Latest from Express Tribune
Express Tribune
an hour ago
- Express Tribune
Tragedy hits family welcoming Hajjis
The SUV, battered and buried, emerges after being pulled from beneath the sand and gravel truck by rescuers. PHOTO: EXPRESS Two members of a family were killed and as many injured when a speeding dumper truck overturned onto their vehicle on Rashid Minhas Road in the early hours of Thursday. The victims were part of a convoy heading to Jinnah International Terminal to welcome relatives returning from Hajj. The deceased were identified by their family as 55-year-old Shaheena Naeem and her seven-year-old niece, Ayesha, daughter of Khurram Kareem. The injured included Khurram's wife, Anam, 30, and Khurram himself, who was driving the double-cabin pickup. The victims, residents of ROC Cooperative Housing Society, Scheme 33, were en route to receive their uncle, Kashif Kareem, and his family, who had just performed Hajj. Saud Khan, Shaheena's son, recounted the incident, saying that their convoy of four to five vehicles had stopped at the COD signal when a heavily loaded dumper truck, speeding recklessly, overtook from the left, lost control, and toppled onto their vehicle. "The dumper crushed our car under its weight, burying it in sand and gravel. The driver fled immediately, leaving us helpless," Saud said, his voice trembling with grief and anger. Family members and witnesses expressed severe frustration over the slow and disorganised rescue operation. Saud lamented that it took over three hours to extract the victims, with rescue workers forced to manually remove sand using shovels due to the absence of heavy machinery. "There were no oxygen cylinders available-rescue teams claimed they had run out. We kept begging for help, but the administration's response was shameful," he said. By the time the crushed vehicle was finally pulled out with the help of cranes, Shaheena and young Ayesha had already succumbed to their injuries. The tragedy has sparked outrage over the negligence of dumper truck drivers, who often flout traffic laws with impunity. Police confirmed that the driver escaped and remains unidentified, though witnesses alleged he appeared to be under the influence of drugs. Traffic was severely disrupted for hours as officials struggled to clear the wreckage. Family members, overwhelmed by grief, reportedly clashed with media personnel at the scene, with one allegedly assaulting a cameraman. This tragedy has also brought attention to Karachi's illegal sand and gravel trade. Despite Section 144 being imposed in Malir district to curb unauthorised extraction, trucks continue to operate at night, transporting material from Gadap, Memon Goth, and other areas. Chhipa Foundation spokesperson Chaudhry Shahid confirmed the accident occurred around 3:15am, attributing it to the driver's reckless speeding. SHO Gadap City, police station Sarfraz reiterated that illegal mining persists despite the ban, raising questions about enforcement. The funeral prayers for Ayesha were held in Buffer Zone, while Shaheena's took place in Liaquatabad. Both were laid to rest in the C-1 Area Graveyard.
Express Tribune
an hour ago
- Express Tribune
Extortion shadow looms over the metro
The extortion mafia has once again raised its head in the city, with 32 cases reported over the past five months. The highest number of incidents — 10 — were reported in District Central, where extortionists not only targeted individuals but also caused loss of life through gunfire. Taking notice of the rising number of extortion cases, Karachi Police Chief Javed Alam Odho has formed a 13-member team comprising the SSP of New Karachi Division, CPLC, SIU, technical team members, and officers from the operations wing of the District Central police. So far this year, 11 extortion cases were reported in January, four in February, nine in March, five in April, and three in May. According to reports, hotel owners, food centres, paan shopkeepers, and street vendors were blackmailed and threatened with dire consequences if they did not pay extortion money. In the New Karachi area of District Central, a young boy and a social worker — who was providing iftar to citizens during Ramazan — were killed in firing by extortionists. Additionally, several shopkeepers have reported cases to the police in which they paid extortion money. It is worth noting that investigations have revealed evidence of the involvement of the Lyari gang war's Wasiullah Lakho and Samad Kathiawari groups in these extortion cases. Police have already arrested several members of both groups. The special team formed to crack down on extortionists will be headed by SP New Karachi Division Salman Waheed, and will include Assistant Chief Operations of CPLC Kashif Iftikhar, Deputy Chief District Central Sheikh Faraz, and Naveed Hashmi. Other members include DSP Operations Wasif Qureshi and DSP Investigation Nasir Afridi from the Special Investigation Unit (SIU) of the CIA Police, SHO SIU Inspector Malik Mazhar Awan, and technical team members Sub-Inspectors Qadir Jalali and Zeeshan, along with area Head Constable Faraz. The team also includes the SDPO of New Karachi from the Operations Wing of District Central and the technical team of District Central. In addition, the team may seek assistance from any police officer within the Karachi Range as needed. The Karachi Police Chief has tasked the team with preventing further extortion cases in District Central and arresting those involved.
Express Tribune
an hour ago
- Health
- Express Tribune
SHCC introduces online registration of clinics, hospitals
Sindh Healthcare Commission (SHCC) has introduced online facilities for registration and licensing of clinics and private hospitals. In this regard, Sindh Healthcare Commission has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Sindh Business One Stop Shop (SBOSS) under the World Bank-funded Competitive & Livable City of Karachi (CLICK) project, under which the process of registration and licensing of healthcare institutions across Sindh has been made completely online. In this regard, the commission Chairman Dr Khalid Hussain Sheikh told The Express Tribune that now the registration of clinics and hospitals has been made easy. With the cooperation of CLICK Project Director and Healthcare Commission, digital services will be provided from manual. SHCC CEO Dr Ahsan Qavi Siddiqui referring to the online portal, said that the Board of Commissioners has entrusted them with the responsibility of automating the registration of doctors and hospitals. He also shared details about a broader digital transformation of Sindh healthcare using the ERP system, which is 80 per cent complete. SHCC Board of Commissioners Member Dr Mirza Ali Azhar said that the main objective of the initiative is to simplify the registration of hospitals and clinics while ensuring the rights of healthcare providers and their patients.
Express Tribune
an hour ago
- Health
- Express Tribune
Second Congo virus death reported in Malir
Sindh has reported its second casualty from the Crimean-Congo Hemorrhagic Fever (CCHF) Known as Congo virus in 2025, after a fisherman from Ibrahim Hyderi died on June 19. A confirmed case of Congo virus was reported in Malir district after 25-year-old fisherman from Ibrahim Hyderi, identified as Muhammad Zubair was admitted to Jinnah Hospital on June 16 with severe symptoms, including high fever, muscle pain, abdominal pain, cough, diarrhea, and bleeding. Upon suspicion of Congo virus infection and due to limited facilities, he was referred to the Sindh Infectious Diseases Hospital & Research Centre (SIDH & RC), where he passed away on June 19. Following the death, the Sindh Health Department has mobilised an Active Search and Response Team to the affected locality. Health officials have gathered information from the family and identified all individuals who were in contact with the patient. As of now, no other person has been reported with the virus. However, residents and family members have been counseled on preventive measures and early symptom detection.
Express Tribune
an hour ago
- Politics
- Express Tribune
Rs1b development schemes approved for District East: Wahab
Mayor Murtaza Wahab has said that eleven development schemes worth Rs1 billion have been approved in the budget for district east, and work on these projects will commence in coming days. He said a longstanding issue in the area is sewerage and all lines in the area will be repaired at a cost of Rs132 million. Funds of Rs20 million have been allocated for each of Karachi's 246 union councils. "We have allocated funds for every UC without any discrimination, regardless of the political party affiliation, because every UC represents Karachi," he said. The mayor was talking to the media after laying the foundation stone for various development projects in Lines Area, including internal road restoration, drainage, and carpeting of streets. He further stated that this week, Karachi will receive another Rs1 billion development package. "All development work in the area will be completed within this year, including carpeting of 200,000 square feet of internal roads, he mentioned." He urged the public to stop using plastic bags, which are the main cause of destruction in the city's sewerage system. He criticised those who hinder development work and engage in divisive politics.
