Customs foils bid to smuggle gold worth Rs31.17m

Officials of the Pakistan Customs posted at Jinnah International Airport on Thursday claimed to have foiled a smuggling bid of gold from Karachi to abroad and seized gold worth millions of rupees.

According to a Pakistan Customs spokesperson, pursuant to a credible information and high alert about a bid to smuggle gold and foreign currency, the customs staff at the airport intercepted three passengers, resident of the Azizabad area. The passengers were leaving for Dubai and the United States of America by Emirates Airlines flight No EK607.

The detailed examination and personal search of passengers led to the discovery of 4,517 grams of purported gold ornaments worth Rs31.176 million which were attempted to be smuggled by them. The gold was in the pure form of 24-Karat shaped in semi-finished bangles.

Due to strong vigilance and enforcement measures against currency smuggling, now gold was being smuggled and used for money laundering, therefore, surveillance at airports had been increased. An FIR had been lodged while an investigation was underway to apprehend the culprits, financers and collaborators, the spokesman added.

Fire damages welding shop

A fire broke out at a welding shop in the Korangi area on Thursday. According to a fire brigade spokesperson, the fire broke out at the shop located in Sector 50-A, Korangi No 4, within the jurisdiction of the Zaman Town police station.

Scores of people gathered at the spot when they saw the blaze erupting from the shop and attempted to douse the fire themselves; however, later they had to call the fire brigade department.

Reacting to the information, one fire tender was dispatched to the scene to put out the fire. They were able to control the blazes within an hour. No loss of life was reported and the cause of the fire was yet to be ascertained, the spokesman added.

Woman allegedly commits suicide over family dispute

A woman allegedly committed suicide by hanging herself from a ceiling fan at her house in the Manghopir area. Reacting to the information, volunteers from a welfare association reached the scene of the incident and shifted the body to Abbasi Shaheed Hospital where she was identified as 22-year-old Bisma, wife of Noman.

According to police officials, the body of the woman was found at a house located in Gulshan-e-Tauheed, Orangi Town, within the limits of the Manghopir police station.

The police said that Bisma married Noman about a couple of years ago, adding that the victim’s in-laws claimed that she committed suicide over a family dispute. The police were investigating the case from different angles.

Labourer dies

A labourer died while another was injured after the roof of an under construction house collapsed. Police officials said that the incident took place at the under construction house located in Karim Town within the limits of the Gadap City police station. The dead and the injured were taken to Abbasi Shaheed Hospital where the deceased person was identified as 26-year-old Mehboob and the injured man as 35-year-old Arshad.