Day: July 17, 2026

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Court hands down life term in murder case


Sargodha: Additional Sessions Judge Muhammad Ejaz-ur-Rehman Baig on Thursday handed down life imprisonment to an accused in a murder case.



According to the prosecution, the accused, Mubashir Hussain, had killed a man namely Aziz, a resident of Jhal Chakiaan, over a domestic dispute.



The Jhal Chakiaan police had registered a case (FIR No. 720/25) against the accused under sections 302 and 34 of the Pakistan Penal Code (PPC).



After hearing the arguments and examining the solid evidence, the court found the accused guilty and sentenced him to life imprisonment.The judge also imposed a fine of Rs 500,000 on the convict.



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Mushaal expresses grief over demise of Altaf Wani’s father


Islamabad: Chairperson of the Peace and Culture Organization, Mushaal Hussein Mullick, on Thursday expressed deep sorrow over the demise of the father of senior Hurriyat leader Altaf Wani, saying the Kashmir freedom movement was not merely a political struggle but a story of immense sacrifices made by countless Kashmiri families.



In a condolence message, she said thousands of Kashmiri families had endured separation from their loved ones because of their commitment to Pakistan, ideological affiliation and the Kashmir freedom movement.



She said many families remained divided between Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IIOJK), Azad Jammu and Kashmir and different parts of Pakistan, yet their hearts continued to beat for the common cause of Kashmir’s freedom.



Mushaal Mullick said the family of Altaf Wani, like many other Hurriyat leaders, had rendered significant sacrifices for the Kashmir cause, adding that despite prolonged separation from their loved ones, they had never wavered in their commitment to the freedom movement and their bond with Pakistan.



She prayed for the eternal peace of the departed soul, elevation of his ranks in the hereafter and strength and patience for Altaf Wani and the bereaved family to bear the irreparable loss.



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Quality must become an institutional culture, not merely a compliance exercise: HEC DG


Faisalabad: Director General Quality Assurance of the Higher Education Commission (HEC) Nasir Shah has called on universities across Pakistan to transform quality assurance from a regulatory obligation into a deeply embedded institutional culture and said that sustainable academic excellence can only be achieved through leadership, ownership and continuous improvement rather than periodic compliance.



Addressing a national conference on ‘National Higher Education Leadership Engagement Series on Pakistan Standards and Guidelines (PSG-2023)’ at The University of Faisalabad (TUF), he said that the country’s higher education institutions must embrace the new Quality Compact framework, which promotes institutional responsibility, evidence-based decision-making and long-term quality enhancement to build globally competitive universities.



Nasir Shah said that Pakistan Standards and Guidelines (PSG-2023) represent a paradigm shift from conventional compliance-driven quality assurance towards institutional ownership, strategic governance and sustainable quality culture.



He stressed that universities should integrate quality assurance into every aspect of academic governance, teaching, research and administrative decision-making.



The HEC official also introduced Performance Review Meetings (PRMs) as a key component of the revised quality assurance framework, explaining that the mechanism is designed to promote continuous institutional reflection, strategic planning, performance monitoring and evidence-based improvement instead of periodic inspections.



Highlighting another important aspect of higher education, he underscored the need to promote multicultural diversity on university campuses, describing inclusive learning environments as an essential pillar of academic excellence and institutional development.



Recognizing The University of Faisalabad’s contributions to higher education, Nasir Shah announced that the HEC intends to organize a future National Conference on ‘Industry-Academia Linkages’ at TUF in acknowledgement of the university’s significant role in strengthening collaboration between academia and industry.



He also appreciated the TUF management for successfully hosting the national conference, with special praise for the leadership of Vice Chairman Board of Governors Dr. Muhammad Hamza Amin.



The conference, organized jointly by TUF’s Center of Executive Learning (CEL) and Quality Enhancement Cell (QEC), was held under the theme “The Quality Compact: From Conformity to Ownership – Empowering Institutions, Building a Resilient Quality Ecosystem”.



It brought together nearly 70 participants, including vice chancellors, rectors, deans, registrars, directors of Quality Enhancement Cells and senior academic leaders from universities across Pakistan.



Earlier, TUF Vice Chairman Board of Governors Dr. Muhammad Hamza Amin, Rector Prof Dr Aman Ullah Malik, Registrar Dr Zahida Maqbool and Director Quality Enhancement Cell Dr Zahir Ahmad Zahir welcomed the distinguished guests and delegates.



In his welcome address, Prof Dr Aman Ullah Malik reaffirmed TUF’s commitment to academic excellence and continuous quality enhancement, emphasizing that resilient universities require visionary leadership, innovation and collective institutional responsibility to meet evolving national and international standards.



The conference also featured a technical session titled “From Compliance to Institutional Ownership and Maturity,” conducted by HEC quality assurance expert and Fulbright Fellow Agha Muhammad Raza.



He discussed the evolution of quality assurance systems, emphasizing leadership commitment, stakeholder engagement, strategic planning, data-driven governance and self-sustaining quality mechanisms as the foundations of institutional maturity.



The participants explored practical strategies for developing robust internal quality cultures through interactive discussions and case studies before the conference concluded with a question-and-answer session focusing on the implementation of the PSG-2023 framework and the future direction of quality assurance in Pakistan’s higher education sector.



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IRSA releases 260,900 cusecs water


Islamabad: Indus River System Authority (IRSA) on Thursday released 260,900 cusecs of water from various rim stations with an inflow of 296,400 cusecs.



According to the data released by IRSA, the water level in the River Indus at Tarbela Dam stood at 1504.31 feet, which was 102.31 feet higher than the dead level of 1402.00 feet. Water inflow and outflow in the dam were recorded as 188,100 cusecs and 160,300 cusecs, respectively.



The water level in the Jhelum River at Mangla Dam was 1173.20 feet, which was 123.20 feet higher than its dead level of 1,050 feet. The inflow and outflow of water were recorded as 24,700 cusecs and 17,000 cusecs, respectively.



The release of water at Kalabagh, Taunsa, Guddu and Sukkur was recorded as 206,600, 179,800, 131,300, and 66,300 cusecs, respectively. Similarly, from River Kabul, a total of 33,300 cusecs of water was released at Nowshera, and 21,100 cusecs were released from River Chenab at Marala.



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New education centers established at prison by NCHD


Bahawalpur: Two new education centers have been established at Central Jail Bahawalpur with the support of the National Commission for Human Development (NCHD).



According to an official press release issued here, the initiative aims to provide inmates with improved access to quality education and rehabilitation programs. A ceremony marking the establishment of the new centers was attended by the officials of NCHD and Central Jail Bahawalpur.



It was also announced that the recruitment process for more teachers is currently underway to strengthen educational services for inmates. The administration of Central Jail Bahawalpur appreciated NCHD’s support and expressed confidence that this joint initiative would further strengthen prisoner rehabilitation and welfare efforts, helping inmates reintegrate into society as responsible and productive citizens after completing their sentences, the press release concluded.



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FCCP Demands Detailed Reports from Federal, Provincial Governments on Child Abduction and Forced Labor


Islamabad: The Federal Constitutional Court has directed the federal and all provincial governments to submit detailed reports regarding the issues of child abduction, forced begging, child labor, and overall child protection.



The court has further instructed authorities to present a comprehensive, data-driven overview of the situation to the bench.



A three-member bench, presided over by Justice Hassan Azhar Rizvi, heard the case on Thursday.



During the proceedings, Justice Rizvi emphasized that the government must develop a complete database regarding children in vulnerable situations. The court inquired specifically about the number of children forced into begging or child labor, demanding a granular report on these figures.



Justice Rizvi expressed deep concern over the prevalence of forced child labor, noting that children as young as eight to ten years old are frequently observed performing manual labor in public. He pointed out that while the “contractors” who exploit children for begging profit from this illicit activity, the court’s intent is not to criminalize the children themselves.



Recalling a past campaign in Karachi 25 years ago where police arrested such children, Justice Rizvi remarked that these children are often driven by unavoidable circumstances. He urged the government to establish state-run shelter homes where these children can be protected, rehabilitated, and provided with vocational training, enabling them to lead lives of dignity.



During the hearing, the petitioner requested that the court also call for a record regarding the implementation of the “Zainab Alert” system.



Addressing this, Justice Rizvi remarked that while there has been some decline in incidents, the abduction of young girls has not been fully eradicated.



Following the initial proceedings, the Federal Constitutional Court adjourned the hearing for two months, pending the submission of the requested comprehensive reports from the federal and provincial authorities.