Day: July 10, 2026

Peshawar: Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government has provided basic facilities to 117 minority places of worship across the province as part of an important initiative to promote religious freedom, welfare and inter-faith harmony among the minority community.

KP Minister for Auqaf, Hajj, Religious and Minority Affairs Sahibzada Muhammad Adnan Qadri participated as a special guest in the handover ceremony held here on Thursday.

Secretary Auqaf, Hajj, Religious and Minority Affairs Attaur Rahman, senior officials of the Auqaf Department, representatives of the minority community including religious leaders of Gurdwaras, Churches and Temples participated in the ceremony.

During the ceremony, a total of 1,122 essential items for 117 minority places of worship across the province were handed over to the relevant representatives. Among the items provided are 30 electric water coolers, 25 sound systems, 1,000 steel chairs, 37 large size beds, a generator and 30 other essential items. including, the purpose of which is to provide better facilities for holding religious rituals and gatherings in places of worship.

Speaking on the occasion, Provincial Minister, Sahibzada Muhammad Adnan Qadri said that the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government was taking practical measures to protect the religious, social and constitutional rights of the minority community.

He said that the provision of basic facilities to the minority places of worship was an important development that would facilitate the organization of religious events and provide a better environment to the minority communities.

He said that necessary facilities have been approved for 18 minority places of worship in the merged districts, while earlier the government has provided various basic facilities to 85 minority places of worship.

The provincial minister further announced that the government was also introducing a laptop scheme for the able and intelligent students of the minority community so that they can have better access to modern education and digital facilities.

On this occasion, Secretary Auqaf Attaur Rehman said that the government of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa was playing a significant role in providing facilities to minority communities in Pakistan.

He said that the places of worship have been provided with facilities according to their needs so that the minority community can perform their religious duties in a better way.

At the end of the ceremony, the provincial minister Sahibzada Muhammad Adnan Qadri distributed the facilities and goods to the representatives of Gurdwaras, Churches and Temples and reiterated his determination that the government would continue to take effective measures for the welfare of the minority communities, religious freedom and social security.

Sargodha: The University of Sargodha would organise the Fourth National Conference on “Future of Education 2026” from July 10 to 11 at Kohsar University Murree, bringing together some of Pakistan’s leading educationists, vice chancellors and researchers to deliberate on the evolving landscape of higher education and future academic challenges.

According to a press release issued by UoS here on Thursday,Vice Chancellor of the University of Sargodha, Prof. Dr. Qaisar Abbas, will serve as the Patron-in-Chief of the conference, while internationally renowned scientist and Coordinator General of COMSTECH, Prof. Dr. Muhammad Iqbal Choudhary, will attend as the chief guest.

The conference will feature keynote addresses by prominent vice chancellors from across the country, including Prof. Dr. Muhammad Kamran, Vice Chancellor of The Islamia University of Bahawalpur; Prof. Dr. Nasir Mahmood, Vice Chancellor of Allama Iqbal Open University, Islamabad; Prof. Dr. Rao Aftab Azam, Vice Chancellor of Government College University Faisalabad; Prof. Dr. Kanwal Ameen, Vice Chancellor of Government College Women University Faisalabad; Prof. Dr. Muhammad Zubair Iqbal, Vice Chancellor of Bahauddin Zakariya University, Multan; and Prof. Dr. Uzma Qureshi, Vice Chancellor of Lahore College for Women University.

A panel discussion will also be held as part of the conference, bringing together distinguished academic leaders, including Prof. Dr. Ashfaq Ahmed, Vice Chancellor of Ghazi University, Dera Ghazi Khan; Prof. Dr. Umar Chaudhry, Vice Chancellor of Government College University Lahore; Prof. Dr. Saeed Ahmad Buzdar, Vice Chancellor of Thal University, Bhakkar; Prof. Dr. Rafia Mumtaz, Vice Chancellor of Kohsar University Murree; Prof. Dr. Shahzad Anjum, Vice Chancellor of Government Sadiq College Women University, Bahawalpur; and Prof. Dr. Syeda Shahida, Vice Chancellor of Women University Multan. The panelists will exchange views on key issues shaping the future of higher education in Pakistan.

Prof. Dr. Qaisar Abbas expressed confidence that the conference would continue the tradition of previous successful editions by providing a vibrant platform for academic leadership, collaboration and policy dialogue. He said the participation of eminent scholars, university heads and researchers would contribute to shaping a progressive and forward-looking educational agenda for the country.

Conference Coordinator Prof. Dr. Ejaz Rasool Noorka said all arrangements had been finalized and the programme was ready for implementation.

The conference is the fourth in a series initiated under the leadership of Prof. Dr. Qaisar Abbas. Along with renowned educationists from across Pakistan, the event will also be attended by the University of Sargodha’s deans, directors, principals, chairpersons of academic departments and senior administrative officers.

Muzaffargarh: Mehmood Kot Police on Thursday arrested a proclaimed offender and recovered 1.5 kg hashish from his possession.

On a tip-off, the team conducted raid in Rang Shah area and arrested the accused Muhammad Sheraz, who was wanted in many theft cases.

Further investigation was launched.

Sargodha: As many as 75,550 registered women beneficiaries of the Benazir Income Support Programme (BISP) have received the latest quarterly payment of Rs14,500 each across Sargodha district, said Assistant Director BISP Sumaira on Thursday.

Talking to the Associated Press of Pakistan, she said the payments were being disbursed through wallet SIM accounts under the recently released tranche.

She highlighted that a total of 213,000 women were registered under the programme in the district, including around 150,000 in Sargodha tehsil, while the remaining beneficiaries belonged to Kot Momin, Bhalwal, Bhera, Sillanwali, Sahiwal and Shahpur tehsils.

Sumaira said that around 30,000 belonged to Sargodha tehsil, while the remaining beneficiaries were from the other tehsils.

She said the payment process was continuing smoothly across the district and advised beneficiaries to visit their nearest designated retailer to collect their payments.

The assistant director said that 86 per cent of the SIM distribution process had been completed across the district, while the remaining beneficiaries had been requested to visit their respective BISP tehsil offices to receive their SIMs.

She urged women beneficiaries to immediately report any illegal deduction or overcharging by retailers to the relevant BISP office so that prompt action could be taken.

Multan: Punjab Agriculture Department has issued a fresh advisory urging rice growers to adopt recommended transplantation practices to ensure healthy crop establishment and improved yields during the ongoing cultivation season.

According to the advisory, farmers should irrigate rice nurseries one to two days before uprooting seedlings to soften the soil and facilitate easy removal of plants without damaging their roots.

Officials advised maintaining a spacing of 9 inches between rows and plants, while transplanting two seedlings per hill. Seedlings should be transplanted in 1 to 1.5 inches of standing water, with the water depth maintained at around 2 inches during the first week, ensuring it does not exceed 3 inches.

The advisory further recommends completing the process within 10 days after uprooting the seedlings. For puddled fields, seedlings should be 25 to 30 days old, while for dry direct-seeded fields, the recommended seedling age is 35 to 40 days.

The agriculture spokesman also advised farmers to drain excess water from fields after heavy rainfall. It urged growers to apply fertilizers and crop protection chemicals only after rainfall has stopped and in consultation with local officials of the agriculture department.

He emphasized that these recommendations would help improve crop establishment, promote healthy plant growth, and contribute to better rice production.

Hyderabad: The trauma centre in Tando Adam, damaged by an electrical short circuit fire months ago, officially reopened on Thursday. This critical restoration revives essential emergency healthcare services for residents of the town and surrounding areas. The facility was inaugurated jointly by District Health Officer Dr Muhammad Farooq Arain, Assistant Commissioner Hunain Tariq Shahani and Medical Superintendent Dr Ghulam Ali Samoo.

Speaking at the ceremony, the officials said the restoration of the trauma centre would significantly improve access to timely emergency medical care for accident victims and critically ill patients. They said efforts would continue to equip the facility with modern medical equipment, essential medicines and other resources to enhance the quality of emergency services.

Dr Arain said the health department was committed to strengthening public healthcare and ensuring the provision of quality medical services in the district. AC Shahani assured participants that the district administration would continue to extend full support for improving healthcare infrastructure. MS Dr Samoo said the trauma centre had been rehabilitated after sustaining damage in a fire triggered by an electrical short circuit. He added that the facility would now remain operational round the clock, providing 24-hour emergency services to patients. Residents welcomed the reopening of the centre and appreciated the efforts of the health department and district administration.