Day: July 14, 2026

Peshawar: In view of the ongoing monsoon season and the increasing risks posed by climate-induced disasters, the federal and provincial authorities on Monday convened a high-level coordination meeting to review the province’s preparedness, mitigation measures, and emergency response mechanisms for potential monsoon-related emergencies.

The meeting brought together senior representatives of provincial and federal institutions responsible for disaster risk management, emergency response, rescue operations, weather forecasting, infrastructure protection, and humanitarian coordination.

Participants conducted a comprehensive assessment of the province’s state of preparedness, reviewed contingency arrangements, and held detailed deliberations on operational readiness, field-level coordination, emerging challenges, and response capacities.

The forum noted that this year’s erratic monsoon pattern, coupled with unusually high temperatures and changing climatic conditions, has significantly increased the likelihood of extreme weather events across the country.

It was observed that Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, along with Gilgit-Baltistan and Azad Jammu and Kashmir, remains among the region’s most vulnerable to flash floods, glacial lake outburst floods (GLOFs), landslides, urban flooding, and other climate-induced hazards.

Addressing the meeting, Chief Secretary Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Shahab Ali Shah said the province stands on the frontline of climate vulnerability and is exposed to multiple natural hazards.

He emphasized that Khyber Pakhtunkhwa often faces the earliest and most severe impacts of extreme climatic events, requiring swift and coordinated action by all concerned institutions.

“The province has to respond to rapidly evolving emergency situations within a very short timeframe. Our preparedness, coordination, and response mechanisms therefore demand extraordinary vigilance, seamless inter-agency coordination, and round-the-clock operational readiness,” the Chief Secretary said.

He stressed that an effective disaster preparedness framework not only safeguards lives, livelihoods, and critical infrastructure within the province but also contributes significantly to national resilience during large-scale emergencies.

During the meeting, Secretary for Relief, Rehabilitation and Settlement, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Sohail Khan presented a detailed briefing on the province’s monsoon preparedness plan and the operational readiness of provincial authorities, district administrations, and frontline departments.

He informed the participants that comprehensive preparedness measures have been completed across all 37 districts of the province in coordination with 12 frontline departments engaged in disaster risk management and emergency response.

According to the briefing, special attention has been given to 11 high-risk districts identified through hazard and vulnerability assessments due to their greater susceptibility to flash floods, glacial lake outburst floods (GLOFs), riverine flooding, landslides, and other monsoon-related emergencies.

The Secretary said hazard-prone locations have been mapped using risk assessment tools, while district-level contingency plans have been updated and synchronized with provincial response mechanisms. Vulnerable communities have been sensitized through awareness campaigns, local volunteers have received emergency response training, and evacuation routes and designated relief locations have been identified.

He added that rescue equipment, communication systems, emergency equipment, and field instruments have been fully inspected, tested, and made operational to ensure immediate deployment whenever required.

The meeting was informed that emergency operation centers, district administrations, and line departments have been directed to maintain close coordination throughout the monsoon period, while continuous monitoring of weather forecasts, river flows, and other hydrological indicators will be undertaken to facilitate timely decision-making and rapid response.

Both the federal and provincial authorities reaffirmed their commitment to strengthening early warning systems and coordination mechanisms for effective emergency preparedness and response.

Federal Minister for Climate Change and Environmental Coordination, Dr. Musadik Malik, and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Minister for Relief, Rehabilitation and Settlement, Aqib Ullah Khan, were in attendance.

The meeting was also attended by the Chairman of NDMA, senior officials of the Pakistan Meteorological Department (PMD), PDMA Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, the Irrigation Department, and Deputy Commissioners from across the province.

Multan: The Punjab Agriculture Department has issued an advisory for farmers regarding the cultivation of autumn maize crop.According to the advisory, farmers should complete sowing of maize between July 15 and August 15 during the Kharif season, while cultivators in the hilly areas of Rawalpindi have been advised to begin sowing immediately.

The advisory recommends sowing maize on ridges spaced two-and-a-half feet apart. Farmers have been advised to cultivate approved hybrid varieties developed by the Punjab Agriculture Department, including YH1898, FH1046, YH5427, FH988, YH5482, YH5561, YH5568 and YH5560, besides open-pollinated varieties such as Malka-16, Gohar-19, Sahiwal Gold, Sammit Pak, Sweet-1 and Pop-1.

Farmers may also purchase hybrid seed varieties of national and international companies from registered dealers.

The seed rate for autumn maize has been set at 8 to 10 kilograms per acre. Plant population should be maintained at 30,000 per acre for hybrid varieties, and between 23,000 and 26,000 per acre for open-pollinated varieties.

Attock: Punjab Governor Sardar Saleem Haider Khan on Monday inaugurated NADRA Facilitation Centres in the Union Councils of Brahma Bahter and Malal, a move aimed at improving public access to identity registration and documentation services in Attock district.

The inauguration ceremony was attended by the Director General of NADRA, local dignitaries and residents from across the district. Speaking at the event, the governor thanked the NADRA chairman for approving four facilitation centers on his request and said the new facilities would spare residents of Brahma Bahter and Malal from travelling to Fateh Jang to obtain Computerized National Identity Cards (CNICs) and other NADRA services.

Sardar Saleem Haider Khan said the project fulfilled another commitment made to the people of Attock and stressed that public welfare initiatives should remain above political considerations. He also acknowledged the support of Federal Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi and the NADRA leadership in establishing the centers, expressing hope that full-fledged NADRA offices would eventually be set up in all tehsils of the district.

Highlighting broader development priorities, the governor said Attock had long lacked essential public facilities and announced that a University of Attock would be established to expand access to higher education for local students. He reiterated his commitment to public service, saying development projects should benefit citizens regardless of political affiliation, while also expressing confidence in the future prospects of the Pakistan Peoples Party.

Peshawar: Chairman, Qaumi Watan Party (QWP) Aftab Ahmad Khan Sherpao on Monday said that the country was passing through a critical phase of its history, therefore, all the political forces should join hands and rise above political divide to addressing the present-day challenges.

Addressing a convention of party workers in Abbattabad, he expressed concern over the renewed hostilities between the United States (US) and Iran and said that this would threaten regional peace and stability.

QWP central general secretary Ahmad Nawaz Khan Jadoon, central vice-chairman Sardar Ahmad Nawaz Khan, provincial chairman Sikandar Hayat Khan Sherpao, provincial vice-chairperson Dr Faiza Rasheed and office-bearers of Abbottabad chapter were also present on the occasion.

He said that though the US and Israel had started this work, they badly failed to achieve their objectives. He said that Iran remained steadfast and weathered the storm by forming unity in its ranks.

The QWP leader lauded the civil and military leadership of the country for helping the warring sides reach the memorandum of understanding, adding that playing the role of the mediator added to Pakistan’s prestige at the international level.

Commenting on the issues being faced by the country, he said that Pakistan faced a host of problems, including the resurgence of terrorism. He said that acts of terror were taking place in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan. He said that India was hurting Pakistan by suspending the Indus Waters Treaty, urging the federal government to raise this issue at the international level to secure the country’s water resources.

He asked the Afghan government to make sure the soil of Afghanistan was not used for terrorism against Pakistan. He said that under the Doha Agreement, the Afghan Taliban had promised that they would make sure that the Afghan soil would not use against its neighbors for terrorism.

Mirpur: Election campaigning has intensified across Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK) as political parties step up outreach efforts ahead of the July 27 general elections. The AJK Election Commission says preparations for polling have entered the final phase, with arrangements in place to ensure the smooth conduct of the vote.

According to Election Commission officials, elections will be held for 45 Legislative Assembly seats, including constituencies reserved for Jammu and Kashmir refugees residing in Pakistan. More than 2.8 million registered voters across AJK’s 10 districts are expected to cast their ballots. Mirpur district, one of the region’s key electoral battlegrounds, has 411,138 registered voters across four constituencies, where 597 polling stations will be established.

The four Mirpur constituencies are expected to witness closely fought contests involving candidates from the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP), Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N), the Istehkam-e-Pakistan Party (IPP) and independents. In LA-1 (Dadyal), LA-2 (Chakswari), LA-3 (Mirpur) and LA-4 (Khari Sharif), prominent political figures, including serving and former ministers, are competing for seats as parties intensify public meetings and voter outreach campaigns.

Political analysts expect competitive races across the district, reflecting the importance of Mirpur in the broader electoral landscape. The Election Commission has reiterated its commitment to conducting free, fair and transparent elections, while urging political parties and candidates to adhere to the electoral code of conduct throughout the campaign period.

Peshawar: The management of Khyber Medical University (KMU) including heads of Departments, Professors, Deans and Directors have expressed serious concern over the recent negative, misleading, and baseless campaign being carried out on social media against KMU and its leadership, particularly the Vice Chancellor.

Attending a high level meeting, the KMU faculty observed that unverified information, rumors, and factually incorrect content are being deliberately circulated in an organized attempt to damage the University’s reputation, undermine public confidence and create unwarranted doubts regarding the transparent conduct of the upcoming Medical and Dental Colleges Admission Test (MDCAT).

The meeting emphasized that such baseless propaganda can neither undermine the University’s professional competence nor hinder its commitment to conducting MDCAT in a transparent, fair, and merit-based manner.

The participants paid rich tribute to the incumbent Vice Chancellor for his visionary leadership, unwavering commitment, tireless efforts and transformative initiatives for the development of the University. They noted that under his leadership, Khyber Medical University has achieved remarkable progress in academics, research, examinations, transparent governance, financial stability and institutional reforms.

The meeting further clarified that all major administrative, financial and policy decisions of the University are made strictly in accordance with the University’s Act, statutes, rules, regulations and established institutional procedures.

It was emphasized that all important decisions are duly approved by the University’s Senate, Syndicate, and other competent statutory bodies, reflecting transparency, collective decision-making, accountability, and adherence to the rule of law.

The participants were informed that, under the special directives of the Vice Chancellor, Khyber Medical University, Peshawar, all arrangements for the upcoming MDCAT are being finalized in a timely and efficient manner.

The meeting expressed satisfaction that, in recognition of KMU’s successful, transparent, and well-organized conduct of MDCAT over the past three years, the government has once again entrusted the University with the responsibility of conducting the examination this year.

The participants reaffirmed that, with the continued support of the Government, MDCAT 2026 will be conducted in accordance with the highest standards of transparency, merit, discipline, security, and professionalism.

The participants further emphasized that Khyber Medical University, Peshawar, is a strong, autonomous, and financially stable public-sector medical university that has made significant contributions to medical education, research, examinations, and healthcare through sound financial planning and the efficient utilization of resources.

The meeting reaffirmed its commitment to safeguarding the University’s reputation, prestige, progress, and the confidence it enjoys at the national level against any negative campaign.

The participants also expressed deep concern over attempts by certain elements to unnecessarily create controversy around and obstruct the lawful and institutional process of the appointment of the Vice Chancellor.

Rejecting such attempts, they reaffirmed their complete confidence in the University’s legal and constitutional procedures.

The meeting expressed the hope that the appointment process would be concluded at the earliest, strictly in accordance with the law and on merit, enabling the University to continue advancing its academic, research, and administrative mission more effectively.