Pakistani man sentenced to 17 years jail in Australia for sexual abuse of hundreds of children

Pakistani man sentenced to 17 years jail in Australia for sexual abuse of hundreds of children
This undated file photo shows Pakistani-Australian man Muhammad Zain Ul Abideen Rasheed, 29, at the District Court of WA in Australia. (Photo courtesy: ABC News/Hugh Sando/File)
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Updated 30 August 2024
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Pakistani man sentenced to 17 years jail in Australia for sexual abuse of hundreds of children

Pakistani man sentenced to 17 years jail in Australia for sexual abuse of hundreds of children
  • Muhammad Zain Ul Abideen Rasheed sentenced in case described as one of Australia’s worst online child sexual abuse schemes
  • The now 29-year-old targeted hundreds of victims in Australia and overseas by pretending to be a teenage social media influencer

ISLAMABAD: A Pakistani-Australian man who pretended to be a teenage YouTube star to blackmail hundreds of children into performing sexual acts has been sentenced to 17 years in jail in Australia, the country’s national broadcaster ABC reported this week. 
Muhammad Zain Ul Abideen Rasheed, 29, targeted children in Australia and overseas by pretending to be a 15-year-old social media influencer with a large following.
He would approach children online in that guise, sending them pictures of the online star and initially asking innocuous questions to gain their trust. The court heard that then escalated to sexually explicit “fantasies” he asked them to approve of, while also asking them for pictures of themselves he could “rate.”
In handing down her sentence in the District Court of WA on Tuesday, Judge Amanda Burrows said the volume of offenses was of such magnitude there was “no comparable case … I can find in Australia,” ABD reported.
Rasheed threatened to send screenshots of the children’s responses to friends and family unless they performed increasingly extreme sexual acts.
In sentencing, Judge Burrows said those offenses were “of a degrading, humiliating nature ... particularly abhorrent.”
The court heard Rasheed would set a “countdown” timer, threatening to distribute the responses and further images he had made of them if they didn’t comply with his demands.
Judge Burrows said Rasheed’s offending was aggravated by the fact he abused a number of the victims with groups of other adults, inviting other pedophiles to watch live streams while he directed children to perform the distressing acts.
In other cases, he continued to bully and coerce the children despite their “obvious distress” and “extreme fear,” with some telling him they were suicidal.
A report prepared by a psychiatrist for the court detailed how Rasheed moved to Australia from Pakistan at a young age and his parents were “traditional, conservative and strict.” He was sent to an all-boys private school where he and his brothers were the only Muslim students, which led to him feeling socially isolated.
He began accessing child exploitation material in 2018, which escalated to the direct offending with children in 2019 after that material “lost its effect.”
He was sentenced for 665 offenses which occurred over an 11-month period and involved 286 victims.
Rasheed was first charged by the Australian Federal Police in 2021 after they were contacted by Interpol and police in the United States raising concerns about a person, believed to be in Australia, who was targeting young girls through social media.
He is already serving a five-year jail term for a separate crime in which he sexually abused a 14-year-old child in his car on two separate occasions at a Perth park, which the judge noted was during the same period he was committing the online offenses.
The court heard Rasheed spent hundreds of hours engaged in a sex offenders treatment program while in prison but a psychiatrist found he still represented a “well above average risk” of reoffending.
This was due to a persistent sexual interest in pubescent children in early adolescence, known as “hebephilia” and “coercive sexual sadism disorder.”
Judge Burrows took into account Rasheed’s youth while sentencing, engagement in a sexual treatment program in prison and early plea in sentencing but said this must be balanced by the need to send a clear message of deterrence and the vulnerability of the victims.
“The victims will forever live with the fear that the recordings you made of them will be [further] disseminated,” Judge Burrows said.
Rasheed will be eligible to apply for parole in August of 2033, when he will be 38 years old.


Pakistani minister reaffirms support for Palestine at humanitarian conference on Gaza and Lebanon

Pakistani minister reaffirms support for Palestine at humanitarian conference on Gaza and Lebanon
Updated 13 sec ago
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Pakistani minister reaffirms support for Palestine at humanitarian conference on Gaza and Lebanon

Pakistani minister reaffirms support for Palestine at humanitarian conference on Gaza and Lebanon
  • Ahsan Iqbal launches the Prime Minister’s Relief Fund for Gaza and Lebanon at the conference in Islamabad
  • He says the Western narrative on human rights has been exposed as Israel carries out ‘genocide’ in Palestine

ISLAMABAD: Federal Minister for Planning and Development Ahsan Iqbal said on Friday the people of Pakistan have a strong bond with Palestinians, as he addressed a conference focused on the humanitarian response to the situation in Gaza and Lebanon, organized by the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA).
The NDMA has sent 11 relief consignments, totaling about 1,154 tons of medicines and other necessary items, to the two conflict zones in the Middle East since October last year.
The national conference, organized by NDMA officials, brought together representatives from the media and various international and local non-governmental organizations to mobilize further support for the residents of Gaza and Lebanon.
“The people of Pakistan have a deep connection with Palestine, a bond that dates back even before the creation of Pakistan,” the minister said at the gathering.
He noted that Pakistan’s founding father, Muhammad Ali Jinnah, had voiced concerns for Palestinian Muslims as early as 1934.
“The people of Pakistan have consistently stood shoulder to shoulder with Palestinians and highlighted their rights, just as we have advocated for the cause of the people of Kashmir on the international stage,” he added.
Iqbal emphasized the severe humanitarian needs resulting from Israel’s war in Palestine and Lebanon, stressing the urgent necessity to extend support to the affected populations.
He announced the establishment of the Prime Minister’s Relief Fund for Gaza and Lebanon, to generate and channel aid from Pakistanis to those living in Gaza and Lebanon.
The Pakistani minister criticized the Western narrative on human rights, saying it had been exposed as Western states looked the other way while unarmed Palestinians were killed, and Israel was given the “license to carry out genocide.”
The war in Gaza has lasted over a year, leading to nearly 43,000 Palestinian deaths, mostly women and children.
More recently, Israel opened another front in Lebanon, with the stated objective of destroying Hezbollah targets, raising fears of a wider war in the region, potentially involving Iran.


Saudi food chain AlBaik set for Pakistan debut after MoU signing with local energy firm

Saudi food chain AlBaik set for Pakistan debut after MoU signing with local energy firm
Updated 35 min 46 sec ago
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Saudi food chain AlBaik set for Pakistan debut after MoU signing with local energy firm

Saudi food chain AlBaik set for Pakistan debut after MoU signing with local energy firm
  • Saudi food chain has amassed a huge fan base among Pakistani expatriates in the kingdom
  • AlBaik’s entry into the Pakistani market has been awaited by those who travel to Saudi Arabia

ISLAMABAD: A popular Saudi food chain is set to make its long-awaited debut in Pakistan after a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) was signed between its officials and Gas & Oil Pakistan Limited (GO), according to a statement issued on Friday.
Established in 1974 in Jeddah, AlBaik is renowned for broast chicken and operates over 120 branches across Saudi Arabia, Bahrain and other regions.
It has amassed a huge fan base among Pakistani expatriates and those traveling to the Kingdom for business or religious purposes.
The collaboration with GO, a leading energy company, marks a significant step in expanding AlBaik’s presence in Pakistan, where its entry has been eagerly awaited.
“In a pioneering step that reflects the Kingdom’s Vision 2030 to enhance national exports and knowledge and open new horizons for Saudi commercial expansion globally, under the patronage of the Saudi Ministry of Investment, a Memorandum of Understanding was signed between the Saudi company AlBaik and the Pakistani company GO,” the statement circulated by the Pakistani firm announced.

Officials of Saudi company AlBaik (left) and the Pakistani company GO and Gas & Oil Pakistan Limited (GO) are exchanging agreements during a ceremony in Islamabad, Pakistan, on October 10, 2024. (APP)

“This MoU aims to explore the possibility of establishing a strategic partnership to set up and operate AlBaik restaurants in the Islamic Republic of Pakistan, as part of the company’s expansion strategy in Pakistan,” it added.
Pakistani and Saudi businesses signed over $2 billion of agreements and MoUs a day earlier in the presence of Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and Saudi Investment Minister Khalid bin Abdulaziz Al-Falih.
The development came as Pakistan seeks closer economic cooperation with friendly countries and regional allies, with the aim to attract foreign investment and shore up its $350 billion economy, beset by a prolonged economic crisis that has drained foreign exchange reserves and weakened the national currency.


Party of Imran Khan threatens march to Islamabad amid ban on meeting jailed leader

Party of Imran Khan threatens march to Islamabad amid ban on meeting jailed leader
Updated 11 October 2024
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Party of Imran Khan threatens march to Islamabad amid ban on meeting jailed leader

Party of Imran Khan threatens march to Islamabad amid ban on meeting jailed leader
  • The Punjab administration has banned meetings with jail inmates in Rawalpindi, citing security reasons
  • PTI’s protest call on October 15 coincides with the Shanghai Cooperation Organization Summit in capital

ISLAMABAD: Former Prime Minister Imran Khan’s Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) party on Friday announced another protest in the federal capital for the coming week, saying it would proceed with the plan if the government failed to grant Khan access to doctors and lawyers.
The development follows restrictions imposed by the Punjab provincial administration on meetings with inmates at Adiala Jail in Rawalpindi, where the ex-premier is imprisoned on multiple charges.
The provincial government issued instructions to enhance jail security after the police counterterrorism department circulated a threat alert in the lead-up to the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) Summit on October 15 and 16.
PTI filed a petition challenging the restrictions on meetings with Khan, calling it a tactic to suppress his voice and expressing concern for his safety in prison amid ongoing tensions with the government and establishment. However, the Islamabad High Court (IHC) only directed the authorities to provide adequate medical facilities in prison and arrange meetings after the ban on visits expires following the SCO Summit.
“The politic committee comprising key members of PTI has announced a protest call at D Chowk Islamabad for Oct. 15, 2024, if access to Former Chairman Imran Khan is not given to his legal team & physician,” the party said in a statement after holding an emergency meeting on the subject.
Referring to an earlier court judgment in March, it noted the authorities were citing security reasons to prevent access to Khan, though Justice Sardar Ijaz of the IHC had ordered video link access if physical interaction with Khan was not possible.
The statement maintained PTI respected the law of the land, but it was “imperative that an access of some kind may be granted [to Khan], as some reports suggested his health was not well,” which was causing unrest within the party.
PTI’s previous protest at Islamabad’s D-Chowk, near some of the most sensitive government installations, brought life in the capital to a standstill as authorities sealed the city with shipping containers, alleging that Khan’s party was trying to “sabotage” the SCO Summit.
After the recent court order in response to its petition, the party has threatened another protest, this time coinciding with the international conference.
PTI’s last protest also led to clashes between its workers and law enforcement personnel, leading to dozens of arrests and injuries to a large number of cops one of whom died after being subjected to alleged torture by the protesters.
Khan, jailed since August last year, was ousted from the PM’s office in 2022 in a parliamentary vote of no confidence after what is widely believed to be a falling out with Pakistan’s powerful military, which denies being involved in politics.
Since his removal, Khan and his party have waged an unprecedented campaign of defiance against the military.


UNICEF appoints actress Saba Qamar as first National Ambassador for Child Rights in Pakistan

UNICEF appoints actress Saba Qamar as first National Ambassador for Child Rights in Pakistan
Updated 11 October 2024
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UNICEF appoints actress Saba Qamar as first National Ambassador for Child Rights in Pakistan

UNICEF appoints actress Saba Qamar as first National Ambassador for Child Rights in Pakistan
  • One of the most versatile artists, Qamar will raise awareness about issues like child marriage, lack of education
  • She calls it an honor to be chosen by the UN agency to work for the well-being of children across the country

ISLAMABAD: The UN agency dedicated to promoting children’s rights worldwide appointed renowned performing artist Saba Qamar as its first National Ambassador in Pakistan on Friday, with Qamar calling it an honor to be chosen to work for the well-being of children in the country.
UNICEF regularly appoints national ambassadors in countries around the world, leveraging the influence of celebrities to raise awareness for children’s rights and issues like education, health care and protection.
High-profile figures such as David Beckham in the UK and Shakira in Colombia have used their platforms to support the UN agency’s global initiatives.
The appointment of Qamar in Pakistan comes on the International Day of the Girl Child, which highlights the unique challenges faced by girls globally.
“We are delighted to announce renowned actor @sabaqamarzaman as our first National Ambassador for Child Rights in Pakistan to champion the rights of children and girls everywhere,” the UN agency announced on Instagram.

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

A post shared by UNICEF Pakistan (@unicefpk)


It also shared Qamar’s reaction in an official handout.
“It’s an honor to join UNICEF,” she said. “I will echo our shared mission of achieving every right for every child wherever I am.”
“In my recent travels, I have seen both the challenges children and women face in this country and the difference UNICEF’s dedicated efforts are making,” she continued. “I promise to play my part for the children and young people of Pakistan so that they can dream and have the chance to fulfill their dreams.”
UNICEF said Qamar would help raise awareness of children’s rights and issues affecting young people, such as child marriage, mental health, lack of education and the impact of violence, exploitation and child poverty.
Qamar, one of Pakistan’s most versatile and critically acclaimed actresses, has been praised for her performances in both Pakistani and Bollywood productions, including her award-winning role in Baaghi and her Filmfare-nominated performance in Hindi Medium.
Her dedication to the arts has earned her several accolades, including Pakistan’s prestigious Pride of Performance award, solidifying her influence both domestically and internationally.


Masood admits England defeat ‘a harsh reality’ for Pakistan

Masood admits England defeat ‘a harsh reality’ for Pakistan
Updated 11 October 2024
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Masood admits England defeat ‘a harsh reality’ for Pakistan

Masood admits England defeat ‘a harsh reality’ for Pakistan
  • England’s attack made short work of last four Pakistan batters on Day 5, dismissing hosts for 220, drawing first blood in three-match series
  • England found a way to win despite Pakistan’s first innings total of 556, responding with the fourth-highest Test score of 823-7 in response 

MULTAN, Pakistan: Pakistan captain Shan Masood admitted England taught his team a “harsh reality” on how to win a Test with their massive innings and 47-run victory in Multan on Friday.
England’s attack made short work of the last four Pakistan batters on Day 5, dismissing the hosts for 220 and drawing first blood in the three-match series.
England found a way to win despite Pakistan’s first innings total of 556, responding with the fourth-highest Test score of 823-7 in response.
“It can’t be more disappointing than this,” said Masood who has lost all six Tests since being appointed captain last year.
“England taught us the harsh reality on how to find a way to win a Test match which we couldn’t find,” said Masood who scored a hundred to set up Pakistan’s first innings.
“After two days being under the sun and being 556 behind they gave themselves a chance to bat and scored big and when they came back with the ball they had a plan and they executed that well.”
Harry Brook smashed 317 and Joe Root a record-setting 262, giving England a 267-run lead and both players their highest Test scores.
Chris Woakes then dismissed Abdullah Shafique with the first ball of the second innings before Jack Leach led the England attack to victory with figures of 4-30.
Masood said England proved themselves a quality side.
“The harsh reality in Test cricket is that no matter what the pitch is, quality sides will find a way and England did that and for us the learning is to find a way to win Tests,” said Masood.
Pakistan’s batting has been stumbling due to a slump for talisman Babar Azam, who has gone without a half-century in his last 18 Test innings.
“There is no doubt that Babar is Pakistan’s best batsman,” said Masood of Azam who scored a scratchy 30 and five in the match.
“You always believe that your best batsman is just one innings away and we hope that he returns to form soon.”
Meanwhile, spinner Abrar Ahmed remained doubtful for the second Test in Multan starting on Tuesday.
“The condition of Abrar is not good so we all pray that he recovers well and plays cricket again,” said Masood of the spinner who did not take the field on the last two days due to a high fever.
The third and final Test is in Rawalpindi from October 24.