PESHAWAR: A man was shot and killed in Pakistan’s northwestern Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) province after he removed another man from his WhatsApp group, police and the victim’s brother said on Saturday, in what appears to be the first case of its kind.
The incident occurred in Regi, a rundown locality on the outskirts of Peshawar, on Friday evening, bringing to light the dangerous consequences of seemingly minor online disputes.
The suspect, Ashfaq Khan, opened fire on WhatsApp group administrator Mushtaq Ahmed after an altercation over the removal of the former from the latter’s WhatsApp group.
Humayun Khan, the victim’s brother, told Arab News that he was present at the scene when Khan opened fire on his brother, saying they were not aware of the details of the altercation.
“My slain brother Mushtaq and Ashfaq had developed some differences in a WhatsApp group, forcing my brother to remove the latter. Ashfaq got infuriated and shot my brother dead,” Humayun said.
“It was a non-issue or a very trivial matter. No one in our family even knew about the dispute at all.”
Abid Khan, a local police officer, said the brother of the deceased had lodged a complaint with police, accusing Khan of fatally shooting Ahmed.
The police report says both parties were in the process of reconciliation, when the suspect suddenly opened fire and killed the WhatsApp group admin.
Abid said the suspect fled the scene after shooting Ahmed dead and police were conducting raids to apprehend him.
The shooting has ignited a broader online discussion, with many social media users expressing sorrow over the incident during the holy fasting month of Ramadan.
Many users emphasized that one of the purposes of fasting in Ramadan is to cultivate self-restraint.
WhatsApp group admin shot dead in northwest Pakistan for allegedly removing member
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WhatsApp group admin shot dead in northwest Pakistan for allegedly removing member
- The shooting in the holy fasting month of Ramadan has ignited a broader online discussion
- Netizens emphasize one of the purposes of fasting in Ramadan is to cultivate self-restraint
Pakistan, Oman navies discuss maritime security, ink agreement to share shipping data
- Visiting Oman royal navy commander calls on Pakistan Naval Chief Admiral Naveed Ashraf in Islamabad
- White shipping agreement refers to exchange of prior information on movement of commercial ships
ISLAMABAD: The naval commanders of Pakistan and Oman discussed regional maritime security on Wednesday and signed an agreement to share shipping information with each other, the Pakistan Navy said in a statement.
The press release followed a meeting between Pakistan Naval Chief Admiral Naveed Ashraf and the visiting Oman Royal Navy Commander Rear Admiral Saif Bin Nasser Bin Mohsin Al Rahbi at Naval Headquarters in Islamabad.
Both navies maintain close professional relations, reflected in expert-level staff talks, joint training, bilateral exercises, and participation in multilateral exercises between the Pakistan Navy and the Royal Navy of Oman.
“During the meeting, matters of mutual interest, regional maritime security and bilateral naval cooperation were discussed,” the Pakistan Navy said.
The MoU was signed by both sides at a ceremony at the Naval Headquarters, the navy’s media wing confirmed.
“The MoU is aimed at establishing of guidelines and procedures for information sharing in order to enhance mutual awareness of white shipping,” the Pakistan Navy said in a statement.
White shipping agreement refers to the exchange of prior information on the movement and identity of commercial non-military merchant vessels.
Information regarding the identity of vessels helps countries tackle potential threats from sea routes. This particularly helps in the development of a proper regional maritime domain awareness
The statement said Al Rahbi lauded Pakistan Navy’s professionalism and acknowledged its ongoing contributions to maritime security and regional stability.
Pakistan and Oman share geographical proximity and common maritime boundaries. Bilateral relations between the two brotherly countries span a wide range of areas, including economic cooperation, people-to-people contacts and strong defense ties.
In December, a Royal Navy flotilla from Oman visited Karachi to take part in the annual bilateral Thamar Al Tayyib (TAT) 2025 exercise.
Pakistan Navy and the Royal Navy of Oman have been conducting the TAT series of exercises regularly since 1980.
