Day: July 11, 2026

Islamabad: The Secretary for Religious Affairs chaired a review meeting to assess the implementation of the government’s new Ziyarat Management Policy.

According to the spokesperson for the Ministry of Religious Affairs, the meeting was attended by representatives from the Ministries of Interior, Foreign Affairs, Communications, the Civil Aviation Authority, and other relevant departments.

Participants reaffirmed the government’s commitment to ensuring maximum facilitation for Pakistani pilgrims travelling to Iran and Iraq for religious visits.

The Civil Aviation Authority and airlines were directed to provide every possible facility to facilitate the air travel of pilgrims.

Officials informed the meeting that, under the new Ziyarat Management Policy, 262 Ziyarat Group Organizers (ZGOs) have been registered by the Ministry of Religious Affairs.

The ministry advised intending pilgrims travelling to Iran and Iraq to make bookings only through ZGOs registered with the Ministry of Religious Affairs.

Pilgrims have also been urged to verify the list of licensed ZGOs available on the Ministry’s official website before making any booking. The ministry will not be responsible for any bookings made through unauthorized individuals or companies.

Islamabad: President Asif Ali Zardari and Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif on Friday paid tribute to the security forces for the successful execution of Operation Shaaban by the Pakistan Army, Frontier Corps (FC) and Balochistan Police after the Mangi Dam Police Station incident.

The president commending the professionalism of the security forces and law enforcement agencies underlined that the Operation Shaaban has once again proven that the forces are fully capable of dealing with every threat, a Presidency’s news release said.

President Zardari underlined that the inimical elements employing proxy elements against Pakistan would not succeed in their nefarious designs as national resolve was stronger than any conspiracy.

“Anti-Pakistan elements and inimical institutions of India and some other countries want to tarnish Pakistan’s recent diplomatic achievements by using some anti-national elements as hired killers and demoralize us. We will take Pakistan’s recent achievements to their logical conclusion and defeat terrorism with the help of the nation,” the president resolved.

President Zardari underlined that there would be no compromise on defending the homeland and the state would defeat the scourge of terrorism at all costs.

In a separate news release from the Prime Minister’s Office, PM Shehbaz Sharif also praised the courage and valour of the security forces.

The prime minister said the killing of 75 terrorists so far in the grand operation against Fitna-ul-Khawarij was a testament to the high professionalism of the security forces. He emphasised that the strategy of the operation adopted by the forces in difficult mountainous terrain was commendable.

The prime minister also hailed the counter-terrorism action of the Pakistan Army and FC troops in repelling the terrorist attack on the police station in Khuzdar.

“The firm resolve of the security forces and the nation will remain undeterred until the complete elimination of Fitna-ul-Khawarij, and eradication of terrorism from the country. Every conspiracy to sabotage the peace and order of Balochistan will be foiled as the entire nation stands by its brave forces and police,” Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif said.

Islamabad: A cross-party delegation of over 25 Members of the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Assembly (MPAs) and MNAs facilitated by the Sustainable Social Development Organization (SSDO) with the support of the British High Commission, met Minister of State for Interior Talal Chaudhry to discuss strengthening Counter-Terrorism (CT), Counter-Terrorist Financing (CFT), and Countering Violent Extremism (CVE).

NC NACTA, Director FIA and representatives from NIFTAC briefed the participants on the existing policies and practices.

Minister of State Talal Chaudhry paid tribute to the sacrifices of the people and law enforcement agencies of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, stating that defeating terrorism requires national unity, sustained political commitment, and a whole-of-government and whole-of-society approach.

He urged parliamentarians to strengthen legislation, support coordinated federal-provincial efforts, and play an active role in promoting peace and resilience.

Islamabad: Pakistan Telecommunication Company Limited (PTCL) has achieved another significant milestone as PTCL Flash Fiber, the company’s flagship fiber-to-the-home (FTTH) service, surpassed 900,000 subscribers.

The achievement reflects the growing trust that customers across Pakistan continue to place in PTCL’s high-speed broadband services and further strengthens the company’s position as the country’s largest internet service provider.

The milestone marks another important chapter in PTCL’s journey to deliver world-class digital connectivity across Pakistan in line with its long-term ambition of driving digital enablement and promoting the Government of Pakistan’s vision for a hyper-connected Digital Pakistan. With its expanding fiber network, PTCL Flash Fiber has become the preferred broadband choice for homes, businesses, gamers, content creators, students, and professionals who increasingly rely on fast, stable, and uninterrupted internet to power their daily lives.

PTCL Flash Fiber’s network performance has also been independently validated by Ookla, the globally respected authority on internet testing and network intelligence, with two prestigious distinctions: Best Fixed Network for Pakistan and Best ISP Gaming Experience.

The recognition was based on Ookla’s comprehensive evaluation of network performance and customer experience metrics through its Speedtest Connectivity Report, which cemented PTCL’s leadership in delivering superior network performance, low latency, and an enhanced digital experience for customers across the country.

This latest achievement reflects the accelerating demand for reliable fiber broadband as Pakistan’s digital economy continues to evolve. From remote work and online education to digital entertainment, cloud applications, and competitive gaming, PTCL Flash Fiber continues to enable seamless connectivity that supports the country’s growing digital aspirations.

Commenting on the significant development, Mohammad Nadeem Khan, President and CEO, PTCL, said: “This milestone reflects the confidence that hundreds of thousands of customers have placed in PTCL Flash Fiber. As Pakistan’s digital needs continue to grow, we remain committed to expanding our fiber footprint, investing in next-generation network infrastructure, and delivering a consistently superior broadband experience that empowers individuals, businesses, and communities across the country.”

Today, PTCL Flash Fiber is available across 78 cities nationwide, extending reliable fiber connectivity to millions of Pakistanis. The continued growth in its subscriber base reflects PTCL’s sustained investments in next-generation network infrastructure, service reliability, and customer experience, enabling users to benefit from consistent, high-performance broadband connectivity.

Islamabad: Marking World Population Day, Islamabad based digital transformation company Wolfiz appealed governments and institutions to rethink approaches to population growth, arguing that the world’s greatest challenge lies not in numbers but in the capacity of public systems to keep pace with rising demand.

On World Population Day, the company underscored that rising populations are exerting mounting pressure on healthcare, transportation, housing, education, judicial systems, emergency response, public administration, and other vital services. It stressed that the central question is no longer whether populations will continue to grow, but whether the systems designed to support them are evolving swiftly enough to meet the shifting needs of society, said a press release.

“Population growth does not create crises on its own,” Wolfiz said. “It exposes the limitations of systems that were never designed to operate at today’s scale.”

Wolfiz maintained that many of the challenges commonly linked to population growth stem less from demographics than from outdated systems and governance models that have failed to evolve alongside society.

Wolfiz noted that this shift is already evident across several countries that have embraced digital transformation as a core element of public sector modernization. Estonia has established one of the world’s most advanced digital government ecosystems, Singapore continues to integrate artificial intelligence into urban planning and transport management, while the United Kingdom, the United Arab Emirates, and Saudi Arabia have expanded digital public services to improve accessibility, operational efficiency, and citizen experience.

These examples demonstrate that governments are no longer required to expand bureaucracy, instead, intelligent digital systems are enabling institutions to serve larger populations through automation, integrated data platforms, predictive analytics, and AI powered decision support.

From virtual healthcare assistants that help reduce pressure on medical professionals to intelligent traffic management systems that optimise mobility and digital government platforms that simplify access to public services, technology is already transforming how nations respond to rising demand while improving efficiency and service quality.

Wolfiz said Pakistan has registered encouraging progress through initiatives to digitise public services and expand technology enabled governance. The company noted, however, that the next stage of national development hinges on accelerating the rollout of scalable digital infrastructure, strengthening interoperability among institutions, and embedding emerging technologies into the design of essential public services.

“The countries making the greatest progress are not necessarily those facing the fewest challenges,” the company observed. “They are the ones redesigning how public systems operate. Technology is no longer simply improving government services, it is redefining how governments deliver them.”

Wolfiz called for stronger collaboration between governments, technology companies, academia, and international development organisations to accelerate the adoption of proven digital solutions capable of building more resilient, efficient, and citizen centric societies.

Islamabad: The Pakistan Meteorological Department (PMD) on Friday forecast rain-windstorms and thundershowers in the upper parts of the country during the weekend as moist currents from the Arabian Sea and a westerly wave are expected to influence weather conditions from Saturday.

According to the PMD, rain-windstorms and thundershowers, with isolated heavy falls, are likely in Kashmir from the night of July 10 to July 13 with occasional gaps. Similar weather is expected in most districts of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa on July 11 and 12, while scattered rain accompanied by windstorms and thundershowers is forecast for Islamabad, Rawalpindi and several districts of Punjab on July 11 and 12.

The Met Office said rain-windstorms and thunderstorms are also expected in various parts of Gilgit-Baltistan from the evening of July 11 to July 13, while isolated rain-windstorms are likely in northern and northeastern districts of Balochistan on July 11 and 12.

In Sindh, mainly hot and very humid weather will prevail, although isolated rain-windstorms and thundershowers are expected in Tharparkar, Sukkur, Shikarpur, Larkana, Dadu and Jacobabad on July 12 and 13.

The PMD warned that windstorms and lightning could damage vulnerable structures, including solar panels, electricity poles and billboards, during the forecast period.

It said landslides may occur in vulnerable areas of upper Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Gilgit-Baltistan and Kashmir on July 11 and 12, while water levels are likely to rise in local streams and nullahs in these regions as well as in hill torrents of Dera Ghazi Khan.

The department also cautioned that heavy rainfall could trigger localized urban flooding in Islamabad, Rawalpindi, Peshawar, Gujranwala, Lahore and Faisalabad on July 11 and 12.

The PMD advised tourists and travellers to avoid unnecessary journeys during the forecast period and urged farmers to plan agricultural activities according to the weather conditions while taking necessary care of their livestock.

It added that the prevailing hot and humid conditions are expected to ease during the forecast period and advised all concerned authorities to remain vigilant and take precautionary measures to avoid any untoward situation.