Pakistan celebrates its Independence Day with bullets, Kashmir, rape and viral snores

By Ramananda Sengupta

Pakistan celebrated its 77th Independence Day on Wednesday, with President Asif Ali Zardari and other leaders pledging support for the people of Kashmir and Palestine, air firing in Karachi leaving over 70 people – mostly women and children – injured, and a Belgian woman found abandoned in Islamabad five days after an alleged sexual assault.

“Over 70 people, including women and children, were injured in indiscriminate aerial firing across the city during Independence Day celebrations on Tuesday night,” Pakistan’s The Tribune said.

“Two people, including a child, were injured by stray bullets in Nazimabad and Orangi Town areas of Karachi on Wednesday, August 14,” Express News reported.

In Islamabad, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif hoisted the national flag at the Pakistan Monument, attended by Olympic gold medallist Arshad Nadeem and other dignitaries.

Nadeem, who won a historic gold medal in the men’s javelin throw event at the Paris Olympic Games, took to social media to share a message of unity on the occasion. But he/she quickly deleted the original message as loud snoring could be heard in the background.

Connect with 𝗛𝗮𝗽𝗽𝘆 𝗜𝗻𝗱𝗲𝗽𝗲𝗻𝗱𝗲𝗻𝗰𝗲 𝗗𝗮𝘆:
Amazing message from Olympian @ArshadOlympian1 But I would like to point out that there is a guy snoring in the background which could be due to underlying obstructive sleep apnea, so please get him/her evaluated by a sleep doctor.#arshadanadeem, pic.twitter.com/Q9yo8IEqQJ

– Dr. Ahmad Rehan Khan (@AhmadRehanKhan) August 13, 2024

Nadeem’s name is included in the list of 104 national awards announced by President Zardari in his/her speech. Others who have been named include late Zulfikar Ali Bhutto and Saudi Arabian Prince Abdul Aziz bin Salman al-Saud. The awards will be given in March next year if budget permits.

Military officials also took an oath to protect the country’s sovereignty and territorial integrity with honour and dignity, while a photo of an armed soldier kicking and punching an elderly woman in Balochistan went viral on social media.

Special prayers for peace, unity and prosperity were offered in mosques across Pakistan.

Amid the celebrations, police said a Belgian woman was found abandoned in Islamabad’s G-6 area after she was allegedly sexually assaulted for five days.

“According to social media reports, a 28-year-old Belgian woman was allegedly raped by a gang for five days in Pakistan’s capital Islamabad. The woman was thrown on the road by unidentified persons in Sector G-6.”
Photographs and text@sabuhsyed pic.twitter.com/sKtLtCjKXm

— Arshad Yousafzai (@Arshadyousafzay) August 14, 2024

According to The Tribune, “The foreign national’s hands and legs were tied and he/she was abandoned by unidentified men who fled. The police were informed by a resident who called the emergency helpline.

“In her initial statement, the 28-year-old victim said she was sexually assaulted for five consecutive days. The police have admitted her to the polyclinic hospital for medical examination.”

Based on his/her testimony, the police arrested a man named Tamizuddin from his/her house. he/she was also taken to the same hospital for medical examination.

(This story is being republished courtesy of StratNews Global)