Category: National

Another student at the University of Lahore (UoL) has attempted suicide, sustaining serious injuries after jumping from the second floor of a campus building, police confirmed on Monday.

According to Lahore Deputy Inspector General (DIG) Operations Faisal Kamran, the woman is a first-semester pharmacy student and hails from Narowal.

Her parents have been asked to come to Lahore, DIG Kamran said.

“She jumped from the second floor of the pharmacy department,” the cop said, adding that the incident appeared to be a suicide attempt.

While police are working to determine the reason behind the attempt, initial findings revealed she had been talking to someone on the phone for half an hour before the incident.

“She jumped during the call,” he said.

On her injuries, DIG Kamran said the woman had fractured her legs but there was no severe head injury.

Meanwhile, the student’s mobile phone is with the police but remains locked.

The cop said that she would be asked for the password once her medical condition allowed. “Otherwise, we will get an analysis conducted.”

While an FIR [First Information Report] has not yet been registered as the decision rests with the student’s parents, the university has suspended on-campus classes.

In a notice issued by the registrar’s office, the varsity said all on-campus teaching activities had been suspended to ensure student safety. The notice added that classes would shift to online mode from Tuesday, January 6, until further orders.

DIG Kamran also said that police had spoken to the varsity administration that is mulling the installation of fences on every floor to prevent such incidents.

It merits a mention that this is the second incident of its kind at UoL where another pharmacy student, namely Muhammad Awais, died in December 2025 after jumping off a varsity building.

Family and fellow students claimed that Awais was under extreme pressure due to low attendance and financial troubles. 

The death had prompted the university to form an inquiry committee as students staged protests and demanded accountability.

Lahore police have registered a case against a singer for performing a song titled “Qaidi No 804” during a government-sponsored cultural event at the historic Shalimar Gardens on Sunday.

A Qawwal has been charged with giving the event “political colour” as the song is associated with jailed PTI (Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf) founder and former prime minister of Pakistan, Imran Khan.

According to the FIR (First Information Report), the complainant, Shalimar Gardens in-charge Zameerul Hasan, stated that singer Faraz Khan deliberately attempted to exploit the cultural event and instigate the audience.
 

The event, organised by the Walled City of Lahore Authority (WCLA), was meant to be a non-political cultural night.

Hasan said the singer and his companions performed the song at the request of some audience members, despite the event being open to the public and attended by people with affiliations to various political parties.

The complainant added that the song could create unrest or violence, and that the singer and his accomplices are liable to legal action.

An Islamabad Anti-Terrorism Court (ATC) has handed down two life sentences each to YouTuber Adil Raja, journalists Wajahat Saeed Khan, Sabir Shakir and Shaheen Sehbai, anchorperson Haider Raza Mehdi, analyst Moeed Pirzada and former army official Akbar Hussain in cases linked to the riots that erupted across the country on May 9, 2023.

The unrest, during which government and military installations were vandalised, broke out after the arrest of former prime minister Imran Khan. 

Prosecutors accused the convicted individuals of engaging in what was described as “digital terrorism against state institutions,” alleging that they used online platforms to incite, facilitate and amplify attacks during the May 9 violence.

The reserved verdicts were announced on Friday by Anti-Terrorism Court Judge Tahir Abbas Sipra after the conclusion of trials conducted in absentia. 

The proceedings were held in the absence of the accused at the prosecution’s request, invoking relevant provisions of anti-terrorism laws.

Court orders issued by Judge Sipra show that cases against Raja, Khan, Sehbai and Mehdi were registered at Islamabad’s Ramna police station, while cases against Shakir, Hussain and Pirzada were registered at the Islamabad’s Aabpara police station.

The court awarded rigorous life imprisonment on two counts: waging or attempting to wage war against Pakistan and criminal conspiracy and imposed fines of Rs500,000 for each offence. 

The convicts were also sentenced to 10 years of rigorous imprisonment and fined Rs200,000 under Section 121-A of the Pakistan Penal Code, which deals with conspiracy related to offences punishable under Section 121.

They were also sentenced to an additional 10 years of rigorous imprisonment and a fine of Rs 200,000 under Section 131 of the PPC, which pertains to abetting mutiny or attempting to seduce members of the armed forces from their duty.

 In accordance with the Anti-Terrorism Act of 1997, the court also imposed three separate five-year harsh imprisonment sentences together with fines of Rs. 200,000 for each count. 

The orders stated that failure to pay any of the imposed fines would result in an additional six months of imprisonment. The court also extended the benefit of Section 382-B of the Code of Criminal Procedure, allowing any period of detention to be counted toward the sentence, and directed that all sentences would run concurrently.

Each order informed the convicts of their right to file an appeal before the Islamabad High Court (IHC) within seven days. The court also authorised the relevant station house officers to arrest the convicts upon their availability and send them to jail to serve their sentences.

During the trials, the prosecution produced 24 witnesses. Public prosecutor Raja Naveed Hussain Kayani represented the state, while Advocate Gulfam Ashraf Goraiya appeared on behalf of the accused. Records show that Goraiya was appointed as defence counsel by the court.

A detailed written judgement is yet to be issued and is expected to outline the evidentiary basis and legal reasoning behind the convictions and sentences.

The cases against the seven individuals were registered in 2023. Shakir, Pirzada and Hussain were booked by Islamabad police on charges of sedition and terrorism over their alleged role in violence and vandalism following Imran Khan’s arrest. 

Raja, Khan, Sehbai and Mehdi were similarly charged for abetting mutiny and allegedly inciting attacks on military installations on May 9.

Chaos marred a New Year’s Eve celebration and concert at a private housing society in Islamabad when ticket-holders were allegedly denied entry despite holding valid passes.

Viral videos on social media showed the alleged mismanagement turning the celebration into a scene of violence and unrest, which, reports said, was a consequence of overselling event tickets worth Rs5,000 for families and Rs2,000 for individuals.

Organisers, according to reports, sold the tickets beyond the venue’s capacity and failed to make sufficient arrangements for spectators, forcing several ticket holders to gather outside in frustration as the reserved area filled up.

Security guards attempted to control the crowd and prevent entry, sparking protests by the disgruntled attendees. 

Tensions flared as a physical altercation broke out between the security staff and the audience, though it is still unclear how the crowd became violent or which side attacked first. Stones were hurled from both sides while guards also wielded batons to push back the crowd.

Police intervened with anti-riot gear to disperse the protesters as anger grew. The use of force also resulted in significant property damage and some people were also taken into custody. 

Videos circulating on social media showed youths pelting stones and damaging property, while guards chased and manhandled some of them.

The society management has hinted at plans to lodge a formal FIR, but as of now, no complaint has been officially registered. Officials told police they would file a complaint soon, but it remains unclear when will this happen.

Serena Hotel in Swat has ceased its operations effective January 1, bringing an end to nearly four decades of operations in the valley, the hotel management said.

In a notice issued on behalf of the management, the hotel noted its decades of service and contribution in promoting tourism in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP), especially in the Swat region.

The management expressed gratitude to its guests, business partners and associates for their support over the years. “We regret to announce the closure of Swat Serena Hotel’s operations, effective 1 January 2026,” the notice read.

Serena Hotels made it clear that the closure solely affects the Swat property and has no bearing on its other locations as the group will continue welcoming guests at its remaining hotels across Asia and Africa.

Currently, Serena Hotels has 33 locations across the globe, of which ten are in Pakistan.

The group reaffirmed its commitment to maintaining high service standards and delivering quality guest experiences at its other hotels.

While the reason behind the closure has not yet been released, it had long been recognised as a key destination for domestic and international travelers in the valley.

Doctors at Holy Family Hospital in Rawalpindi have reportedly issued a death certificate for a two-day-old baby who was still alive. The family confirmed that the child is alive after receiving the death certificate.

A woman named Rubina gave birth to a baby at Holy Family Hospital on Tuesday. The newborn’s condition was critical, and doctors hastily issued a death certificate. 

The certificate clearly states that the body was handed over to the family and bears the stamp and signature of Doctor Tayyaba Sadaf.

The Medical Superintendent (MS) has formed an inquiry committee headed by Dr. Hana Sattar, Head of the Pediatrics Department, to investigate the incident.

Dr. Akhtar Mahmood Malik, MS of Holy Family Hospital, said the hospital will take action against whoever is found responsible in the inquiry. 

However, he noted that medical history contains cases where a patient’s breathing becomes extremely faint and doctors cannot confirm signs of life.

Dr. Malik explained that the baby suffered from Lazarus syndrome, a condition where breathing becomes very faint. 

The child is alive and has been hooked on to a ventilator.