Author: Aziz Khatri

By Aziz Khatri KARACHI: Police in the East district of Karachi have arrested two armed robbers during a patrol operation near New Town Cut, officials confirmed. SSP East, Zubair Nazeer Sheikh, identified the suspects as Muhammad Junaid and Shuja ur Rehman. The accused had reportedly been involved in multiple robberies across various parts of PIB over the past several days. During the operation, police recovered a 30-bore pistol with ammunition, cash, and an unregistered motorcycle used by the suspects. The duo is also linked to a robbery on 17 December, targeting a local resident, Wahaj Butt, for which a case…

By Aziz Khatri KARACHI: The Sindh Building Control Authority (SBCA) has declared 715 buildings across the province uninhabitable and dangerous, releasing a detailed list that shows Karachi accounting for the vast majority, with 563 structures identified as unsafe. Acting on the directives of the Sindh minister for local government, the authorities have begun the process of evacuating and demolishing these hazardous buildings in phases. In Karachi, the highest number of unsafe buildings has been recorded in District South, where 422 structures are set to be targeted under the operation. As part of the next phase, awareness banners will be installed…

By Aziz Khatri KARACHI: The Fine Arts Committee of the Arts Council of Pakistan Karachi hosted a screening of the film trilogy The River Sublime at the Josh Malihabadi Library, followed by a discussion session. The 26-minute film philosophically and poetically explores three distinct ecological spheres of the Indus River through the artistic perspectives of Nadeem-Al-Karimi, Sadqain Riaz, and Qadir Jhatiyal. Curated by Nusrat Khawaja, the trilogy showcases the natural beauty of the river, its cultural significance, and the environmental challenges it faces, with the aim of raising awareness about its conservation. During the discussion, moderated by Farrukh Tanveer Shahab,…

By Aziz Khatri KARACHI: Muhammad Azmat Shigeyuki Ataka, first vice-president of the Pakistan-Japan Cultural Association (PJCA) Sindh, has received the Japanese foreign minister’s commendation for his outstanding contribution to promoting Japan–Pakistan relations. The award was presented on Tuesday at the official residence of the consul general of Japan in Karachi. Congratulating Ataka, Consul General Hattori Masaru praised his decades-long dedication to cultural exchange and his role in deepening mutual understanding between the two countries. Ataka was recognised for his pioneering efforts to introduce and popularise Japanese poetic forms such as haiku and waka in Pakistan. By creatively blending these traditions…

By Aziz Khatri KARACHI: Ajmair Nagri police apprehended two street criminals during an armed confrontation near God Luck Wedding Hall, close to 4J Stop. One suspect was wounded in the encounter, while the other was arrested without resistance. Authorities recovered two 30-bore pistols with loaded magazines, three mobile phones, and a 125cc motorcycle from the suspects. The arrested individuals were identified as Faryal, son of Tariq, who was wounded, and Habibullah, son of Haq Nawaz, who was taken into custody without resistance. The wounded suspect was immediately taken to Abbasi Shaheed Hospital for medical treatment, while the other was brought…

By Aziz Khatri KARACHI: Karachi’s Deputy Inspector General (DIG) of West Zone, Irfan Ali Baloch, conducted an inspection of the Manghopir venue ahead of the annual Tablighi Ijtema, scheduled from 25 to 28 December, to review and strengthen security arrangements. Upon his arrival, DIG Baloch was welcomed by SSP West Tariq Alhai Mastoi, DSP Manghopir, DSP Pakistan Bazaar, and SHOs of Manghopir and Pakistan Bazaar, along with other senior police officers. During the visit, he met with the venue management and religious scholars, discussing police security measures in detail. Officials of the Manghopir administration expressed satisfaction with the proposed arrangements…

By Aziz Khatri KARACHI: Karachi’s mayor, Barrister Murtaza Wahab, has directed the immediate formation of independent vigilance teams to monitor major arteries of the city and ensure that small and medium-scale road repair issues are resolved within 24 hours. The directive was issued during a high-level meeting of the engineering department held at the Karachi Metropolitan Corporation (KMC) head office on 18 December, where progress on ongoing development projects across the city was reviewed. Wahab said separate emergency tenders for minor repair works had already been executed using funds collected through municipal taxes, adding that the availability of both resources…

By Aziz Khatri KARACHI: Karachi’s traffic police chief has said that vehicles using fake number plates are committing a criminal offence and their drivers should be sent to jail. Speaking on a morning television show, DIG Traffic Police Karachi Pir Muhammad Shah said the introduction of the e-challan system had led to a 50% reduction in road accidents. He claimed that since the system was launched, many motorists had started fitting fake number plates to their vehicles to evade penalties. He said strict fines would be imposed on vehicles using fake number plates as well as on those whose registration…

By Aziz Khatri KARACHI: The Arts Council of Pakistan, Karachi, will host the four-day 18th Aalmi Urdu Conference 2025 – “Jashan-e-Pakistan” from December 25 to 28, showcasing Pakistan’s literary heritage and cultural diversity. Announcing the event at a press conference, Arts Council President Muhammad Ahmed Shah highlighted the conference’s history of promoting dialogue and peace through literature, noting that it was launched 18 years ago during a period of ethnic violence. He said the conference celebrates Urdu alongside Pakistan’s regional languages, featuring writers and poets from across the country and internationally. Renowned poetess Zehra Nigah emphasized that literature and language…

By Aziz Khatri KARACHI: The Sindh government has said it will put in place comprehensive security and traffic arrangements for the Christian community across the province during Christmas, following a request by its spokesperson, Sukhdev Hemnani. In a letter to the inspector general of police, Hemnani, who is also a member of the Sindh Human Rights Commission, called for heightened vigilance and coordinated planning to protect churches, places of worship and communal spaces. He cited constitutional guarantees including the right to life and liberty, freedom of religion, equality before the law and the protection of minorities. In response, the IG…