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### Domestic Security and Crime Investigations
Security forces registered significant success with the recovery of 14 passengers who had been abducted from a bus traveling from Sadiqabad to Quetta. This operation contrasts with heightened investigative activity in Karachi following a high-profile incident in Malir Alfalah.
Police are currently probing a reported home invasion where the victim alleges two women and one man carried out a robbery. The victim claims gold jewelry was stolen and that she sustained knife wounds during the incident. While CCTV footage confirms the entry of a man and two women on a motorcycle into the residence, police authorities have expressed skepticism, noting that initial evidence does not definitively support the claim of a dacoity. Officials stated that the investigation is actively pursuing all angles, including the possibility of personal enmity.
Further challenges to law enforcement in Karachi include two separate supermarket robberies committed by two suspects in the Gulshan Hadeed area over a span of two days. Meanwhile, Christmas security arrangements were reviewed during a meeting chaired by Additional IG Karachi Javed Alam Odho.
In other security incidents, a railway track near Humayun in Shikarpur was damaged by an explosive device. High-profile crime also saw a significant development as DSP Usman Haider was suspended following his arrest on charges of murdering his wife and daughter.
### Governance, Judicial Action, and Political Engagement
In a major governmental appointment, Zafar Hijazi was formally sworn in as the Federal Tax Ombudsman (FTO) in Islamabad, with President Asif Zardari administering the oath of office.
Provincial chief ministers addressed pressing issues:
* **Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP):** CM Sohaib Afridi visited Peshawar Central Jail and announced a special two-month remission for prisoners. However, in a contrasting development, proceedings were initiated to declare the Chief Minister an absconder.
* **Balochistan:** CM Sarfraz Bugti highlighted the rapidly worsening drought situation in the province, announcing that comprehensive planning is underway to mitigate the crisis.
The Peshawar High Court received an application requesting the removal of Provincial Minister Amjad Ali’s name from the Exit Control List (ECL) and the Provincial National Interdiction List (PNIL).
In the Sindh Assembly, two important resolutions were tabled: one aimed at modernizing the fire brigade system across the province, and another paying rich tribute to the Bihari community for their sacrifices alongside the Pakistan Armed Forces during the 1971 tragedy of East Pakistan.
### Diplomatic Ties and Political Movements
The newly appointed Ambassador of the United Arab Emirates (UAE), Salim Mohammed Al Zaabi, visited Governor Sindh Kamran Tessori at Governor House in Karachi. Discussions centered on strengthening bilateral relations, boosting investment opportunities, and reviewing shared interests between Pakistan and the UAE.
Separately, delegations from the Tehreek Tahaffuz-e-Aain-e-Pakistan (TTA-P) held political meetings in Islamabad, visiting the office of Jamaat-e-Islami and meeting with the head of the Qaumi Watan Party (QWP), Aftab Sherpao.
### International and Social Headlines
Pakistan’s Human Rights Council (HRCP) issued a response regarding the alleged actions of Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar, who reportedly pulled the veil (niqab) off a Muslim female doctor in India.
The father of the civilian hailed as a hero for restraining an attacker during a recent incident in Sydney, Australia, praised his son’s courage, stating that the bravery saved the lives of dozens of innocent people. Indian police also released a statement regarding Sajid Akram, a terrorism suspect connected to Sydney’s Bondi Beach area.
In an unrelated event, renowned Bollywood actor Anupam Kher shared his “interesting” experience of traveling by train after missing an Indigo connecting flight from Varanasi to Khajuraho.
Finally, in a local tragedy, a two-year-old child died after falling into a sewage pit in Basti Kakkar Wala, Layyah. The death of Mian Manzoor Ahmed Wattoo was confirmed by his family.
