparent, free and fair elections, said Chairman Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) Bilawal Bhutto Zardari here on Tuesday.

He said that the nation was gearing up for next general elections and the people of Balochistan should also get ready to send their representatives to the elected houses of the country to raise their voice in a democratic manner.

Bilawal was talking to Sardar Yar Mohammad Jamali and his son, who called on him at the Bilawal House.

The PPP chairman pointed out that the party had sacrificed the blood of its founder Shaheed Zulfikar Ali Bhutto, Shaheed Mohtarma Benazir Bhutto and thousands of other workers and supporters for the protection of democratic and human rights of the masses.

“The PPP has roots in every nook and corner of the country and its policies and manifesto will cover every segment of Pakistan,” Bilawal said. Sardar Jamali and his son apprised the PPP leader of the situation in their province.

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