Day: July 10, 2026

Mirpur (ajk): Ongoing brisk preparations for holding of scheduled July 27 General Elections to 53–seat Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK) Legislative Assembly entered in a free fair and transparent manner entered the final stage with the Election Commission of Azad Jammu and Kashmir (ECP AJK) moving to complete all necessary arrangements for the pollsit was officially said.

“Following the announcement of the elections schedule, political activities have gained momentum across the region, with major political parties launching vigorous election campaigns to secure public support”, Correspondent reports from Mirpur quoting the authorotative Azad Jammu and Kashmir Election Commission sources.

The AJK Election Commission has issued the final list of candidates contesting the 33 general seats of AJK and 12 seats reserved for Kashmiri refugees settled in Pakistan. According to official figures, a total of 846 candidates are participating in the elections, representing various political parties as well as contesting as independent candidates.

The polling scheme for the July 27 elections has also been prepared.

Official data shows that the total number of registered voters in AJK stands at 3,804,368, including 2,001,655 male voters and 1,802,715 female voters who will exercise their right to vote and elect representatives for the next five-year term.

To facilitate voters and ensure a transparent electoral process, a total of 6,983 polling stations have been established across AJK and in the relevant areas of Pakistan for refugee constituency voters.

The Election Commission said arrangements regarding security, transportation of election material, and deployment of polling staff are being finalised.

A tough contest is expected among major political parties in the AJK elections. Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N), Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) AJK, Istihkam-e-Pakistan Party (IPP), and several other national and regional parties are participating in the electoral race.

Party leaders and candidates are actively engaging with voters through public meetings, corner meetings, and election gatherings.

Political analysts believe that the elections will pave the way for the formation of a new government in AJK, while the results are likely to have a significant impact on the political landscape of the region.

Meanwhile, the Election Commission has directed all political parties and candidates to strictly follow the election code of conduct, reiterating its commitment to holding free, fair, and transparent elections.

Bahawalpur: Commissioner Bahawalpur Division Irfan Ali Kathia, accompanied by Deputy Commissioner Syed Hassan Raza, visited an orphanage, Government Dar-ul-Atfal (Girls) Bahawalpur, to review progress, quality, and pace of the ongoing development and rehabilitation project.

During the visit, Director Social Welfare Sehar Siddiqa briefed the commissioner on various phases of the project, ongoing construction activities, completed works, and the timeline for the remaining components.

According to the briefing, the project is being implemented under the Punjab Government’s Annual Development Programme (ADP) and aims to renovate and rehabilitate the existing building while improving accessibility for persons with disabilities. The scheme includes the restoration of the main building, reconstruction of the boundary wall, installation of a new main gate and gate pillars, external development works, improvements to the drinking water supply and drainage system, and the upgrading of other essential facilities to provide a safer and more comfortable living environment for the girls residing at the institution.

The Director Social Welfare informed the visiting officials that construction activities are progressing according to schedule. Several major components, including roof repairs, installation of new windows, plastering of residential sections, laying of interlocking and tuff tiles, and water boring, have already been completed. The remaining work is also being carried out at an accelerated pace to ensure timely completion of the project.

Expressing satisfaction over the progress, Commissioner Irfan Ali Kathia directed the concerned departments to complete all construction work within the stipulated timeframe while maintaining the highest standards of quality and transparency. He stressed that there should be no compromise on construction standards at any stage of the project. He observed that upon completion, the project would provide safer, more modern, and improved residential facilities for orphaned girls and persons with disabilities, reflecting the Punjab Government’s commitment to strengthening social welfare institutions. The Commissioner further stated that, in line with the vision of Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz, improving social welfare institutions and ensuring quality facilities for underprivileged and vulnerable segments of society remain among the provincial government’s top priorities. He instructed officials to continue regular monitoring of the project to ensure that construction progresses according to schedule and pre
scribed standards.

Deputy Commissioner Syed Hassan Raza also directed the relevant officers to maintain continuous supervision of the project, emphasizing that neither quality nor construction timelines should be compromised. He said the timely completion of public welfare projects remains one of the district administration’s foremost responsibilities and assured that all available resources would be utilized to achieve this objective.

Later, Commissioner Irfan Ali Kathia visited the Central Library Bahawalpur and the Bahawalpur Museum, where he inspected the ongoing revamping and renovation works. He received detailed briefings on the progress of both projects and instructed the concerned authorities to complete the rehabilitation and development schemes within the prescribed timeframe so that citizens can benefit from improved educational, cultural, and research facilities.

Mirpurkhas: District Council Mirpurkhas Chairman Mir Anwar Ali Khan Talpur on Thursday presented a Rs 49,300 surplus budget for the fiscal year 2026-27, which was unanimously approved by the council.

The budget session was attended by Vice Chairman Mir Ahmed Talpur, Chief Officer Syed Imran Haider, Enforcement Officer Owais Raza Laghari, Taxation Officer Syeda Muattar Fatima Kazmi, council members and journalists.

Speaking on the occasion, the chairman congratulated Sindh Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah on presenting the provincial budget and said the District Council was committed to extending development projects to both urban and rural areas to improve civic facilities and address public issues.

Presenting the fourth annual budget, he said the council had estimated total receipts of Rs796.071 million and total expenditure of Rs796.022 million, leaving a budget surplus of Rs49,300.

According to the budget documents, major sources of revenue include Rs459.876 million under the OZT share, Rs16 million from tax on the transfer of immovable property, Rs1.01 million from fees, Rs3 million from rents of shops and residential quarters, Rs22.8 million in outstanding rent recoveries, Rs100,000 under other income, and a previous year’s surplus of Rs313.805 million.

The expenditure side allocates Rs130.845 million for salaries, Rs149.5 million for pensions, Rs40.89 million for contingency expenses, Rs500,000 for mandatory expenditures, and Rs446.287 million for development schemes. Other allocations include Rs12.5 million for special expenditures, Rs9.45 million for pension arrears, Rs5.65 million for financial assistance, Rs400,000 for scholarships and Rs5.65 million for grants.

The approved grants include Rs2 million for financial assistance to the families of employees who die during service, Rs100,000 for the Mango Exhibition, Rs50,000 for the Flower Exhibition, Rs1 million for press clubs in Mirpurkhas district, Rs1 million for Public School Mirpurkhas, Rs500,000 for the District Bar Association and High Court Bar, and Rs500,000 for financial assistance to poor and deserving people.

The budget was passed unanimously by the members of the District Council.

Faisalabad: Police busted a four-member women gang involved in theft incidents here on Thursday.

According to a police spokesperson, the gang had stolen gold ornaments of three women who visited Gujjar Peer shrine.

The gang members were identified as Naseem, Sajida, Nazran Bibi and Haleema Bibi.

A case has been registered with Ghulam Muhammad Abad police station.

Separately, a team of airport police station has also arrested a two-members swindler gang comprising Arsalan and Javed.

The accused had confessed to stealing batteries and other articles from shops.

Legal action has been initiated against the accused.

Chiniot: Deputy Commissioner Ayesha Rizwan carried out surprise inspections of health facilities across Chiniot on Thursday, reviewing medical and administrative arrangements and directing officials to ensure timely, uninterrupted and quality healthcare for patients in line with the Punjab government’s directives.

Accompanied by Additional Deputy Commissioner (General) Wasiq Abbas Haral and Chief Executive Officer (Health) Dr Ahmed Khan, the deputy commissioner visited the Maryam Nawaz Health Clinics at Jhanb and Harsa Sheikh on Lahore Road. She inspected staff attendance, the availability of medicines, the functioning of medical equipment, sanitation standards and the facilities being provided to patients.

During the visits, Ayesha Rizwan interacted with patients to gather first-hand feedback on healthcare services. Stressing the need for improved service delivery, she instructed the relevant officials to ensure that patients receive prompt treatment and that no lapse in healthcare standards is tolerated.

The deputy commissioner also inspected the under-construction building of the Maryam Nawaz Health Clinic at Harsa Sheikh and received a briefing on the project’s progress from the Chief Executive Officer (Health). She directed the authorities to expedite construction so the facility could become operational at the earliest, reaffirming that providing quality healthcare remains one of the Punjab government’s foremost priorities.

Dera ismail khan: The Tehsil Municipal Administration (TMA), Dera Ismail Khan on Thursday launched a cleanliness and beautification drive in various public parks across the city to provide citizens with a clean and pleasant recreational environment.

The initiative was carried out on the directives of Tehsil Municipal Officer (TMO) Muhammad Hanif, while Garden Supervisor Sunny Khan Chishti supervised the operation.

During the drive, sanitation teams undertook comprehensive cleaning of parks, trimmed shrubs, maintained lawns and carried out other horticultural activities aimed at enhancing the overall appearance and upkeep of public recreational spaces.

The TMA reiterated its commitment to maintaining public parks in a clean, green and family-friendly condition so that residents, particularly women, children and senior citizens, can enjoy a safe, healthy and comfortable environment.