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Husband, mother-in-law indicted in grisly murder of woman with dumbbells in Islamabad

In this screengrab taken on September 29, 2022, shows a police official escorting prime accused Shahnawaz Amir (right), in the Sarah Inam murder case, to court in Islamabad. (Photo courtesy: Shahid Saqlain/YouTube)
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Updated 05 December 2022
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Husband, mother-in-law indicted in grisly murder of woman with dumbbells in Islamabad

  • The court calls on the prosecution to summon witnesses on December 14, trial to be conducted by same judge who heard grisly murder case of Noor Mukadam 
  • 37-year-old Sarah Inam was allegedly murdered by husband on September 23 after she traveled to Pakistan when Shahnawaz Amir asked for divorce over text messages
Updated 05 December 2022
SAIMA SHABBIR

ISLAMABAD: A district and sessions court on Monday indicted Shahnawaz Amir and his mother Sameena Shah in the grisly September murder of Pakistani-Canadian Sarah Inam, calling on the prosecution to summon its witnesses on December 14, the Inam family lawyer said.

Inam, a 37-year-old economist who worked in Abu Dhabi, was murdered with dumbbells, according to police, by her husband Shahnawaz Amir at a suburban Islamabad home on September 23.

Inam got married to the Amir of her own choice on July 18 in his hometown of Chakwal. The parents of the couple were not present at the event. Inam’s family has said she had met Amir only thrice before the marriage and had told the parents about the relationship after the marriage.

The indictment was issued by sessions court judge Atta Rabbani after he dismissed Shah’s application seeking to be discharged from the case. 

“Both Amir and Shah have been charged in the murder case and have been informed about all the charges against them,” Inam's family lawyer, Rao Abdul Raheem, told Arab News.

Shah’s lawyer Nisar Asghar said both suspects had pleaded not guilty.

“Shah is charged with abatement to a crime under section 109 of the Pakistan Penal Code (PPC) and Amir is charged with murder under section 302 of the PPC,” Asghar told Arab News.

Raheem said the formal trial would now start and the court had asked the prosecutors to present witnesses on December 14.

“We expect that this would be a speedy trial like the Noor Mukadam murder case and the court will decide this case within three to five months,” he said. 

The judge hearing the case was the same one who heard the Mukadam case, the lawyer said, referring to the 27-year-old daughter of a diplomat who was beheaded by a male friend last year in a case that drew an outpouring of anger over femicides in the South Asian nation.

According to the first information report in the Inam murder case, Amir’s mother was present in the house at the time of the murder and had called the police on September 23 and informed them that her son had murdered his wife with a dumbbell. 

The police citation submitted by an investigation officer from Shahzad town police station said following an argument, Amir hit Inam with a showpiece and then hit her repeatedly with a dumbbell which caused her death. 

The police citation also said Amir had told police that after a fight with Inam over the phone while she was still in Abu Dhabi, the suspect had told her he wanted a divorce. This happened two days before the murder. 

Inam then traveled to Pakistan and arrived at Amir’s farmhouse in Chak Shehzad, Islamabad, from Abu Dhabi on September 22. The couple had an argument in Amir’s bedroom as Inam asked him about money she had wired him. The suspect subsequently beat her to death. 

After the murder, the accused dragged Inam’s body to the bathroom and hid it in the bathtub.

Speaking about the decision to indict Shah in the case, Raheem said:

“She [Shah] was present in the house at the time of the murder, and she is the owner of the house where CCTV cameras stopped working just two days prior to the incident.”

The lawyer added: “When she [Inam] was in Abu Dhabi, Amir divorced her through a message on WhatsApp and she then came to Islamabad to know the reasons behind divorcing her in such a way.”

Shah’s lawyer Asghar said the divorce was not finalized as it was just pronounced in a message while legal requirements had not yet been completed. 

“These are two different things, one is pronouncement of the divorce and the other is its completion, which requires issuance of a certificate by the same union council where Nikah took place,” he said.

“It does not mean that divorce has been completed as per the procedure given in the family laws of Pakistan. It was just pronounced but not confirmed and technically by the law, she was not divorced,” Asghar added.

Hundreds of women are killed in Pakistan every year, while thousands more suffer brutal violence. But few cases receive sustained media attention, and only a small fraction of perpetrators are ever punished or convicted by courts.

But Mukadam’s shocking murder, involving members of the privileged elite of Pakistani society, triggered an explosive reaction from women’s rights activists reckoning with pervasive violence.

It also increased pressure for a swift conclusion of the trial in a country known to have a sluggish justice system and where cases typically drag on for years.

Mukadam’s killer Zahir Jaffer received the death sentence in March but has appealed it in a higher court. The case is ongoing.

Topics: Sarah Inam murder case Sarah Inam

Pakistan Senate chief attends inaugural mass of Pope Leo in show of interfaith harmony

Updated 6 sec ago
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Pakistan Senate chief attends inaugural mass of Pope Leo in show of interfaith harmony

  • Pope Leo XIV set the tone for his papacy with a call to stop exploiting nature and marginalizing the poor at the inaugural mass
  • Ten days after he became first US head of 1.4 billion Catholics, some 200,000 people gathered to see the mass in St. Peter’s Square
Updated 6 sec ago
SAIMA SHABBIR

ISLAMABAD: Yousuf Raza Gillani, chairman of the Senate of Pakistan, on Sunday attended the inaugural mass of Pope Leo XIV in Vatican City, Pakistan’s Press Information Department (PID) said, in a show of Islamabad’s commitment to promoting interfaith harmony.
Pope Leo XIV set the tone for his papacy with a call to stop exploiting nature and marginalizing the poor at the inaugural mass, attended by dignitaries including Ukraine’s Volodymyr Zelensky and US Vice President JD Vance.
Ten days after he became the first US head of the world’s 1.4 billion Catholics, some 200,000 people gathered to see his inaugural mass in St. Peter’s Square, according to the Vatican.
Gillani’s presence at the mass highlighted Pakistan’s respect for the Catholic community worldwide and its dedication to fostering dialogue and mutual understanding among diverse religious traditions.
“Gillani is scheduled to engage in bilateral meetings with Vatican officials and international counterparts to discuss shared interests, including the promotion of peace, protection of minority rights, and the advancement of interfaith collaboration,” the PID said.
“Pakistan remains steadfast in its advocacy for religious tolerance and coexistence, and Chairman Gillani’s participation in this significant event reaffirms the nation’s role in promoting global understanding and harmony.”
Before the mass began, the Chicago-born Robert Francis Prevost delighted the crowds by taking to the popemobile for the first time, smiling, waving and blessing those he passed.
In his homily, the soft-spoken 69-year-old returned to the themes of peace, reconciliation and social justice that have marked his first few days as pope.
“In this our time, we still see too much discord, too many wounds caused by hatred, violence, prejudice, the fear of difference, and an economic paradigm that exploits the Earth’s resources and marginalizes the poorest,” he said.
After two decades spent as missionary in Peru, the new pope — who was only made a cardinal in 2023 — is unknown to many Catholics.
But many of those gathered in St. Peter’s Square said they liked what they had heard so far.
Maria Grazia La Barbera, 56, a pilgrim from Palermo in Sicily, said Leo was “the right person at the right time” to lead the Church.
“He will certainly do what he promised: knocking down walls and building bridges,” she said.
— With additional input from AFP

Topics: Yousuf Raza Gillani Chairman Senate Pakistan Vatican City Pope Leo XIV

At least one killed, 11 injured as storm hits upper parts of Pakistan

Updated 36 min 43 sec ago
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At least one killed, 11 injured as storm hits upper parts of Pakistan

  • Sporadic rainfall was witnessed in some areas as several trees were uprooted, roofs caved in and walls of some homes collapsed
  • Pakistan has seen erratic changes in weather leading to frequent heatwaves, untimely rains, cyclones and droughts in recent years
Updated 36 min 43 sec ago
REHMAT MEHSUD

ISLAMABAD: A child was killed and 11 people were injured as a thunderstorm hit upper parts of Pakistan on Sunday, a rescue official said.

The storm hit Peshawar, Nowshera, Charsadda and adjacent districts in the northwestern Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) province and Punjab’s Attock, Jhelum, Chakwal, Mianwali, Rawalpindi, Murree districts as well as the federal capital of Islamabad.

Sporadic rainfall was witnessed in these areas as several trees were uprooted, roofs caved in and walls of some homes collapsed because of strong gusts of winds.

“So far, one child lost their life and 11 people have been injured in Nowshera and Charsadda,” Bilal Faizi, a spokesman for the KP Rescue 1122 service, said, adding that rescue teams were busy clearing affected areas.

The National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) earlier warned citizens of temporary disruptions in power supply, cautioning citizens of potential hazards.

“Stay away from trees, billboards, and unsecured structures that could collapse,” it said. “Park vehicles in safe, covered areas and avoid unnecessary movement during storms.”

Pakistan has seen erratic changes in its weather patterns which have led to frequent heat waves, untimely rains, storms, cyclones and droughts in recent years. Scientists have blamed the events on human-driven climate change.

In 2022, devastating floods, blamed on human-driven climate change, killed more than 1,700 Pakistanis, affected another 33 million and caused the country over $30 billion in economic losses.

Topics: thunder storms rain rainfall

Over 11 million Pakistanis face acute food insecurity amid erratic weather changes — FAO

Updated 18 May 2025
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Over 11 million Pakistanis face acute food insecurity amid erratic weather changes — FAO

  • Agricultural recovery remained uneven as regions affected by the 2022 floods continued to struggle with livestock losses and economic constraints
  • Globally, over 295 million people across 53 countries, territories experienced acute levels of hunger in 2024, an increase of 13.7 million from 2023
Updated 18 May 2025
KASHIF IMRAN

ISLAMABAD: More than 11 million Pakistanis faced acute food insecurity between November 2024 and March 2025 amid erratic changes in Pakistan’s weather patterns, the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) said in a report this week, as food insecurity and child malnutrition rose for the sixth consecutive year in 2024.

Since 2017, flood-affected rural districts of Pakistan’s Balochistan, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Sindh provinces as well as drought-affected areas in Balochistan and Sindh have witnessed persistent high levels of acute food insecurity, according to the 2025 Global Report on Food Crises.

While above-average rainfall supported agricultural production in Pakistan, abnormally heavy monsoon rains from July 2024 to September 2024 resulted in flooding and landslides in parts of Balochistan and Sindh provinces, causing localized crop losses and damage to housing and agricultural infrastructure.

Agricultural recovery remained uneven as regions affected by the 2022 climate-induced floods continued to struggle with limited access to inputs, livestock losses and economic constraints in the South Asian country of over 240 million people.

“In Pakistan, 11 million people or 22 percent of the analyzed population were facing high levels of acute food insecurity in 68 flood-affected rural districts across Balochistan, Sindh and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa,” the report read.

“This includes 1.7 million people in emergency.”

The FAO’s population coverage in Pakistan increased by 38 percent between 2024 and 2025, from 36.7 million people to 50.8 million, covering 25 additional districts.

The South Asian country ranks among the nations that are most vulnerable to the effects of climate change, which scientists say is making extreme weather events more common and more severe.

A “severe” drought ravaged several crops in the country’s breadbasket this winter, with officials stressing the need to build more water reservoirs and restore wetlands. In 2022, devastating floods killed more than 1,700 Pakistanis, affected another 33 million and caused the country over $30 billion in economic losses.

“Low female workforce participation also creates a substantial loss of income in Pakistan (24.3 percent), limiting households’ access to food,” the report said.

Globally, more than 295 million people across 53 countries and territories experienced acute levels of hunger in 2024, an increase of 13.7 million from 2023, according to the report.

Conflict remained the top driver of acute food insecurity, affecting around 140 million people in 20 countries and territories. Famine has been confirmed in Sudan, while other hotspots, which have people experiencing catastrophic levels of acute food insecurity, include the Gaza Strip, South Sudan, Haiti, and Mali.

Economic shocks including inflation and currency devaluation, drove hunger in 15 countries affecting 59.4 million people — still nearly double pre-COVID-19 levels despite a modest decline from 2023. Some of the largest and most protracted food crises were primarily driven by economic shocks, including in Afghanistan, South Sudan, Syrian Arab Republic, and Yemen.

“The 2025 Global Report on Food Crisis paints a staggering picture,” said Rein Paulsen, a senior FAO official.

“The main factors behind these increasing numbers are threefold. In the first instance, conflict and insecurity is the primary driver, remains the primary driver for acute food insecurity. Weather extremes is the second most important factor. And economic issues and challenges the third most important factor.

And the analysis shows, of course, that in many of the crisis contexts, these three factors are often overlapping.”

Malnutrition, particularly among children, reached extremely high levels, including in the Gaza Strip, Mali, Sudan, and Yemen. Nearly 38 million children under five were acutely malnourished across 26 nutrition crises.

“When we talk about the most extreme form of acute hunger, what we classify as IPC five, as we are seeing in Gaza, as we are seeing in Sudan, as we are seeing in Haiti and Mali, that these contexts are all touched by conflict and violence in different ways,” Paulsen said.

“And in practical terms, what this often means is an inability to physically access people who are most urgently in need of assistance.”

Topics: Food insecurity Climate Change in Pakistan pakistan agriculture

Pakistan deputy PM to visit China tomorrow to discuss ‘evolving regional situation’

Updated 18 May 2025
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Pakistan deputy PM to visit China tomorrow to discuss ‘evolving regional situation’

  • The development comes amid a truce between Pakistan, India after a four-day military conflict that killed around 70 people this month
  • India is as a key partner by the West as a counter-balance to China, while Pakistan shares an ‘all-weather partnership’ with Beijing
Updated 18 May 2025
SAIMA SHABBIR

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s deputy prime minister and foreign minister, Ishaq Dar, will be visiting China on May 19-21 to discuss “evolving regional situation in South Asia,” the Pakistani foreign office said on Sunday.

The development comes amid a ceasefire between Pakistan and India after a four-day military conflict between the nuclear-armed neighbors this month that saw the use of fighter jets, missiles, drones and artillery against the other, leaving around 70 people, including civilians, dead on both sides of the border.

In recent years, India has been seen as an important partner by Western powers as a counter-balance to China’s rising influence, while the relationship between Pakistan and Beijing has strengthened further, particularly over the last decade, with China rolling over loans and investing in multi-billion-dollar infrastructure projects in Pakistan.

During his visit, Dar will hold in-depth discussions with Foreign Minister Wang Yi on the evolving situation and its “implications for peace and stability” in South Asia, according to the Pakistani foreign ministry.

“The two sides will also review the entire spectrum of Pakistan-China bilateral relations and exchange views on regional and global developments of mutual interest,” it said in a statement.

This month’s military conflict between India and Pakistan was triggered by an attack by gunmen on tourists in Indian-administered Kashmir’s Pahalgam town, which killed 26 people on April 22. India blamed the attack on Pakistan. Islamabad denies the charge and has called for a credible, international probe into it.

Bitter rivals India and Pakistan have fought three wars, including two over the disputed region of Kashmir, since gaining independence from British rule in 1947. Both claim the Himalayan territory in its entirety but rule it in part.

Analysts and diplomats have long feared that a conflict between the arch-foes could escalate into the use of nuclear weapons, in one of the world’s most dangerous and most populated nuclear flashpoint regions.

China, which borders both Pakistan and India, this month urged the arch-foes to exercise restraint, like the rest of the major world powers.

“The visit forms part of the ongoing high-level exchanges between Pakistan and China. It also underscores the two countries’ shared commitment to further strengthen the All-Weather Strategic Cooperative Partnership,” the Pakistani foreign ministry said.

Topics: Pakistan China Ties Deputy Prime Minister Ishaq Dar

WWF opposes move to transfer snow leopards from Pakistan to Moscow

Updated 18 May 2025
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WWF opposes move to transfer snow leopards from Pakistan to Moscow

  • WWF-Pakistan says opposed transfer of two snow leopards from Gilgit-Baltistan to Moscow Zoo in Russia 
  • Says transferring snow leopards would contradict national and international conservation commitments
Updated 18 May 2025
Arab News Pakistan

ISLAMABAD: The World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF) Pakistan this week said it strongly opposes a proposed move to transfer endangered snow leopards from northern Pakistan to Moscow in Russia, calling on the government to strengthen its rehabilitation center for the animals. 

Various studies indicate that as the snow leopard is an elusive animal, hence it is difficult to record its exact population in the distribution range across Central and South Asia. However, in 2020 WWF research indicated that fewer than 7,000 snow leopards remain globally, of which approximately 200 to 420 individuals inhabit the northern mountain ranges of Pakistan including the Gilgit-Baltistan region, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP), and Azad Jammu Kashmir (AJK).

In a press release issued on Saturday, WWF-Pakistan said it had written a letter to the climate change ministry saying that it opposed the proposed transfer of two snow leopards, currently at the Naltar Rescue and Rehabilitation Center in Gilgit-Baltistan, to the Moscow Zoo in Russia. 

The WWF said it had stressed in the letter that transferring leopards to Russia would not only contradict national and international conservation commitments but also risk setting a “highly detrimental precedent” for the future transfer of threatened and iconic wildlife species from Pakistan. 

“WWF-Pakistan expressed its deepest concern and opposition to the move and demanded that the proposed export of snow leopards be immediately canceled,” the non-government organization said. 

“The organization also called for the reaffirmation of Pakistan’s commitment to the conservation of its iconic wildlife species and emphasized upholding the obligations under international agreements.”

 It said that the snow leopard, listed as a threatened (vulnerable) species on the IUCN Red List for threatened species (2017), receives the highest level of legal protection under Pakistan’s national and provincial wildlife legislation. 

This also extends to Gilgit-Baltistan and AJK, the statement added. 

Additionally, it said the species is included in Appendix I of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES), which strictly prohibits international trade except under exceptional and non-commercial circumstances. 

“It further said there is no compelling conservation rationale for transferring these snow leopards to Russia, a country that already hosts a significantly larger wild population of the species,” WWF-Pakistan said. 

The NGO recommended that instead of exporting the animals, Pakistan should demonstrate global leadership by reinforcing its commitment to protecting its remaining wild snow leopard populations. 

“The organization also highlighted the risk that once the snow leopards are transferred, it would be difficult to monitor or ensure the well-being of these animals under Russian jurisdiction,” it added. 

Hammad Naqi Khan, director general of WWF-Pakistan, said that the approval of this transfer would undermine decades of conservation progress and significantly damage Pakistan’s standing in the global conservation community. 

“We need to uphold Pakistan’s obligations under international agreements such as CITES and the Convention on Migratory Species (CMS) by prioritizing the protection of vulnerable and critically endangered species within national borders,” Khan said.

Topics: WWF Pakistan snow leopard

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