Category: Crime

Seven persons have been held by Karachi police on suspicion of being involved in the rape and murder of seven -year-old Sarim, found dead on January 18 in the city, media reports have stated. 

Among the arrested individuals are a cleric who taught at the madrassah Sarim attended, two residents of the boys’ apartment building, a plumber and two watchmen. 

Police have confirmed that DNA reports of all the suspects are awaited to confirm whether any of them matches with the samples found on the child’s body. 

Police have said that though an initial report suggested that Sarim was sexually assaulted before being killed, final forensic reports are yet to come in. 

Sarim went missing on January 7 when he went to a madrassah he attended in the same building that houses his apartment. 
The boy’s body was found from an underground water tank in his apartment complex, 11 days after he went missing. 

Initial investigations suggested that the body displayed injury marks, dismissing possibility of the child falling into the water tank by accident. 

An autopsy report obtained by Dawn stated that there were 12 wounds on the body, only one of which was sustained after death. The report also said that though the child disappeared eleven days prior to being found, the body appeared to be only four to five days old, suggesting that the boy was alive for a few days after going missing.

America’s Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and Netherlands Police have shut down 39 websites and their connected servers in Pakistan that were used to sell hacking and fraud tools as part of a joint operation to fight cybercrime.

According to the U.S. Department of Justice and the FBI, a man named Saim Raza, also known as “Heart Sender,” was running the cybercrime network.

The U.S. authorities submitted documents showing that Saim Raza had been running these “cybercrime websites” since at least 2020. These websites were selling hacking tools that criminals used to commit fraud and cyberattacks.

The network sold the tools to international criminal groups, who then used them to scam people in the United States, causing financial losses of at least $3 million.

U.S. Attorney Nicholas J. Ganjei commented that almost everyone knows someone who has been affected by computer hacking. The frauds not only target businesses but also harm ordinary people, causing them stress and financial trouble.

Regarding Saim Raza’s network, he added that even though these people were based in another country, they were easily spreading hacking tools for money through their website. But today, authorities have significantly reduced their ability to harm others.

How Did the Investigation Start?

In 2022, Dutch police found a fraud software on a suspect’s computer during a separate investigation. This led to a deeper probe into the network. The Netherlands Police revealed that this network was already under investigation in the United States. The criminals ran ‘web shops’ where they advertised these hacking tools on YouTube to attract buyers.

The network was selling hacking tools such as scampages, which are fake websites used to steal personal data, senders, which are tools for sending mass fraudulent emails, and cookie grabbers, which are tools that steal login details.

The Netherlands Police explained that these tools allowed criminals to send mass scam emails or steal people’s IDs and passwords. The U.S. Department of Justice also stated that Saim Raza’s network not only sold hacking tools but also uploaded YouTube tutorials on how to use them.

The Netherlands Police confirmed that some buyers of these tools were from their own country, and investigations into them are going on. 

How Did Criminals Use These Tools?

The U.S. Department of Justice has said that international criminal groups used the tools for business email fraud, tricking companies into transferring money to third-party accounts, which actually belonged to the criminals. This led to huge financial losses for the victims.

During the investigation, Netherlands Police discovered that Heart Sender had stored a database of nearly 100,000 stolen usernames and passwords. These were likely used for fraudulent activities.

Past Cybercrime Activities

This is not the first time Saim Raza or the Heart Sender group have been linked to hacking and fraud.

Brian Krebs, a former American journalist and digital security expert, has been investigating the network for nearly a decade. He wrote on his website that the cybercriminal group in Pakistan is also known as ‘DomManipulators.’

Krebs first reported about the group in 2015, claiming they ran hundreds of websites selling hacking tools designed to steal people’s personal information.

How to Protect Yourself?

To avoid falling victim to cyber fraud, do not download unknown apps from untrusted sources. Do not click on links from unknown emails or messages. Be cautious of free software or financial offers that seem too good to be true.

A man accused of committing more than 100 robberies in Sindh and Punjab escaped from police custody on January 29.

As per details, Punjab and Sindh police were after the accused in a joint search, and ultimately identified as Riyasat, was arrested in Punjab. However, he managed to escape from police custody while being transferred to Karachi’s Gizri police station.

The last case against the absconding accused was registered at the Boat Basin police station on January 3.

Police told the media that the suspect had stolen jewellery worth Rs 1.5 to 2 crore in different incidents during the last robbery. Additionally, multiple cases of theft and robbery have been registered against him in Punjab and other areas of Sindh.

Riyasat, the most wanted accused, was arrested by the South Zone Police of Punjab and was handed over to Karachi police. Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) Investigation South confirmed his escape to the media.

A police official told the media that following this serious lapse, the Senior Investigating Officer (SIO) at Gizri police station, Shafqat Mangi, has been suspended for negligence. Meanwhile, the inquiry into the matter has been handed over to Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP) Investigation Clifton.

Sindh police’s recent record paints a grim picture of its performance in the province and especially in the metropolitan city of Karachi.

Five-year-old Aliyan and six-year-old Ali Raza, who went missing from the Garden area of Karachi on January 14, have not yet been traced by the police despite an extensive search.

The children went missing from the area when they were reportedly playing outside their house. 

The Garden police have said that they have registered a case of kidnapping and started an investigation, yet after more than two weeks, the children have not been found. 

Similarly, seven-year-old Sarim, a child who went missing from North Karachi on January 7 was found after 11 days.

The autopsy report of the child revealed he was subjected to sexual assault before getting murdered in Bilal Colony’s Anam Apartments. 

As per the details, the victim had suffered 12 different injuries on various parts of the body and “all are antemortem (prior to death) except one injury”.

The report also outlined that although the body was found after 11 days, the examination of the body confirms that the boy had died “approximately four to five days” before the post-mortem.

These revelations raised concerns about the investigating skills of the police’s efforts to recover the child, as it is clear now that he was alive at least a week after his kidnapping.

A man who recently returned to Quetta, Balochistan, from the United States has confessed to killing his 15-year-old daughter over her TikTok activity, according to police reports.

Station House Officer (SHO) Babar Baloch stated that the incident occurred on Monday night in Quetta. Initially, the suspect claimed that an unidentified armed man had shot his daughter. However, during police questioning, he confessed to the crime.

Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) Zohaib Mohsin revealed that the suspect and his family disapproved of the teenager’s clothing, lifestyle, and social media presence. Despite their objections, she continued to post videos on TikTok, which reportedly angered her father.

Authorities have arrested the suspect along with his brother-in-law. A murder case has been registered under Section 302 of the Pakistan Penal Code. Police have recovered the victim’s mobile phone but have yet to unlock it for further investigation.

The suspect is reportedly a U.S. citizen, but officials have not confirmed his citizenship status or whether the U.S. embassy has been notified.

Pakistan has over 54 million TikTok users, and the app has been banned multiple times due to concerns over inappropriate content. The Human Rights Commission of Pakistan reports that ‘honour killings’ remain a serious issue in the country. Between January and November 2024, at least 346 people were reportedly killed in such cases, with Punjab and Sindh recording the highest numbers.

The victim’s family has declined to comment on the incident.

A man in Karachi has been sentenced to six years in jail for sending indecent photos of a friend to her fiancé.

Judicial Magistrate (East) Yusra Ashfaq sentenced Muhammad Anas to a total of six years in prison on three counts for sharing indecent images and videos of a female friend with her fiancé on WhatsApp in an attempt to blackmail her.

The magistrate stated that the convict has been found guilty of the offences under Sections 20 (dignity of a natural person), 21 (modesty of a natural person and minor), and 24 (cyberstalking) of the Prevention of Electronic Crimes Act, 2016. Thus, he was given a two-year imprisonment on each count.

In the complaint, the woman told the FIA Cyber Crime Cell that in 2019, she had a relationship with Anas and was forced to share her private images and videos with him on his demand.

The convict never sent a marriage proposal for the complainant, so when she got engaged to someone else, Anas allegedly retaliated by sharing her indecent images and videos with her fiancé, sister, and aunt on their WhatsApp numbers.

The court observed in the final verdict, “The primary motive behind the accused’s actions appears to be rooted in exploiting the complainant’s trust and personal relationship to coerce and blackmail her. The complainant testified that she was in a relationship with the accused for several years, during which she voluntarily shared private images and videos with him.”

Moreover, the court mentioned that the convict “later weaponised that material by sharing it with her fiancé and family members, violating her privacy and dignity.

“It confirms that obscene images and videos of the complainant were indeed transmitted from the accused’s device. The technical report substantiates that the device recovered from the accused was used for the transmission, making the forensic examination a pivotal aspect of the case. The importance of forensic examination in this case cannot be overstated,” the court added. 

The verdict further read that “this act of distribution suggests an intent to harm the complainant emotionally and socially, possibly as a means of revenge or control, following the breakdown of their relationship. The evidence presented, including the complainant’s testimony and forensic analysis, underscores this motive.”

A woman accused of chopping her ex-husband’s genitals in Daska has been booked on Tuesday after her former brother-in-law registered a complaint against her.

According to the FIR filed, 30-year-old ex-husband, Amir, is a resident of Harpoki village in Kamoke tehsil, Gujranwala district, and married the accused, Shahida Ilyas from Dharma Kot, in 2021. The two, however, parted ways.

The victim’s brother, Zubair, said that Amir divorced Shahida and later contracted a second marriage.

He claimed that on the night of January 26, Shahida invited Amir to her house in Dharma Kot, Daska tehsil, under the pretext of returning their old photographs and some gifts he had given her.

Upon arrival, Shahida served him juice, which contained strong tranquillizers, leaving him unconscious. She then chopped off Amir’s genitals with a sharp tool, critically wounding him.

The injured victim was shifted by Rescue 1122 to the Government Hospital, Gujranwala. His condition is said to be critical.

The local police have registered a complaint, and a spokesperson from Satrah police station told the media that the suspect will be investigated under sections 324 and 334 of the Pakistan Penal Code, which relate to the charges of attempted murder.

Meanwhile, a news of femicide emerged from Lahore on Tuesday.

A husband allegedly poured spirit on his wife and set her on fire in the Chohhang area of the provincial capital.

As per the initial information shared by the police, the incident took place in Boharwala Church Mohalla Talab Chohang.

The police were informed by the victim’s brother, who revealed that his 25-year-old sister, Ujooj, was set on fire by her husband, Nazim, during an argument. The suspect fled the scene after the crime.

The police shifted the victim to the nearby hospital and started the investigation.

A pregnant woman was beaten to death over five days during an exorcism in the Badin area of Sindh.

The incident occurred in Khuda Bakhsh, Hisbani village near Malkani Sharif town, and was reported on Monday. However, a case has yet to be registered against the accused.

The 30-year-old victim, Sangita Kolhi, was handed over to Bachu Kolhi and Harsan Kolhi, known locally as bhopas (witch-doctors), by her husband Haresh Kolhi’s family, who believed she was possessed by an evil spirit.

The two suspects carried out what they called the “prescribed procedure” for Sangita’s exorcism in a temple opposite her house. The media reports suggest the “procedure” involved torturous methods, including hair-pulling and beatings with fists and sticks, which continued for five days and nights.

According to the victim’s family, Sangita succumbed to the violence on Sunday night. The family members and neighbours rushed to the temple upon hearing her screams, but reportedly, the bhopas did not relent until the police were called. Police officers arrived at the scene and immediately arrested the suspects.

Sangita’s father, Vishram, her brother Ashok, and her mother told the police that she was in good health before being taken to the bhopas. They stated that when they came from Jhuddo to visit her, the bhopas refused to let them meet her, claiming it would disturb the exorcism. They were told they could see her in the morning.

Neighbours told the media they had been hearing Sangita’s screams for five consecutive night because of which they could not sleep. Believing she was possessed, they assumed the bhopas were trying to rid her of the spirit.

Sangita had been married for six years but had no children but was pregnant at the time of her death.

The victim’s body was sent for a post-mortem before being handed over to her family, who took it back to their village in Jhuddo.

Assistant Sub-Inspector Paras Ali Memon of Pangrio police station confirmed the suspects’ arrest. Another police official stated that a post-mortem was conducted, and the case will be registered once the family lodges an official complaint, which they have not yet done.

A woman from Vehari, Punjab, helped her teenage son to murder her husband on Sunday. 

 The 15-year-old boy allegedly killed his father using a sharp weapon in collaboration with his mother. Both the suspects have been arrested by the police. 

The incident happened near Gaggo Mandi where the police received a report on Friday morning regarding the alleged murder of a butcher named Tahir in the 88 WB area.

An initial report suggested that the victim was brutally slaughtered with a sharp weapon by unknown suspects. 

Taking swift action, the Station House Officer (SHO) Farooq Ramzan of Gaggo Mandi Police Station reached the scene and started the investigation. 

The police report details that the victim’s body was found tied to a pole on the veranda of his home near livestock area. 

The victim’s family members told the police that Tahir had been restrained and slain. The police investigating team started a probe, conducted forensic examinations, collected evidence, and shifted the body to the hospital for an autopsy. 

Shortly after that, the police apprehended the victim’s wife, Sajida Bibi and the couple’s 15-year-old son for interrogation. The suspects confessed to the crime.

A police official told the media that the slain man’s wife alleged that her husband was involved in immoral acts with their daughters, and when they confronted him, he started threatening them.

She stated in front of the investigating team that these actions provoked her to take the extreme step.

The police said that the murder weapon was recovered from the suspects’ possession. 

The victim is said to be the father of two sons and five daughters. His funeral was held in his ancestral village, Chak 90 WB.

The results of the autopsy report are still awaited. 

Police will continue to investigate the case further.

Five-year-old Aliyan and six-year-old Ali Raza, who went missing from the Garden area of Karachi on January 14, have not yet been traced by the police despite an extensive search.

The children went missing from the area when they were reportedly playing outside their house. 
The Garden police has said that they have registered a case of kidnapping and started an investigation, yet after more than a week the children have not been found. 

On January 21, DIG-South Syed Asad Raza told the media that the process is taking time because the Garden Town area of Karachi is highly populated and acquiring CCTV footage is an uphill task.

 Three suspects were detained for interrogation. However, the news of children being kidnapped by a couple was dismissed as the investigation revealed that the footage was of another family.

Later, police searched the Lyari River, passing through the Garden area, and checked various tanks, wells, and surrounding bushes, but no trace of the missing children could be found.

SSP Arif Aziz told the media that the investigation is going on. “All possible steps are being taken to search for the children. Various CCTV footage has also been obtained and the search is underway.”

Moreover, with the help of technology, the police has concluded that the children were taken away from the Dhobi Ghat area of Garden and their last location was traced at Kashti Chowk in Lyari while geo-fencing of the area is also being conducted.

Three minor boys going missing within one week has raised alarm bells in Karachi.

Seven-year-old Sarim went missing on January 7 and was found after 11 days on January 18 from a water tank in a high-rise building near his home. 

Police stressed that they did search the place initially as well.

The autopsy report of the child revealed that he was subjected to sexual assault before getting murdered.

As per the details, the victim had suffered 12 different injuries on various parts of the body and “all are antemortem (prior to death) except one injury”.

 
The report also outlined that although the body was found after 11 days, the examination of the body confirms that the boy had died “approximately four to five days” before. 

 
Recent reports have raised concerns about the investigating skills of the police, as it became clear that he was alive at least a week after his kidnapping.

Read more: 7yo Karachi kid raped before murder: reports

The autopsy report of seven-year-old Sarim, a child who went missing from North Karachi on January 7 and was found after 11 days, has revealed he was subjected to sexual assault before getting murdered.

Media reports cite the police are now treating the child’s case, whose body was found in an underground water tank of the high-rise building, as a murder case.

He was reportedly subjected to a sexual assault before being murdered in Bilal Colony’s Anam Apartments.

According to news sources, Sarim was a student at Madrasah Al Quran who went to his seminary on January 7 but never returned.

 
After he went missing, his father, Parvez, went to the seminary to ask about his son but was told by the administration that he had left for home at 3:40 pm.

 
When the father was returning from the seminary, he reportedly spotted Sarim’s gloves lying on the stairs inside a mosque.

After an extensive search, the police found the child’s body in a water tank in the building in the same vicinity on January 18.

 
The doctors who performed the autopsy revealed that the marks of injuries on the body suggested that it was “not an accidental death”.

In the initial briefing to the media, the police claimed to have been investigating the possible foul play or assault in the case. They also cited the possibility of the water tank not being properly covered, which may have caused the boy to fall inside if he had been playing nearby.

Later, however, the autopsy report has concluded that the child was raped.

As per the details, the victim had suffered 12 different injuries on various parts of the body and “all are antemortem (prior to death) except one injury”.

The report also outlined that although the body was found after 11 days, the examination of the body confirms that the boy had died “approximately four to five days” before the post-mortem.

The recent revelations have raised concerns about the investigating skills of the police’s efforts to recover the child, as it is clear now that he was alive at least a week after his kidnapping.

On the other hand, DIG-West Irfan Ali Baloch, in a statement, said that the exact cause and time of the death is yet to be confirmed by doctors and that he had not received the reports in this regard.

He informed that the police had already taken a teacher of the seminary in custody, and his DNA samples were taken for cross-matching with the samples of the victim.

The residents of Sarim’s neighbourhood expressed shock over his recovery, stating that law enforcement had checked the tank twice during the search but failed to find any sign of the child. Some speculated that the child’s body may have remained submerged and surfaced over time.

Read more: 7yo missing Karachi kid found dead after 11 days