Rickshaw driver saves kidnapped kids
A rickshaw driver saved five children in Karachi’s Baldia Town when he suspected that the man riding with them had abducted them.
Faheem, along with the children, had reportedly flagged down the rickshaw for a ride to the Khyber Chowk area. However, the rickshaw driver became suspicious when the suspect kept changing the drop-off location, and immediately called the police to alert them of the situation.
Arriving at the spot, police took everyone into custody. The kidnapped kids, who are residents of Karachi’s Naval Colony, informed the police that Faheem said he would give them bicycles and was taking them to where he would purchase them.
The children were reunited with their parents, while Faheem was handed over to the Anti-Violent Crime Cell after a case was registered against him.
Pakistan may abolish death penalty for two offences
The Ministry of Law and Justice has proposed abolishing the death penalty for two offences under the Control of Narcotic Substances Act 1997 and the Railways Act 1890 via an amendment under its Criminal Law Reforms. The move will reduce the number of offences that carry the death sentence in Pakistan from 33 to 31.
Per the proposed amendments, which were presented on the World Day against the Death Penalty (Sunday, October 10), the term “death” will be replaced with “remainder of life” for the relevant offences.
Section 9C (punishment for possession, import or export, and trafficking or financing trafficking of narcotic drugs, etc.) of the Control of Narcotic Substances Act stipulates the death penalty, or imprisonment for life or up to a term which may extend to fourteen years. A fine of up to a million rupees may also be imposed.
Section 127 of the Railways Act (maliciously hurting or attempting to hurt persons travelling by railway or damaging property belonging to railway) awards the death penalty or imprisonment for life, with the liability of forfeiture of property and fine which may extend to twenty thousand rupees.
UNICEF hopeful for end of polio in Pakistan
Talking to English daily Dawn, Deputy Executive Director of the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) Omar Abdi stated that polio may be eradicated in Pakistan as only one such case has been reported in the country this year. He further provided that this year’s tally is the closest Pakistan has come to “the finish line”.
Aside from the government’s rigorous anti-polio drive which delivered oral vaccines to even the most difficult to reach regions, environmental waste samples have also shown a significant decline in the prevalence of the poliovirus.
