Day: July 12, 2026

Sargodha: Commissioner Hafiz Shoukat Ali chaired the second meeting of the Transition Committee via video link to review progress on the Punjab government’s plan to upgrade the District Headquarters (DHQ) Hospital Mianwali into a teaching hospital and establish a medical college.

According to the spokesperson for the Commissioner office here on Saturday, the meeting assessed progress on decisions taken during the previous session and received updates from the departments concerned on various components of the project.

Special Secretary Specialized Healthcare and Medical Education, Special Secretary Health and Population Department, Deputy Commissioner Mianwali, Chief Executive Officer Health Mianwali and other relevant officials attended the meeting through video link.

The participants reviewed key aspects of the project, including infrastructure upgradation, procurement of medical equipment, development of academic blocks, recruitment of faculty and human resources, regulatory requirements, and financial and administrative matters.

Departments also briefed the meeting on progress made in their respective areas and discussed the roadmap for the next phases of implementation.

Addressing the meeting, Commissioner Hafiz Shoukat Ali directed all departments to complete the project within the prescribed timeline in line with the vision of Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz Sharif.

Peshawar: Chief Minister Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Muhammad Sohail Afridi, has approved four Project Concept-1 (PC-1) proposals valued at Rs 33.085 billion for rehabilitation and upgrading of 32 District Headquarters (DHQ) hospitals across province.

While chairing a progress review meeting for project, KP CM made it explicitly clear that no further delays would be tolerated on this vital public interest project.

He directed relevant authorities to ensure entire undertaking was completed by end of current financial year.

Significant foundational milestones have already been achieved, including completion and distribution of modern medical equipment worth Rs 2.55 billion to respective healthcare facilities.

Additionally, infrastructure designs for hospitals have received formal approval, clearing way for civil engineering works to commence shortly.

To maximize immediate public benefit, Chief Minister directed officials to prioritize and quickly operationalize hospitals requiring least amount of remaining work.

He ordered immediate identification and resolution of any lingering obstacles to ensure smooth, uninterrupted progress.

He also warned that unnecessary extensions would not be tolerated under any circumstances, he announced a follow-up review meeting in three months.

Sargodha: Special Secretary for Local Government and Community Development (LGandCD) Punjab, Shahid Zaman Lak, on Saturday warned that no negligence or delay would be tolerated in the implementation of Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz Sharif’s flagship development initiatives, directing all departments to ensure timely completion of projects while maintaining the highest quality standards.

He made these remarks while chairing a review meeting at the Deputy Commissioner’s Office during his visit to Sargodha.

The meeting was attended by Deputy Commissioner Hussain Ahmad Raza Chaudhry, Director Punjab Development Programme (PDP), Managing Director Suthra Punjab Agency, Director Model Village Programme, Additional Director Local Government and other senior officials.

The meeting reviewed progress on the Punjab Development Programme (PDP), the Model Village Programme, the Suthra Punjab initiative and the Annual Development Programme (ADP).

Shahid Zaman Lak said the Punjab government’s flagship schemes under the “Sohna Punjab” vision, including Suthra Punjab, the Model Village Programme, the Punjab Development Programme and the ADP, were among the government’s highest priorities, ‘Any laxity in executing these projects would not be tolerated’, he stressed.

On the occasion, the DC briefed the meeting on the implementation of development projects across the district, saying the district administration was ensuring that all projects were progressing according to the targets set by the provincial government through continuous monitoring.

Assistant Director PDP Hamid Chattha informed the meeting that development schemes worth approximately Rs18.6 billion were underway in the four tehsils of Bhalwal, Bhera, Sillanwali and Sahiwal. The projects include rainwater storage, sewerage systems, drainage, provision of safe drinking water and other essential civic infrastructure. He also presented tehsil-wise progress on the schemes.

The Managing Director of the Suthra Punjab Agency gave a detailed briefing on the district’s sanitation system, key performance indicators (KPIs), monitoring mechanisms, complaint resolution, operational performance and staff supervision.

The meeting was also informed about World Bank-supported formal infrastructure projects in nine villages of Kot Momin, including the development of parks and other public amenities.

The Director of the Model Village Programme said development work was in progress in 22 villages under the Chief Minister’s Sohna Punjab initiative at a total cost of Rs2.2 billion. The schemes include drainage, street paving and other basic infrastructure, with 21 per cent of the work completed so far.

The Special Secretary directed all departments to strengthen monitoring of the Suthra Punjab Programme, ensure transparency in project execution and complete all development schemes within the stipulated timelines.

Muzaffargarh: A senior lawyer and member of the Alipur Bar Association died after suffering an electric shock at his home. Sources in the Alipur Bar Association said Mian Jahangir Ali Soomro was switching on a water pump when he received a fatal electric shock. He was around 60 years old. His funeral prayers were offered in Alipur and attended by Alipur Bar Association President Rana Abdul Karim, lawyers Amir Arian, Ismail Khan Gabool, Ismail Khan Jatoi, Malik Arif, Rana Usman, and a large number of lawyers and local residents.

Larkana: The National Disability and Development Forum (NDF) Pakistan, with the support of the Department of Empowerment of Persons with Disabilities (DEPD), Government of Sindh, organized a distribution ceremony of assistive devices for persons with disabilities at the Arts Council of Pakistan, Larkana here on Saturday.

The ceremony was attended by Aijaz Ahmed Laghari, Chairman District Council Larkana, as Chief Guest and Zahida Ghous Kakepoto, Regional Director DEPD Larkana, as Honorary Guest. Representatives of government departments, organizations of persons with disabilities, civil society, beneficiaries, and their families also participated.

Speaking on the occasion, Abid Lashari, Tamgha-e-Imtiaz, President NDF Pakistan, stated that assistive devices have the power to transform the lives of persons with disabilities and pave the way for mobility, independence, dignity, education, employment, and meaningful participation in society.

‘Assistive devices are not merely equipment; they are tools of independence and empowerment. Access to appropriate mobility support enables persons with disabilities to overcome barriers and actively contribute to their families, communities, and society,’ Lashari said.

Aijaz Ahmed Laghari, Chairman District Council Larkana, said that the distribution of assistive devices was linked with the celebrations commemorating the birthday of Shaheed Mohtarma Benazir Bhutto and reflected her vision of supporting marginalized and vulnerable communities.

He highlighted that the Government of Sindh has allocated approximately Rs. 800 million for assistive devices for persons with disabilities across Sindh.

He stated that the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) remains committed to providing all possible support and equal opportunities to marginalized communities.

Persons with disabilities possess great worth, talent, strength, and the ability to contribute to society. However, opportunities available to them remain limited. It is our collective responsibility to remove barriers and create an inclusive environment where they can realize their full potential,’Laghari said.

Zahida Ghous Kakepoto, Regional Director DEPD Larkana, and Mr. Saeed Ahmed Jatoi, Deputy Regional Director DEPD, stated that the Department of Empowerment of Persons with Disabilities is committed to engaging and strengthening organizations of persons with disabilities to reach underserved and unreached communities.

They emphasized that collaboration with local organizations such as NDF Pakistan would help ensure that assistive devices and rehabilitation support reach persons with disabilities living in remote villages, rural areas, towns, and cities, enabling greater mobility, independence, and social inclusion.

The more than 100 beneficiaries expressed appreciation to the Government of Sindh, DEPD, District Council Larkana, and NDF Pakistan for providing assistive devices and supporting their right to independent mobility.

The ceremony concluded with a renewed commitment to strengthening partnerships between government institutions, organizations of persons with disabilities, civil society, and local communities to promote accessibility, inclusion, rehabilitation, and equal opportunities throughout Sindh.

On the occasion Asadullah Bhutto vice chairman District Council, Amna Jamali District President PPP ladies wing , Tariq Hussain Channar Program manager NDF, Dr. Aisha Ghani Wagan, Muhammad Khan Jamali, Zubair Ahmed Tagar and others were also present.

Faisalabad: The police paid a solemn tribute to Shaheed Assistant Sub Inspector (ASI) Rahmat Ali on the 12th anniversary of his martyrdom, with a ceremonial police salute, floral tribute and prayers.

A police spokesman said on Saturday that a contingent from Sadar Samundri police station visited the grave of Shaheed ASI Rahmat Ali and presented a formal salute. They also laid flower petals and offered ‘Fateha’ in his memory.

He said that ASI Rahmat Ali had embraced martyrdom 12 years ago while courageously confronting armed dacoits during an operation, laying down his life in the line of duty to protect the lives and property of citizens.

Meanwhile, City Police Officer (CPO Tanveer Hussain declared that the sacrifices of police martyrs remain an enduring symbol of courage and national service that can never be forgotten.