THE botched case of a young Karachi businessman, Mir Raza Ali , who died under suspicious circumstances, took a new turn recently when his parents alleged kidnapping, torture and murder, while the police, at least initially, leaned towards suicide . The police surgeon questioned the post-mortem report on television; the deceased’s father filed a plea seeking exhumation of the body and the constitution of a medico-legal board. A day after the court’s permission, exhumation was postponed after the family objected to the sudden reconstitution of the board. Regrettably, reports submitted by medico-legal surgeons have been disputed with disturbing regularity in the country. Criminal cases rest on their findings. Any loopholes can bury justice for victims and their kin. Yet, not only have these assessments often been flawed, pressure is exercised to have the evidence altered. An inaccurate record of a victim’s wounds hinders the dispensation of justice. M...
LAHORE: Heavy rain lashed Lahore on Saturday, inundating low-lying areas, major roads and several underpasses, making movement difficult for pedestrians and motorists in different parts of the city. The downpour disrupted normal traffic as rainwater accumulated on roads and in low-lying localities, leaving motorists struggling to navigate waterlogged stretches. Pedestrians also struggled to move through streets and roads where water had accumulated. According to rainfall data from the Water and Sanitation Agency (Wasa), the city received an average of 24.6mm of rain. The highest rainfall of 104mm was recorded at the airport, followed by 75.6mm at Kahna, 62.6mm at Hadiara Defence Road and 58.6mm at Manawan. Tajpura sub-divisional officer’s (SDO) office recorded 40.2mm of rain, while 32.8mm was recorded at the Mughalpura SDO office. Shadipura received 28.4mm, Nishter Town 28mm, Chowk Nakhuda 11mm, Johar Town SDO Office 11mm, while 10.8mm was recorded at the Wasa head office in Gu...