LAHORE: Two women have been arrested for murder after strangling a Pakistani faith healer with a scarf after years of being blackmailed over videos he took of them, police said on Monday.
The women told police they had turned to Riaz Hussain for help in removing black magic curses but he instead took compromising videos that he threatened to release.
“During the investigation it was found that Riaz Hussain had been sexually harassing women for a long time under the pretext of spiritual healing,” police in the city of Multan in Punjab province said in a statement.
The women, with the help of their cousin and another man, strangled the faith healer with a scarf before dumping his body.
The four have been arrested for murder, police said, adding that a fifth man has also been arrested.
Faith healers are revered by some communities in Pakistan and their orders are followed devotedly, allowing for widespread exploitation.
A pregnant woman was brought to a hospital with a nail hammered into her head in 2022 after a faith healer said it would guarantee she gave birth to a boy.
Another woman died the following year after being tortured with sticks for days by a faith healer who claimed to be following an exorcism ritual.
Women strangle blackmailing Pakistan faith healer — police
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Women strangle blackmailing Pakistan faith healer — police
- The women say they turned to Riaz Hussain for help in removing black magic curses but he instead took their compromising videos
- Faith healers are revered by some communities in Pakistan and their orders are followed devotedly, allowing for widespread exploitation
Pakistani javelin star Arshad Nadeem bags ‘Global Breakthrough Athlete Award’ in UAE
- Arshad Nadeem made history last year after winning Pakistan’s first gold medal in javelin at the Paris Olympics 2024
- Two-day World Sports Summit is being held in Dubai with over 1,500 sports leaders, athletes, policymakers attending
SLAMABAD: Pakistan’s javelin star and Olympic gold medalist Arshad Nadeem won the Global Breakthrough Athlete award at the World Sports Summit in the UAE on Monday.
The two-day World Sports Summit is being held in Dubai from Dec. 29-30. The global event features over 1,500 sports leaders, policymakers and athletes who will partake in discussions related to the future of the industry under the theme “Uniting the World Through Sport,” the Emirates News Agency (WAM) said.
News channels aired footage of Nadeem receiving the award in Dubai. Pakistan’s Information Minister Attaullah celebrated the achievement, referring to Nadeem as the nation’s “pride.”
“An honor for Pakistan,” Tarar wrote on social media platform X. “Arshad Nadeem is our pride.”
Nadeem won Pakistan’s first gold medal in javelin in August 2024 when he won the men’s javelin competition with a record-breaking 92.97-meter throw, triggering celebrations across the country.
Nadeem has also won medals at other international competitions, such as the Commonwealth Games and the Asian Games. In November, Nadeem won the gold medal in the men’s javelin throw at the Islamic Solidarity Games 2025 in Saudi Arabia, recording a throw of 83.05 meters from six attempts in a seven-man field.
