Day: July 14, 2026

Attock: Deputy Commissioner Attock Dr. Mudassar Ahmad Shah on Monday chaired a meeting of district government department heads to review administrative performance and ongoing public welfare initiatives, directing officials to strengthen service delivery and uphold the principles of transparency, accountability and good governance.

The meeting, held at the Deputy Commissioner’s Office, was attended by Additional Deputy Commissioner (General) Aniel Saeed, Additional Deputy Commissioner (Revenue) Hafiz Zeeshan Ahmad, Assistant Commissioner Attock Arif Qureshi and heads of all district departments. Officials briefed the meeting on departmental performance, development projects, public service initiatives, key challenges and future plans, after which the deputy commissioner issued instructions aimed at improving efficiency and accelerating project implementation.

Addressing the participants, Dr. Shah said public service remained the Punjab government’s foremost priority and urged officers to perform their duties with professionalism, dedication and a strong sense of responsibility. He directed all departments to ensure the timely resolution of public complaints, treat citizens with courtesy and maintain transparency, merit and accountability in all official affairs.

The deputy commissioner also stressed the need for closer coordination among departments to expedite public welfare projects and ensure the efficient use of public resources. He instructed district heads to enhance field monitoring, strengthen public engagement and ensure the timely completion of development schemes, warning that negligence or unnecessary delays in service delivery would not be tolerated.

Faisalabad: The livestock department and Punjab Food Authority in a joint operation, unearthed an illegal slaughterhouse in Rehman city, Talianwala road on Monday. The team during the operation seized about 350 kg of buffalo meat from the site.

Senior Veterinary Officer Dr Farhan Siddique, after inspecting, declared the meat harmful to human health. The meat was destroyed in accordance with legal requirements, while the accused was handed over to the police and a case was registered against him.

The Additional Director Livestock said that indiscriminate action against illegal slaughterhouses and those selling substandard meat will continue in the future to ensure the provision of safe, quality and healthy meat to the public.

Faisalabad: Faisalabad Chamber of Commerce and Industry (FCCI) President Farooq Yousaf Sheikh said that business community had the potential to raise country’s exports to $100 billion, provided the government ensured a facilitative business environment and extended meaningful incentives to industry.

Addressing an awareness session on ‘energy and resource efficiency for key industries’ organized by National Productivity Organization (NPO) in collaboration with the FCCI, he lauded the organization’s role in promoting productivity enhancement and reducing production costs through seminars, training programs and awareness initiatives.

He called enhanced productivity and reduced production costs the cornerstone of Pakistan’s economic revival and said that Faisalabad had evolved from being a textile-centric city into a diversified industrial hub, with thriving sectors including beverages, food processing, automobiles, chemicals and pharmaceuticals.

The city continued to play a pivotal role in strengthening the national economy through its industrial and export contributions, he added.

Highlighting chamber’s role, he said that FCCI not only represented the interests of business community but also worked for safeguarding the rights and welfare of nearly 10 million residents of this district. The chamber had more than 22,000 members, representing 128 industrial and business sectors and sub-sectors, he added.

He appreciated the NPO’s efforts to educate industrialists on international best practices aimed at improving productivity, optimizing energy use and lowering manufacturing costs. Such initiatives were imperative to enhance competitiveness of Pakistani products in global markets, he added.

The FCCI President said that following the chamber’s recommendations, the government had increased financial threshold for Small and Medium Enterprises (SME) sector to Rs2 billion, while Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif had also earmarked dedicated funds for SME financing in the federal budget.

Stressing the need for institutional coordination, he said that all public and private stakeholders must work with a unified approach to achieve sustainable economic growth, strengthen macroeconomic stability and expand exports.

He said that as many as 32 government departments were currently dealing with the business community. Their primary responsibility should be to facilitate entrepreneurs and remove procedural hurdles instead of creating unnecessary obstacles, he added.

He said that the government was targeting exports of $30 billion, but the business community possessed the capacity to increase exports to $100 billion, provided industries were supported through business-friendly policies, incentives and regulatory reforms.

Earlier, NPO General Manager Aftab Khan Masood highlighted the organization’s mandate and its contribution to industrial productivity while the participants were shown documentary films on National Productivity Organization, Faisalabad and Faisalabad Chamber of Commerce and Industry.

Senior Vice President FCCI Naveed Akram Sheikh offered vote of thanks while FCCI President Farooq Yousaf Sheikh presented a commemorative shield to Aftab Khan Masood in recognition of his services.

Murree: District Police Officer (DPO) Murree, Dr. Raza Tanveer, has issued a comprehensive traffic advisory for tourists visiting from across the country, informing them that extensive road carpeting and repair work is currently underway on the Old GT Road.

Both local residents and tourists are strongly advised to avoid travelling via the Old GT Road and instead use the Murree Expressway and other alternative link roads to avoid construction-related delays and traffic congestion.

In a special video message, DPO emphasized that the Murree Expressway currently stands as the only safe and recommended route to enter the district. He said that the sudden influx of nationwide traffic has shifted entirely to this single highway. He noted that Murree Police have deployed personnel and prioritized traffic management on three key link roads Bustan Mor, Masiari Link Road, and Jhika Gali Road, to facilitate smooth access to central and tourist areas of the city while easing temporary pressure on the Expressway.

The DPO appealed to families and citizens travelling from far-flung districts to actively monitor live traffic indicators via Google Maps before and during their journey. Furthermore, he urged travelers to download the official Murree Police mobile application, ‘Safe Tourism Murree’, which provides real-time, one-click updates regarding traffic status, weather updates, parking capacity, and emergency assistance.

Rawalpindi: Chairman of the Board of Intermediate and Secondary Education (BISE) Rawalpindi, Professor Dr. Iqbal Mehmood, ordered the immediate establishment of a medical dispensary and a daycare center, alongside the prompt payment of outstanding dues to ensure staff welfare.

Presiding over a meeting on Monday with a delegation of the Employees Welfare Association (Registered) led by its President Chaudhry Imran Younas Gujjar, the Chairman finalized core welfare measures aimed at addressing administrative challenges and overcoming staff shortages.

He said that the institution will implement all possible steps to improve working conditions, emphasizing that mutual consultation and coordination remain the baseline for resolving employee grievances without any discrimination.

The delegation, which included General Secretary Chaudhry Maaf Ali Mubarak, congratulated the chairman on assuming office and briefed him on the primary operational difficulties faced by the board staff.

The association assured the chairman of their full cooperation to upgrade the board’s structural efficiency and institutional repute in alignment with the Punjab government’s vision.

Sialkot: Syed Ahtesham Mazhar, President of the Sialkot Chamber of Commerce and Industry (SCCI), held a meeting with Sohail Khawar Mir, President of the Pakistan Volleyball Federation (PVF) at SCCI, to discuss preparations for two prestigious volleyball tournaments.

During the meeting, both leaders exchanged views on the upcoming CAVA Nations Volleyball Championship 2026 and the FIVB U17 Volleyball Championship 2026.

The discussion focused on the significance of these events in promoting volleyball, enhancing Pakistan’s image on national and the international sporting stage, and creating opportunities for sports tourism and economic activity.