Express Tribune Editorials 11th August 2026

Murder unanswered

The death of Mir Raza, the owner of a Karachi-based dessert chain, has now taken a new turn. A kidnapping case that briefly drifted toward a theory of suicide has been reclassified as murder, only after the family forced a court-ordered exhumation and a second post-mortem exposed what the first had missed or chosen not to see. That reversal should trouble us more than it comforts us. A system that requires public pressure and a grieving family's persistence to arrive at the truth is not a system working as intended.

The crime scene was not preserved, by the home minister's own admission. The first post-mortem missed injuries that a second medical board found unmistakable, including a rear entry gunshot wound and fractures consistent with torture. Two officers have since been suspended, which is itself an acknowledgment that something went wrong beyond ordinary error. In light of this, collusion becomes a reasonable question rather than an unfair one. The possibility of interference cannot be brushed aside, particularly when the authorities themselves acknowledge shortcomings. There are too many questions that now require answers. Why was the possibility of murder not properly pursued from the outset? Why were basic forensic procedures omitted? Why was the crime scene not preserved according to protocol? In such a situation, a distinction between negligence and collusion must be established through an independent inquiry. It cannot be settled by the police investigating themselves. The Sindh government blew hot and cold on forming a judicial commission for the probe, ultimately deciding against it – a move that will completely defeat the purpose of uncovering the truth.

Simultaneously, the state must recognise why public suspicion has intensified. Karachi has seen too many cases in which evidence was mishandled and families were left to pursue justice through the courts and the media. In this case, the authorities have an opportunity to demonstrate that this pattern can be broken. An alleged killer remains among us, and the state must find him.

111 days and counting

Pakistan continues to receive praise from the international community for emerging as a central intermediary in the US-Iran war. Its diplomacy and ability to facilitate dialogue are being widely commended. However, standing in stark contrast to this image is the Pakistan government's attitude toward rescuing the 10 Pakistani citizens aboard a hijacked, Palau-flagged tanker. It has been over 100 days - 111 to be exact - since they had been taken hostage by Somali pirates, yet the government has apparently made no serious effort to secure its people and bring them home.

Like many other pressing issues, the plea for their recovery gained traction on social media and mainstream media, only to eventually fade away without a conclusive resolution. Both the public and the government seem to have forgotten them, leaving their families worried sick. According to a family member, the captives' conditions are worsening due to a lack of proper nutrition, resulting in infections and severe weakness.

A recent distress call - the first made in quite some time - has brought this matter back to the forefront. According to authorities, the kidnapped crew does not fall under the state's jurisdiction because they were traversing waters designated as "no-go areas". With this single, simple explanation, the government has entirely abdicated its responsibility to protect its citizens.

If the government fails to claim ownership over Pakistani citizens, no matter where they are in the world, the rest of the world will follow suit. An issue that infringes upon a citizen's basic right to freedom must be treated with the severity it deserves, regardless of whether a favourable conclusion can be reached immediately. This is both a political and humanitarian emergency, and these hostages deserve to be fought for.

Netanyahu's stunt

Benjamin Netanyahu is undeniably a troublemaker who cannot be relied upon to make peace. He stands accused of war crimes in Gaza - where the ICJ ruled that Palestinians face a plausible risk of genocide - and remains a threat to regional peace and security. That impression stands vindicated once again as the hawkish Israeli Prime Minister has outright rejected the US-backed Gaza peace plan, refusing to withdraw from the besieged enclave while citing a stringent set of preconditions. The demand to disarm and "obliterate" Hamas while Israel retains its occupation of the Gaza Strip is tantamount to throwing a spanner in the works, meant to appease right-wing radicals ahead of elections.

Hamas had walked the talk by dissolving its organisational structure in Gaza and agreeing to surrender its weapons to a nascent Palestinian governing body. The Gaza Peace Plan, backed by President Donald Trump, was widely seen as a precursor to perpetual peace because it outlined autonomous rule for stateless Palestinians. Thus, this new stunt by Netanyahu is condemnable, coming on the heels of the Jewish state's continued transgressions across Gaza and the West Bank. It is a given that the multibillion-dollar demilitarisation and rebuilding project can only see the light of day if Israel abides by its salient features and stops altering ground realities.

Netanyahu had the audacity to visit the White House and snub the incumbent president by refusing to honour the Gaza Peace Plan. This attitude is an extension of Israel's policies to bomb Lebanon, intrude in Syria, and conspire to derail the fragile diplomatic balance merely to serve its vested political interests. This cannot be allowed to go on unhampered. The onus is on POTUS to put his foot down and tame his ally if he is serious about ushering in tranquility in the Middle East and beyond. It is also time for regional stakeholders to prevail over Washington to clip Tel Aviv's wings. It would be futile to expect Hamas to keep its cool while Israel pushes it to the wall.