Peshawar High Court Grants Bail in Honour Killing Case
The Peshawar High Court has granted bail to a Swat resident suspected of being involved in an honor killing case. The suspect, Akhtar Ali, was granted bail by Justice Shahid Khan on a single-member bench. He was directed to submit two surety bonds of Rs200,000 each for his release. The honor killings case was registered at Swat’s Shaheedan Wenai police station on July 22, 2023, under relevant sections of the Pakistan Penal Code and the Arms Act. The complainant in the case, Mohammad Zaib Khan, alleged that the petitioner had killed his wife and another man due to suspicion of an extramarital affair.
However, the court observed that the case lacked sufficient evidence and that the complainant had not provided reliable information or witnesses to establish the guilt of the petitioner. The defense argued that there were no witnesses to the murders, and there was no private complainant in the case. Additionally, they pointed out that the murders occurred at night, and there was no concrete evidence linking the petitioner to the crime.
Hindu Community Protests Suspicious Death of Cook, Demands Thorough Investigation
In Karachi, members of the Hindu community are rallying for a comprehensive inquiry into the 23-year-old cook, Maro Meghwar’s, death at a businessman’s Clifton home. They suspect foul play, challenging it as a murder, not a suicide.
Protesters allege abuse by the businessman and criticize the police for not registering an FIR. They demand a fair investigation while awaiting an autopsy. The family has taken the matter to court, with a hearing scheduled for November 10.
Two students go missing in Hassanabdal
Two students have disappeared in the area covered by the Hassanabdal police station in a perplexing turn of events. According to information from the police, Shahmeer, a 13-year-old, and his 12-year-old companion, Shah Abdullah, attended a tutoring center near the G.T. Road, which is situated next to the police station, and failed to come back.
Sources, citing the boys’ families, revealed that despite extensive efforts to locate them, no leads were found. Consequently, Hassanabdal police initiated two separate investigations and commenced a search operation to locate the missing boys.
Call for Immediate Legal Access for Afghan Detainees Amid Ongoing Crackdowns
Civil society is urging immediate access to legal representation for Afghan detainees amid ongoing crackdowns. The Joint Action Committee for Refugees, composed of lawyers, activists, academics, and others, called on international human rights organizations and the interim government to grant legal counsel access. They also demanded a halt to raids on refugee settlements, emphasizing the vulnerability of women and children to gender-based violence. Despite the government’s November 1 deadline for illegal residents to leave Pakistan voluntarily, many Afghans and local Pashtuns reported harassment by law enforcement even after providing their credentials.
Rights activists recently rescued three Afghan children with valid registration cards from detention centers. Anthropologist Saeed Husain reportedly claimed that law enforcement lacks proper processing procedures and has been unlawfully detaining registered Afghans and Pakistani CNIC holders. A group of 56 civil society members previously criticized the deportation of Afghan refugees and called for an immediate halt to refugee arrests.
