The suspect, identified as ASI Imran, was produced before Judicial Magistrate Iram Yousaf by Ghaziabad police.

During the hearing, the investigating officer told the court that the suspect needed to be interrogated to determine the circumstances surrounding the alleged assault and requested a 14-day physical remand.

After hearing the arguments, the court granted police a four-day physical remand of the accused.

Meanwhile, fresh questions have emerged over the investigation after police sources claimed that several key details were omitted from the first information report (FIR).

According to the sources, the FIR does not clearly identify the alleged crime scene or include an alleged conversation between the accused ASI and the police constable stationed at the entrance of the Ghaziabad police station.

The sources further stated that the victim was brought to the police station after being falsely portrayed as a suspect and remained there for six to eight hours.

However, the FIR does not include charges relating to unlawful confinement.

Police sources said the victim’s father has recorded a detailed statement, in which he told investigators that he searched for his daughter at a shelter home (Dar-ul-Aman), Harbanspura police station and Ghaziabad police station before she was found.

The investigation remains underway following the arrest of the suspended ASI and the suspension of other police personnel linked to the case.

According to police, the incident occurred near D Area in Karachi’s Qayyumabad neighbourhood.

Investigators said the suspect, identified as a 15-year-old relative of the victim, Mannan, allegedly took the toddler, identified as Aizal, out of the house on the pretext of buying her something.

Police said the child was returned home in a critical condition and was immediately shifted to hospital, where she later died during treatment.

Doctors have confirmed signs consistent with sexual assault, police said.

The teenage suspect, identified as Manan, has been taken into custody and shifted to the Defence police station for further investigation.

Police said further legal action will be taken in light of the medical report, while the investigation into the incident is ongoing.

The sources said that a CCD officer sustained serious injuries during the intelligence-based operation.

According to a CCD spokesperson, a team launched a raid to arrest Akbar Khosa following a tip-off.

As police attempted to apprehend him, Khosa and his accomplices allegedly opened fire on the officers.

Police returned fire, killing Khosa during the exchange, while the remaining members of his gang managed to escape.

CCD officer Shehzad Ahmed Qureshi was seriously injured in the gunfight and was shifted to hospital, where he is receiving medical treatment.

The spokesperson said special teams have been formed to track and arrest the absconding suspects.

The CCD spokesperson said operations against organised crime, extortion networks and other dangerous criminal elements will continue across Punjab without discrimination.

Speaking about the case, Azad Khan said the police surgeon compiled the report based solely on photographs rather than conducting a physical examination of the deceased.

He clarified that under the law, it is the medico-legal officer (MLO) who is authorised to issue the post-mortem report.

The police chief said investigators based their findings on the MLO’s report, adding that if the police surgeon had any objections, they should have been submitted in writing to the relevant forum instead of airing them in public.

Earlier, Police Surgeon Dr Summaiya Syed raised concerns over the post-mortem findings of Mir Raza Ali, stating that the reported results do not match the images reviewed by her.

Dr Summaiya said it is uncommon for a bullet entry wound to be larger than the exit wound and added that neither her team nor the crime scene unit conducted a gunpowder residue test on Raza Ali’s hands.

She said the post-mortem report has raised further questions instead of providing clarity.

Azad Khan also said that exhumation of the body and a fresh post-mortem examination could be carried out if the victim’s family submits a request and all legal requirements are fulfilled.

Meanwhile, investigators have made another significant breakthrough after the Sindh Counter Terrorism Department’s (CTD) technical team successfully unlocked Mir Raza’s Apple Watch.

Police said the device has yielded information related to financial transactions and other potentially important evidence that could assist the investigation.

According to investigators, data had been deleted from both Mir Raza’s mobile phone and Apple Watch before they were recovered.

Officials believe the information extracted from the smartwatch could prove crucial to the case.

Mir Raza’s iPhone and Apple Watch had been sent for specialised forensic analysis.

However, police said experts have so far been unable to crack the passcode of the iPhone.

Authorities said the investigation is continuing from all possible angles and that newly recovered digital evidence could lead to further breakthroughs in the case.

According to investigative officials in District East Police, the case has been “largely resolved” and a detailed press conference is expected within the next 24 to 48 hours after obtaining approval from senior authorities.

Police lean towards suicide

Senior investigators said they are around “90 per cent” confident that Mir Raza died by suicide, adding that the evidence collected so far does not support the murder theory.

Officials said senior police officers are also satisfied with the direction of the investigation, although the probe has not yet been formally concluded.

The development comes despite the victim’s father, Hussain Raza, repeatedly maintaining that his son was murdered and rejecting earlier medical findings.

Financial distress emerges as key factor

According to investigators, Mir Raza had been under severe financial stress and was burdened with substantial debt.

Police said they recovered a text message allegedly sent by the businessman to a well-known Karachi builder, in which he sought a loan of Rs30 million.

In the message, Mir Raza reportedly wrote: “This is a matter of life and death for me.”

Investigators believe the message reflects the financial pressure the businessman was facing before his death.

Police sources further claimed that creditors had been exerting pressure on Mir Raza over outstanding liabilities.

Officials also alleged that the victim’s family had previously experienced financial difficulties, claiming his father had faced heavy debts in the past and that some liabilities had earlier been settled before the parents separated. Police, however, have not suggested that these claims are directly linked to the death.

CCTV footage and missing pistol

Investigators have obtained additional CCTV footage recorded at around 8am on July 29, nearly three hours before police were informed about the body.

According to police, the footage shows a garbage collector near the body before it was discovered.

Investigators suspect the individual may have picked up the victim’s pistol from the scene and are attempting to trace and identify him.

Police earlier said Mir Raza’s body was reported to authorities at around 11am on July 29.

Apple Watch unlocked

In another breakthrough, investigators said the Counter-Terrorism Department (CTD) Sindh successfully unlocked Mir Raza’s Apple Watch, allowing police to retrieve important digital evidence.

According to officials, the recovered data includes financial records and transaction-related information that could help investigators establish the victim’s financial condition and activities before his death.

Police said Mir Raza’s mobile phone and smartwatch had been recovered during the investigation. While data had reportedly been deleted from both devices, investigators have so far been unable to crack the passcode of his iPhone.

Investigation continues

Police have detained 19 individuals, including the victim’s business partner, friends and people who were seen near the crime scene, as part of the investigation.

Earlier, investigators also obtained the call detail records of Mir Raza’s last 15 phone contacts, carried out geofencing around the crime scene and collected multiple CCTV recordings to reconstruct his final movements.

Preliminary post-mortem findings estimated that the body was 24 to 36 hours old at the time of examination.

The report documented a close-range gunshot wound to the chest, with the bullet exiting through the upper back, along with other injuries that investigators have been examining alongside forensic and digital evidence.

Police said the investigation remains open until the final findings are formally announced, with a detailed briefing expected in the coming days.

The incident allegedly occurred on August 2 at Ghaziabad police station, where ASI Imran, attached to the investigation wing, is accused of forcibly taking the woman from a roadside market to the police station on his motorcycle.

According to police sources, a constable stationed at the entrance questioned the officer after seeing the woman.

The ASI allegedly told him he had brought her in for questioning before taking her to a room inside the station, where he allegedly sexually assaulted her.

The victim’s mother said her daughter had left home around 1pm on August 2 and did not return. After family members searched for her, a man identified as Faisal Yousaf informed them that a plainclothes police officer had taken the woman away on a motorcycle.

The mother said she went to Ghaziabad police station to report her daughter’s disappearance. While she was there, she received a phone call informing her that her daughter had returned home.

Upon reaching home, she found her daughter in tears. The woman alleged that ASI Imran had sexually assaulted her inside Room No. 4 of the police station after forcibly taking her from the market.

She further claimed that the officer kept her daughter at the station until around 9pm before sending her home in a rickshaw.

Following the allegations, the Deputy Inspector General (DIG) Investigation ordered the registration of a criminal case against the ASI. The suspect was arrested and placed in police custody.

Police authorities also suspended the investigation in-charge of the station over alleged negligence and poor supervision.

Separately, the DIG Operations suspended the station house officer (SHO), front desk staff and the entire strength of 78 officers and personnel posted at Ghaziabad police station pending the outcome of the inquiry.

Police said investigations into the case are underway.

In a related development, authorities formed a special investigation team to probe what is being treated as an alleged abduction and murder case.

Investigators have obtained CCTV footage from near the spot where Mir Raza’s body was found, while police are also examining post-mortem findings, forensic evidence and digital records as part of a multi-pronged investigation.

Additional Inspector General (AIG) of Karachi Azad Khan has constituted a three-member special investigation team to examine every aspect of the case.

The team will be headed by the Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) of the Special Investigation Unit (SIU), with the SSP East and SP Investigation East-I serving as members.

According to police, the team has been directed to conduct a comprehensive investigation, identify and arrest those responsible, and submit daily progress reports to the additional IGP.

The team has also been authorised to seek assistance from any police officer or relevant agency if required.

Investigators said CCTV footage obtained from the area shows a suspicious motorcycle stopping at a deserted location for about 22 seconds on the night of July 29.

Investigators suspect Mir Raza’s body may have been dumped in nearby bushes during that brief interval, although the footage is still being examined.

Earlier footage recorded shortly after the body was discovered showed it in an advanced state of decomposition.

However, the police surgeon’s preliminary report found no evidence that the body had been set on fire.

The report said the condition resulted from prolonged exposure to extreme heat and the passage of time.

Investigation sources said a pistol holster was also recovered near the crime scene, while certain findings in the post-mortem report have weakened the initial theory that the death may have been a suicide.

Police said CCTV footage showed Mir Raza leaving his home alone while carrying a pistol, but stressed that the investigation was not limited to a single line of inquiry.

The victim’s mobile phone has also been recovered, with investigators finding no evidence that it or any other belongings had been stolen.

According to the sources, Mir Raza transferred money and deleted his social media accounts before leaving home.

Police are now examining his call records, contacts, financial transactions and cryptocurrency investments as part of the investigation.

Mir Raza, 25, an IBA graduate, entrepreneur and founder of Wafflix, left his home on the night of July 28 after telling his family he would return within a few minutes.

The following day, July 29, his body was found in bushes in Block 1 of Gulistan-e-Jauhar.

According to the preliminary post-mortem report, Mir Raza died from a single gunshot wound to the chest that caused excessive bleeding.

The condition of the body initially made identification difficult, after which his father identified him through his clothing.

Police have also recorded the statement of an online taxi driver who said Mir Raza hired his cab from the PECHS area at 4.09am on July 28 and got off in Gulistan-e-Jauhar but never reached his business premises.

Mir Hussain Ali said his son had no known personal enmity or financial disputes.

He added that Mir Raza was due to get engaged in August and was looking forward to starting a new chapter in his life.

The FIR was lodged at the Counter Terrorism Department (CTD) police station in Swat on the complaint of the Station House Officer (SHO) of Kabal police station.

It includes charges under Section 7 of the Anti-Terrorism Act (ATA) and other terrorism-related provisions.

According to the FIR, a protest organised by the Pasoon organisation was underway at Kabal Chowk when an explosion occurred at the main gate of Kabal police station at approximately 6.04pm.

The FIR states that preliminary findings suggest the attack may have been carried out by Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) commander Muzaffar and other militants active in the area.

However, the sources said that the investigation was still going on.

Meanwhile, a Swat police spokesperson said that two more injured police personnel, Constable Mukarram Khan and Constable Hussain Khan, died while undergoing treatment at a hospital.

Their deaths have raised the overall death toll from the suicide attack to 17.

The spokesperson added that 13 injured police personnel remain under treatment at the hospital.

According to initial autopsy findings, the fatal injury caused severe blood loss, leading to his death.

Investigators said the post-mortem found no evidence that the body had been burned.

However, signs of decomposition were present due to the passage of time and the prevailing heat, a finding also confirmed by Karachi Police Surgeon Dr Summaiya.

The condition of the body had initially made identification difficult, with the victim’s father identifying his son through his clothing.

In a significant development, investigators recovered Mir Raza’s missing mobile phone and a pistol holster around 200 yards from the spot where his body was found.

Police also revealed that all of the victim’s social media accounts had been mysteriously deactivated a day before his body was discovered.

Authorities have now sought his call records and contact data from the relevant telecommunications company as part of the investigation.

An online taxi driver has also been questioned. According to his statement, Mir Raza hired a cab from Karachi’s PECHS Society at 4.09am on July 28 and was dropped off in Gulistan-e-Jauhar.

However, investigators said the victim never reached the kitchen of his business premises, where he was reportedly headed.

Earlier, Mir Raza’s father, Mir Hussain Ali, told police that his son was the founder of Wafflix and had been running the business for the past five years.

He said Mir Raza returned home from work on the night of July 28 before telling his mother he was stepping out for around 10 minutes. He never returned.

The following day, July 29, his body was found in bushes in Block 1 of Gulistan-e-Jauhar.

The grieving father said his son’s wedding had been scheduled for August and that he had been looking forward to starting a new chapter of his life.

He also told investigators that neither he nor his son had any known personal enmity or financial disputes, describing Mir Raza as a talented marketing graduate and the pride of the family.

Police said the scope of the investigation has been widened as they continue to examine all available evidence in an effort to determine the circumstances surrounding the killing.

West SSP Tariq Ilahi Mastoi said the suspect was indebted to citizens for more than Rs550 million and orchestrated the elaborate plot to avoid arrest and repayment.

According to police, investigators initially believed the burnt body recovered from a car in Shah Beg Goth on July 27 belonged to Naz. However, suspicions arose after his family refused to formally identify the body, confirming only that personal belongings recovered from the vehicle belonged to him.

Using biometric data and other forensic techniques, police later identified the deceased as Qurban Hussain, a resident of Muzaffargarh who had been living in North Karachi and worked as a sanitation worker.

Police said Hussain’s wife, Sakina Bibi, subsequently confirmed the identity of the body.

Investigators allege that Naz murdered Hussain before setting both the body and the vehicle on fire in an attempt to make authorities believe he had died in the incident.

Police said Naz had allegedly left his mobile phone, wallet, ATM cards and other personal belongings inside the vehicle to reinforce the false impression of his death. Investigators had also recovered a video related to the staged incident during the probe.

Following an extensive investigation, police arrested Naz along with one of his alleged accomplices. A murder case has been registered over the killing of Qurban Hussain, while further investigations are underway to determine the roles of all those involved.

Authorities said additional legal action would be taken as the investigation progresses.

According to investigators, police have compiled a list of Mir Raza’s debtors, with two brothers among eight people said to owe him money.

The two brothers are stated to owe millions of rupees, while the remaining individuals reportedly owe smaller amounts.

Police are also questioning five of the victim’s friends and business associates as part of the investigation.

Police teams also conducted raids in several areas, including Gulistan-e-Jauhar, and detained 18 people for questioning.

Officials said six of those taken into custody are linked to the guest house where the victim is believed to have stayed, while four others who were seen passing near the crime scene have also been detained.

Police said they have decided to conduct detailed interrogations of 13 individuals, while comprehensive statements will be recorded from five others.

Call details obtained

Police have also obtained the call detail records (CDR) of the last 15 contacts made from Mir Raza’s phone as the case remains unsolved.

According to sources, police have sought assistance from a federal intelligence agency to trace the locations of the individuals linked to those calls.

Investigators are examining the locations of the contacts from the time Mir Raza left his home until he reached University Road.

They are also reviewing the movements of relevant individuals in Gulistan-e-Jauhar and surrounding areas.

As part of the probe, police have obtained additional CCTV footage from around the mosque near the scene.

Police have also initiated geofencing of the area to identify mobile phone activity around the crime scene at the relevant time.

Investigative officials said both possibilities — murder and suicide — remain under investigation, with no conclusion reached so far as police continue to examine all available evidence.

Father questions ML report

Meanwhile, the victim’s father has questioned the findings of the medical examination.

Speaking to a private TV channel, Hussain Raza claimed his son had been murdered and alleged that attempts were being made to portray the case as a suicide.

He alleged that his son’s face, body and fingerprints had been deliberately burned and claimed that he had been shot from behind.

Questioning the medical report, Hussain Raza asked why it referred only to the gunshot wound and did not mention any signs of alleged physical torture.

He further said his son went missing on July 28, while his body was recovered a day later, raising questions about his whereabouts during the intervening 24 hours.

According to the father, Mir Raza had spoken to his sister before leaving home on July 28.

He also cited the taxi driver, who reportedly told investigators that the victim appeared cheerful and was listening to music during the journey.

Hussain Raza appealed to senior authorities to ensure a thorough and transparent investigation into the case.

Police said investigations into the killings were underway.

According to a government official, the six victims were among a group of seven labourers who had been abducted by unidentified armed men from the Kalatak area of Kech two days earlier.

He said one of the labourers was shot dead shortly after the abduction, while the remaining six were taken away by the attackers.

Their bodies were later found in Nasirabad, Turbat.

The official identified the victims as Mohammad Arshad, Mohammad Taimoor, Mohammad Parvez, Mohammad Wazir, Mohammad Amjad and Mohammad Yahya.

He said four of the deceased belonged to Punjab, while the remaining two were residents of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.

Officials blamed the killings on militants belonging to Fitna Al Hindustan, alleging that the victims had been targeted after being kidnapped while working on development projects in the province.

The incident comes only days after five non-local labourers were killed in the Mashkel area of Balochistan, in a separate attack.

Authorities said the victims had been contributing to development projects in the province.

The victim, identified as Mir Raza, had been due to get married on August 20, according to his family and neighbours.

Police said Mir Raza left his home in the PECHS area on the night of July 28, telling his family he would return within a few minutes.

When he did not return after some time, his relatives searched for him before registering a kidnapping case against unidentified suspects at Ferozabad police station.

A day later, on July 29, police recovered his body from Block 1 of Gulistan-e-Jauhar.

Officials said the victim had been shot and his body had signs of torture.

Following the discovery, police added murder charges to the kidnapping case and launched an investigation into the killing.

Family members said the victim had no known enmity with anyone.

His father, Mir Hussain, said his son was well known in the area and ran an ice cream parlour near Char Minar Chowrangi in Bahadurabad.

Neighbours described Mir Raza as a hardworking and soft-spoken young man whose wedding was just weeks away.

They said his death had left the family, friends and the local business community in deep shock.

Police said the investigation was continuing from multiple angles to identify and arrest those responsible, while the victim’s family appealed for justice.

The latest tragedy occurred late Wednesday night in Kotli Pir Abdul Rehman, Baghbanpura, where the roof of a three-storey house collapsed, leaving 11 people dead and six others injured.

According to the district administration, a birthday party was underway on the upper floor when the roof, constructed with T-R girders, gave way.

The incident is the latest in a string of roof collapse accidents linked to heavy monsoon rains.

On July 27, the roof of a mud house in Pathan Colony on Shalimar Road collapsed, injuring three people.

Earlier, on July 25, a dilapidated roof caved in at the Railway Colony in Garhi Shahu, killing a man, his wife and their daughter, while another child was injured.

On July 2, the roof of an under-construction building collapsed during expansion work at a private school in Baghbanpura, killing one child and injuring four others, including labourers and passers-by.

The deadliest incident occurred on June 30 in Kahna, where the roof of a private tuition centre collapsed, claiming the lives of 14 children and injuring eight others, including a female teacher.

Taking note of the incidents, Rescue 1122 and the district administration have urged residents to stay away from old and unsafe buildings during periods of heavy rainfall.

The provincial authorities have ordered an immediate survey of all dilapidated buildings in Lahore and directed officials to relocate residents from high-risk buildings to safer locations.

Senior police officials, including Police Training College Hangu Commandant Shaukat Abbas and Deputy Commissioner Basir Ali Rehman, attended the funeral along with a large number of police personnel, civil administration officials and local dignitaries.

Floral wreaths were laid on the coffins of the fallen officers, who were honoured for their sacrifices.

Following the funeral prayers, the bodies of the martyrs were sent to their native towns for burial with full official honours.

According to District Police Officer Tariq Habib, 11 police personnel, including DSP City Diyar Khan, embraced martyrdom in a cowardly attack by militants belonging to Fitna Al Khawarij on the Khazina Banda checkpost.

The attack began with the use of a quadcopter before militants laid siege to the checkpost, where police personnel put up a fierce resistance and continued fighting until their last breath.

After receiving reports of the assault, DSP Diyar Khan led reinforcements comprising Elite Force, Rapid Response Force (RRF) and Al Barq Force personnel towards the checkpost.

However, the convoy was ambushed near the Khazina Banda bridge, where militants opened indiscriminate fire.

Despite the surprise attack, police personnel retaliated and fought the attackers while attempting to reinforce the besieged checkpost.

The DPO said 28 police personnel were injured in the attack and subsequent engagements.

The injured included DSP Mujahid Hussain and 23 other personnel hurt, while five policemen were wounded during the direct assault on the Khazina Banda checkpost.

Inspector General of Police Zulfiqar Hameed said security forces launched an effective counter-operation in response to the attack, claiming that between 12 and 15 militants were killed.

Earlier official reports had put the militant death toll at eight, with six others wounded.

Police officials said the attackers reportedly carried away their dead and injured towards the Zargari area.

Emergency teams continued search operations amid reports that three more people were trapped under the debris.

The incident occurred in Baghbanpura’s Kotli Pir Abdul Rehman area, where the roof of a three-storey building collapsed late Wednesday night.

According to Rescue 1122, eight people lost their lives while six others sustained injuries and were shifted to Services Hospital for treatment.

Rescue officials said search and rescue operations were still underway, with reports suggesting that up to three more people could be trapped beneath the rubble.

According to rescue sources, seven of the victims belonged to the same family.

The building, located near Sukh Nehr in Baghbanpura, was reportedly in a dilapidated condition, and a child’s birthday celebration was underway when the roof caved in at around 10pm.

In a separate incident in Lahore’s Harbanspura area, four people, including two women and a child, were killed after the roof of a house collapsed, while six others were injured.

Rescue 1122 said emergency teams reached the site shortly after the incident and launched a rescue operation.

Urban Search and Rescue personnel, assisted by 10 emergency vehicles and around 40 rescuers, were deployed to remove debris and search for anyone trapped underneath.

The deceased were identified as Shahida, 60, Samina, 52, Mujahid, 25, and seven-year-old Hammad.

Authorities are continuing rescue efforts at both sites as investigations into the causes of the collapses are underway.

The victim, identified as Mir Raza Ali, was a resident of PECHS Society and owned a business in Bahadurabad.

According to police, his body was recovered near Shahi Qila Ground in Block 1 of Gulistan-e-Jauhar after authorities received information about a corpse lying in the area.

Rescue officials said Mir Raza Ali had been subjected to severe torture before being shot dead.

Police added that the body bore bullet wounds and burn marks at multiple places, suggesting the perpetrators attempted to set it on fire to conceal evidence.

Investigators believe the body was several days old.

According to the first information report (FIR), registered at Ferozabad police station on the complaint of the victim’s father, Mir Hussain Ali, Mir Raza Ali had returned home from his shop in Bahadurabad two nights earlier.

His father told police that shortly after arriving home, Mir Raza Ali booked an online taxi and left, saying he would return within 10 minutes.

When he failed to return, family members repeatedly tried calling him but found his mobile phone switched off.

After an unsuccessful search, they approached police and registered an abduction case.

The discovery of the body has turned the suspected abduction into a murder investigation.

Police said investigators were collecting evidence and examining all possible motives, including personal enmity, ransom and other criminal angles.

Authorities said it was too early to determine the motive behind the killing, adding that further details would emerge as the investigation progresses.

According to police sources, the forensic analysis concluded that all four deaths were caused by the highly toxic chemical potassium cyanide.

The investigation is being carried out jointly by Lahore Police and a two-member team from the US Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), as the deceased woman, identified as Aleena, her husband Nasir and their three children were all US citizens.

Police have taken three people into custody, including a chemical store owner, another trader and a delivery rider, as part of the investigation.

A female friend of Aleena, who had also been detained for questioning, was later released.

Investigators are also examining Aleena’s mental health history, with investigative sources claiming she had been suffering from mental illness.

According to the investigation, Aleena first contacted a person selling chemicals in Pakistan through social media while she was in the United States and requested that the poison be shipped to her there.

After the request was declined, she allegedly purchased a bottle of potassium cyanide from a shopkeeper in Lahore’s Chungi Amar Sidhu area by transferring Rs138,000 through MoneyGram.

Police said the Chungi Amar Sidhu shopkeeper had obtained the chemical from a trader in Lahore’s Akbari Mandi for around Rs6,000.

After returning to Pakistan, Aleena allegedly had the poison delivered to the house of a friend, from where a rider transported it to her residence a day before the incident.

Investigators also found that she had searched her mobile phone for methods of ending her own life and those of her family.

Based on mobile phone records and other evidence, police detained the delivery rider, the Chungi Amar Sidhu shopkeeper and the Akbari Mandi trader for further questioning.

Officials said all aspects of the case were still being examined.

In a separate development, investigative sources said the polygraph test report of the children’s father, Nasir, had been received and cleared him of involvement in the deaths.

According to the sources, polygraph experts questioned Nasir on eight points relating to the deaths and his wife’s medical condition before concluding that there was no indication he had killed his wife or children.

The case came to light on July 17, 2026, when Aleena, 40, and her three children — 16-year-old Rehan, 11-year-old Arshia and nine-year-old Arsal — were found dead inside their Valencia Town home.

Initial police findings suggested the children had consumed poisoned food before Aleena also ingested the same substance.

Police and forensic teams collected evidence from the scene, while the bodies were shifted to hospital for post-mortem examinations.

Police said the charred body recovered from the vehicle on Monday did not belong to rice trader Zeeshan Naz, despite initial claims.

Investigators now suspect the businessman orchestrated the incident to fake his death and evade debts amounting to Rs550 million.

According to police, the body found in the vehicle has been identified as Qurban Hussain, a resident of Muzaffargarh.

Authorities are investigating how he ended up in the car and the circumstances surrounding his death.

Investigators said the body was allegedly set on fire along with the vehicle at an isolated location in Surjani Town to make it appear that Zeeshan Naz had died in the incident.

Police have taken Zeeshan Naz’s wife into custody after she identified the charred body as her husband. However, the trader’s brothers refused to confirm the identification, raising suspicion over the circumstances of the case.

Officials said Zeeshan Naz’s mobile phone, wallet, ATM cards and other personal documents were recovered from the vehicle.

A video related to his purported death was also found during the investigation.

Police believe the trader may have deliberately left his belongings in the car before disappearing.

Investigators suspect he is now in hiding after staging his death to avoid repayment of his debts.

Search efforts are underway to trace Zeeshan Naz, while police continue to investigate the identity of the deceased and determine who was involved in planning and executing the alleged plot.

Authorities said further legal action will depend on the outcome of the ongoing investigation.

According to an official notification, the new specialised unit, which has been created with the approval of the FIA director general, will focus on preventing the criminal use of virtual currencies and strengthening the country’s capacity to investigate crypto-related offences.

As part of the initiative, the FIA will set up a National Command and Control Centre under the Virtual Currency Investigation Cell to coordinate investigations and intelligence-sharing among key federal and provincial institutions.

The notification said the National Accountability Bureau (NAB), police, the Federal Board of Revenue (FBR), the National Counter Terrorism Authority (NACTA) and other relevant agencies would work closely with the centre.

The cell will serve as a central platform for investigations into money laundering, terrorism financing and cybercrime, while also monitoring financial fraud involving digital assets.

It will conduct forensic analysis of suspicious cryptocurrency transactions, blockchain activities and cold wallets, and use advanced technology and internationally recognised investigative practices to dismantle criminal networks operating through virtual assets.

The notification said the Pakistan Virtual Assets Regulatory Authority (PVARA) will regulate the country’s virtual asset market.

Only licensed cryptocurrency service providers will be permitted access to the banking system, while authorities will take strict legal action against individuals and entities involved in illegal or undocumented crypto trading.

The authorities said the move has been taken in line with the National Action Plan (NAP) and the recommendations of the Financial Action Task Force (FATF) to strengthen Pakistan’s framework against financial crime and terrorism financing.

SSP Kemari confirmed the suspect was killed during an exchange of fire with police.

Officers had been investigating the girl’s abduction and murder when CCTV footage and other evidence led them to the suspect’s location on a street near Mubarak Masjid.

When police reached the site, the suspect opened fire, prompting the encounter in which he was killed.

Police said evidence has been taken into custody and legal and forensic proceedings have begun to establish the dead man’s identity and his possible link to the case.

Dua, a resident of the fishing settlement on Baba Bhit Island, had gone missing the previous day.

Her body was found near Kemari Gate No. 1, close to Manora.

The case was initially treated as a drowning but was reclassified as murder after CCTV footage surfaced showing a suspect carrying a sack to the sea and later returning with it empty.

Police said the footage provided crucial evidence and that the suspect was believed to have been attempting to dispose of the child’s body.

A special investigation team was formed, and raids were carried out to trace and arrest the suspect.

The police surgeon confirmed that Dua had been raped before her death.

Speaking to Aaj News, the girl’s family said they had no enmity with anyone in their community.

“Baba Bhit is a fishing settlement. Dua was the only child in our house. We had been searching for her since yesterday, and today we found her body,“ a family member had said, demanding that whoever killed the child be swiftly brought to justice.

According to SSP Dr Samiullah Soomro of the Special Investigation Unit (SIU) of the CIA, an SIU team had taken the three suspects to a locality to help arrest other members of the gang.

Police said the team came under fire from the suspects’ accomplices when it reached the spot.

During the ensuing exchange of gunfire, the three detained suspects were fatally shot, while one police officer sustained injuries.

The deceased suspects were identified as Suresh, Ram Chand and Anil. The police had claimed to have arrested them from Karachi’s DHA area on July 15.

Investigators had earlier identified the gang’s alleged leader as Aslam alias Baba, a resident of Quaidabad, along with several of his associates.

Police also said a woman was present in the gang’s vehicle during the robbery.

According to investigators, the gang divided the looted cash shortly after the crime.

One suspect allegedly transferred Rs125,000, his share of the proceeds, to his village through an Easypaisa account, while Ram Chand reportedly used Rs30,000 out of his Rs70,000 share to pay house rent.

During interrogation, Ram Chand allegedly confessed that he met Aslam Baba in Landhi Jail in 2021, where they formed the gang.

He told investigators the group carried out several major robberies outside banks within a month of its formation.

CCTV footage of the incident showed one of the suspects first confronting a security guard before opening fire directly at Dr Akash during a struggle over a bag containing cash.

Dr Akash, who was unmarried, had been serving as a doctor at Jinnah Postgraduate Medical Centre (JPMC) in Karachi for the past two years.

He belonged to a well-known business family. His father and cousin were also in the car at the time of the attack.

Police said the prime suspect, identified as Mohammed Ehtesham, had meticulously planned the abduction and carried it out with the help of two accomplices.

According to investigators, Ehtesham conducted surveillance of the private housing society in Manghopir for three days before the kidnapping.

He also arranged a motorcycle, a fake number plate, helmets and other items used during the crime in advance.

Police said CCTV footage captured the suspect abducting the child, while technical evidence helped investigators trace those involved.

The suspects allegedly demanded a ransom of Rs5 million from Azaan’s family and used WhatsApp numbers operated from abroad to conceal their identities.

Investigators said Ehtesham attempted to deflect suspicion by joining the child’s family in the search efforts for two days after the kidnapping.

Police said the abducted child was later moved from Karachi to Gharo.

However, sustained police investigation, technical surveillance, extensive media coverage and pressure from community elders forced the suspects to abandon their plan and decide to return the child.

A police team conducted an operation near Gharo and safely recovered the toddler.

The motorcycle, fake number plate, helmets, clothing and other items allegedly used in the crime were also recovered during the operation.

Senior Superintendent of Police West Tariq Ilahi Mastoi praised the investigation team for solving the case and safely recovering the child.

In her reply, submitted through Advocate Faisal Malik, Niazi objected that the NCCIA notice did not specify the allegations or provide sufficient details of the complaint.

She categorically denied all accusations and also raised a legal objection to being summoned to Islamabad in her personal capacity without being furnished with the relevant record.

The response requested the NCCIA to provide copies of the complaint, supporting evidence and the allegedly objectionable material, stating that a detailed reply would be submitted after receiving the complete record.

Noreen Niazi urged the agency to fulfil all legal requirements while conducting the inquiry, citing constitutional protections, the Prevention of Electronic Crimes Act (PECA) and the Code of Criminal Procedure.

She also requested the NCCIA to refrain from taking any unlawful, coercive or punitive action during the investigation.

The response maintained that she had not disseminated any hateful or unlawful content against any state institution and reaffirmed her willingness to cooperate with the investigation while reserving all legal rights.

The NCCIA has directed Niazi to appear before the agency on July 27 as part of the ongoing inquiry.

Additional Sessions Judge Nusrat Ali Siddiqui approved the bail application after hearing detailed arguments from both sides and ordered Tariq’s release against surety bonds worth Rs100,000.

During the hearing, Tariq’s counsel argued that the contents of the first information report (FIR) did not establish the commission of any cognisable offence.

The defence maintained that conducting an interview on historical religious questions does not constitute a criminal offence under Pakistani law.

The lawyer further told the court that investigators had not recovered or used any electronic device belonging to the journalist during the investigation, nor had they found any evidence linking him to the uploading of the disputed video or interview.

The defence also argued that all offences invoked in the case were bailable, making post-arrest bail the accused’s legal and constitutional right.

The NCCIA had registered a blasphemy case against Tariq. Earlier this month, a judicial magistrate granted the agency a six-day physical remand of the journalist at the request of the investigating officer to facilitate the probe.

The case relates to allegations over content shared online, though investigators have not publicly disclosed further details of the inquiry.

Addressing a press conference in Lahore, NCCIA Director Ali Wasim said the suspects had gained unauthorised access to data belonging to the embassies of Saudi Arabia, Germany and Italy.

According to the NCCIA director, the gang hacked embassy contact numbers and diverted incoming calls to their own phone lines, allowing them to deceive people seeking visa appointments, visa extensions and other consular services.

Ali Wasim said raids conducted by the agency led to the recovery of fake appointment letters, mobile phones and other digital evidence believed to have been used in the fraud.

He said the investigation was launched after multiple embassies lodged complaints with the agency, eventually leading investigators to the organised network.

The NCCIA director said the gang had been operating since 2019, targeting visa applicants through fake websites and online platforms designed to closely resemble official embassy portals, making it difficult for victims to distinguish between genuine and fraudulent services.

He added that raids were continuing to arrest other members of the network, while investigators were also probing the alleged use of a hacking application identified as “Tycoon 2FA” in the cybercrime operation.

To strengthen efforts against cyber fraud, Ali Wasim announced that a joint task force comprising all relevant institutions and stakeholders would be established to monitor call centres, investigate cyber-enabled scams and improve coordination in tackling online financial fraud.

According to a Rescue 1122 spokesperson, the incident occurred near Gulistan Colony, where six-year-old Muhammad Zahid reportedly fell into Nullah Lai while playing.

On seeing his son fall into the fast-flowing drain, the child’s 36-year-old father, Meerban Khan, immediately jumped into the water in an attempt to rescue him.

However, both father and son were swept away by the strong current and remain missing.

A Rescue 1122 official said that water rescue teams were immediately dispatched to the scene, while ambulances were also sent to provide emergency medical assistance if required.

Authorities later confirmed the identities of the missing father and son, adding that a search and rescue operation was still underway.

Specialist divers are taking part in the operation as rescue teams continue efforts to locate the two amid the strong water flow in Nullah Lai.

Police identified the deceased as 40-year-old Aleena, 16-year-old Rehan, 11-year-old Arshia, and 9-year-old Arsal. The children included two boys and a girl.

According to police sources, preliminary investigations suggest the children were allegedly poisoned through food, leading to their deaths.

Investigators suspect the woman first served the poisoned food to her children before consuming it herself.

Police and forensic teams reached the scene after being alerted and began collecting evidence. The bodies were shifted to a hospital for post-mortem examination.

Police said investigations were underway to determine the exact circumstances and motive behind the incident, adding that all aspects of the case were being examined.

Authorities have not yet confirmed the cause of death, and the findings of the post-mortem and forensic analysis are awaited.

According to investigation officials, the gang’s network traces back to Karachi’s Quaidabad area, where its alleged ringleader, Aslam alias Baba, and his associates are based.

Police said Aslam was travelling in the getaway vehicle with a woman during the robbery that led to Dr Akash’s killing in Clifton.

Investigators said the suspects confessed to dividing the stolen cash among themselves after the robbery.

One suspect received Rs125,000 and allegedly transferred the money to his brother, Kishore, in his village through Easypaisa.

Another suspect, Ram Chand, told investigators he received Rs70,000, of which he used Rs30,000 to pay house rent.

According to investigators, Ram Chand revealed that he first met the alleged gang leader, Aslam, in Landhi Jail in 2021. The two later formed a robbery gang after developing a friendship.

Police said the suspect also admitted that the gang had carried out three major robberies outside banks in just the first 12 days of the current month.

The gang allegedly looted Rs100,000 in one incident and Rs200,000 in another, in addition to the robbery that resulted in Dr Akash’s death.

The three arrested suspects were handed over to police on a seven-day physical remand after being produced before a court on Thursday, according to investigation officials.

Police said efforts are continuing to arrest the remaining members of the gang, including the alleged ringleader.

The arrests came a day after Karachi police said they had apprehended three suspects within 36 hours of the fatal robbery by analysing footage from more than 100 CCTV cameras, including recordings from the Safe City surveillance network, the Command and Control Centre and private cameras.

Dr Akash was shot dead on Monday after armed robbers intercepted his vehicle shortly after he withdrew Rs5 million from a bank near Teen Talwar.

According to police, the attackers escaped with Rs2.5 million after opening fire.

The killing sparked protests by the victim’s family and members of the medical community, while Sindh Inspector General Javed Alam Odho ordered a transparent investigation and directed police to arrest all those involved.

Rescue teams rushed to the scene after receiving reports of the blaze and launched a firefighting and rescue operation.

During the search, rescuers recovered the bodies of six people from a room inside the house.

The deceased were identified as 55-year-old Siraj, a local Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam (JUI) leader, his 40-year-old wife, 11-year-old Harirah, nine-year-old Hanaya, four-year-old Hasnain and three-year-old Minhal.

According to Rescue 1122, all six victims were in the same room and were believed to have died from intense heat and smoke inhalation.

A Rescue 1122 spokesperson said the fire broke out in the hall of the house, where furniture, foam and other household items were kept, causing the flames to spread rapidly.

The spokesperson said the exact cause of the fire has not yet been determined and an investigation is underway.

Rescue officials said firefighters brought the blaze under control after reaching the scene, but the heavy smoke and extreme heat inside the house resulted in the tragic loss of six lives.