Day: July 17, 2026

Ghotki: Spokesperson to the Chief Minister Sindh, Sukhdev Asardas Hemnani on Thursday visited various enterprises established under the Peoples’ Poverty Reduction Program (PPRP) in district Ghotki to review the impact of the Sindh Government’s flagship poverty alleviation initiative.

The PPRP is funded by the Government of Sindh and implemented by the Sindh Rural Support Organization (SRSO). The visit, accompanied by media representatives, was aimed at assessing how interest-free financing through the Enterprise Development Fund (EDF) is promoting entrepreneurship, employment generation, women’s empowerment and sustainable rural livelihoods.

Mr. Hemnani was received by SRSO Regional General Manager, Aumir Abbas Mangi, Senior District Manager, Ashiq Ali Kalwar, Assistant Manager EDF Ms. Parveen Mahar, Senior MandE Zahid Ali and the SRSO district team.

The delegation visited three successful enterprises supported under the program.

First, the team visited the Power Liner PV Inverter and Battery Charger Factory owned by Muhammad Adnan and Om Parkash. Established with an interest-free loan of just Rs. 70,000, the factory is now manufacturing solar inverters and battery chargers and has provided employment to 27 workers, including women engaged in electronic assembly.

The second visit was to the Garments Tailoring Unit of Pawan Kumar. With an interest-free loan of Rs. one million under PPRP, the unit has grown into a modern garment manufacturing enterprise providing jobs to 37 local youth and contributing to the local economy.

The delegation also visited an Indoor and Outdoor Plant Nursery owned by Ali Akbar Gadani, established with an interest-free loan of Rs. 500,000. The nursery is successfully supplying quality ornamental plants while creating sustainable livelihood opportunities.

Speaking on the occasion, Sukhdev Hemnani expressed satisfaction over the tangible impact of the government’s poverty reduction initiatives. He said PPRP is playing a vital role in promoting self-employment, encouraging entrepreneurship and strengthening women’s economic participation through SRSO’s effective social mobilization.

He noted that PPRP, SPHF and other initiatives of the Government of Sindh are making significant contributions towards poverty reduction and socio-economic development across the province. He appreciated the commitment and professionalism of the SRSO team for implementing the programs transparently and effectively.

At the conclusion of the visit, Regional General Manager SRSO, Aumir Abbas Mangi, reaffirmed SRSO’s commitment to promoting sustainable livelihoods and inclusive economic growth for rural communities.

Faisalabad: A man died after being hit by a speeding car on canal road here on Thursday. According to Rescue-1122, a worker at a local textile unit was crossing the road when he was hit by a speeding car near Rafhan Bridge, canal road. He suffered critical injuries and died on the spot. The victim was identified as Muhammad Javed Aslam (42). The body was handed over to the heirs, however, police have initiated legal action against the car driver who managed to escape the scene.

Attock: The Punjab government has launched an interest-free loan program aimed at strengthening the province’s livestock sector by helping farmers expand their businesses and improve their financial stability, a senior livestock official said Thursday.

Speaking at a meeting , Additional Director (AD), Livestock Dr. Yasir Mustafa Butt said the Livestock card initiative was designed for farmers who own between five and 20 male calves or bull calves.

Under the scheme, eligible livestock farmers can obtain interest-free loans of up to 540,000 Pakistani rupees to support livestock breeding and management.

Dr. Butt said applications opened on July 15, 2026, and farmers could register through an online portal, a QR code, facilitation desks established at veterinary hospitals, or by calling the department’s 24-hour helpline.

To qualify, the applicants must be residents of Punjab, own at least five male calves or bull calves, have a mobile SIM registered in their own name, and possess a valid computerized national identity card (CNIC).

Under the program, the beneficiaries will receive Rs 27,000 per animal, with registration permitted for a minimum of five and a maximum of 20 animals per farm.

The Livestock card will allow farmers to purchase animal feed, silage and mineral mixtures from registered dealers in their respective tehsils.

The cardholders will also be able to withdraw up to 25% of the approved loan amount in cash through ATMs, while the remaining funds must be spent on livestock feed and related supplies through authorized dealers.

Dr. Butt said the Punjab Livestock and Dairy Development Department would provide full support to eligible livestock farmers in Attock as part of the provincial government’s efforts to modernize and expand the livestock sector.

Attock: Additional Deputy Commissioner General (ADCG) Anil Saeed on Thursday reviewed the progress of ongoing city beautification and civic improvement projects in the city, directing authorities to speed up development work and strengthen coordination to improve public services.

The ADCG who also serves as Managing Director of the Suthra Punjab Agency, visited several parts of the city on the instructions of Deputy Commissioner, Dr. Mudassir Ahmed Shah. He was accompanied by officials from the Suthra Punjab Agency, Para Force, the Municipal Committee and other government departments.

The delegation inspected cleanliness arrangements, green belts, public spaces, roads and other development schemes being implemented under the Punjab government’s urban improvement programme.

The officials briefed the ADCG on the progress of the projects and measures aimed at enhancing the city’s appearance and civic infrastructure.

Anil Saeed also reviewed the role of the Para Force in supporting the implementation of the projects and instructed all relevant departments to work in close coordination to ensure their timely completion.

Particular attention was given to plans for relocating the city’s Rehri Bazaar, where street vendors operate.

The officials presented an update on the proposed relocation, and the ADCG directed that the process should be carried out in a way that protects vendors’ livelihoods while improving traffic flow, public convenience and urban organisation.

He instructed departments to accelerate work, maintain high standards of cleanliness and closely monitor ongoing projects, saying the administration remained committed to making Attock a cleaner, more organised and citizen-friendly city in line with the Punjab government’s development objectives.

Rawalpindi: The Lahore High Court (LHC) Rawalpindi Bench on Thursday disposed of the intra-court appeals filed by the Punjab government, Rawalpindi Development Authority (RDA), and Punjab Ring Road Authority regarding the Rawalpindi Ring Road service area case.

A division bench comprising Justice Sadaqat Ali Khan and Justice Sardar Akbar Ali passed the order after the petitioner withdrew the original writ petition.

The petitioner, Mazhar Rahim, had earlier approached the court over apprehensions regarding the potential cancellation of the No-Objection Certificate (NOC) for the Ring Road service area.

On June 30, a single bench of the high court comprising Justice Jawad Hassan had validated the petitioner’s NOC, service area, filling station, and other facility permits, restraining official departments from taking adverse action.

During Thursday’s proceedings, the counsel for the petitioner informed the court that his client wished to withdraw the writ petition, while reserving the right to approach the relevant forums in the future if necessary.

The division bench accepted the withdrawal request and subsequently disposed of all the intra-court appeals.

During the hearing, the RDA maintained that the controversial NOC’s issuance was not part of the authority’s official record.

Meanwhile, the Punjab government informed the court that the Rawalpindi Ring Road project had been officially handed over to the Punjab Ring Road Authority.

The provincial government representative highlighted that the authority had already assumed management of the project following the issuance of the official notification.

Hyderabad: The Nawabshah Press Club held its annual elections, supervised by an election committee appointed by the general council.

According to official announcement, nomination papers were received for various posts, and as no other candidates filed nominations against the listed contestants, all were declared elected unopposed for the term 2026-27.

As per the results, Tota Khan alias Ismail Domki was elected President, Fida Hussain Chandio as Senior Vice President, Arshad Ali Shaikh as General Secretary, and Muhammad Arshad Munir as Treasurer/Finance Secretary. Habibullah Abro secured the position of Vice President, while Raza Mohammed Khashkheli and Akram Ali Khan were elected as Joint Secretary-I and Joint Secretary-II respectively.

The members elected to Working Committee include Musharraf Ali Bhatti, Margoob Hussain Rizwan, Kashif Zia Qureshi, Mohammed Farooq, Taj Muhammad Rind, Abdul Latif Khashkheli, Abdul Khaliq, and Nek Mohammed. The results were formally endorsed and signed by the election committee members, including Chairman Zulfiqar Aziz Memon, members Azhar Muneer and Imdad Mugheri.