Day: July 18, 2026

Attock: Punjab Local Government Secretary, Mian Shakeel Ahmed on Friday reviewed ongoing development projects in the district and directed officials to ensure their timely completion while maintaining quality and transparency.

Ahmed visited projects being carried out under the Punjab Development Programme (PDP), accompanied by Deputy Commissioner Attock, Dr. Mudassir Ahmed Shah and other district officials.

The officials briefed the secretary on the progress of the schemes, construction standards, fund utilisation and expected completion schedules, adding work was advancing according to plan and was expected to finish within the stipulated deadlines.

During inspections at project sites, the secretary instructed authorities to strictly follow approved specifications, maintain construction quality and avoid delays, adding that negligence in executing public development schemes would not be tolerated.

The secretary later visited Tehsil, Hazro where he reviewed additional development projects and received updates from officials on their progress.

He said public welfare should remain the top priority and directed the authorities to complete all schemes on schedule.

Ahmed said the provincial government, under the vision of Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz Sharif, was working to improve urban infrastructure, expand civic services and ensure the timely execution of development projects across the province.

Deputy Commissioner, Shah told the secretary that district authorities were closely monitoring all ongoing projects and would ensure their completion within the prescribed timeframe while maintaining quality standards.

Sargodha: The Anti-Corruption Establishment (ACE) has arrested two police officials on charges of allegedly accepting a Rs25 million bribe from a murder suspect in exchange for extending undue favour in a murder case.

According to Anti-Corruption sources, Khanzaman, son of Ahmed Khan and a resident of Kamar Mushani, submitted a complaint alleging that Head Constable Hameed Ullah Khan and Constable Salamat Khan received Rs25 million to provide relief to him in a murder case registered under Section 302 of the Pakistan Penal Code.

Upon receiving the complaint, the Regional Director of the Anti-Corruption Establishment directed Circle Officer Nasir Aziz Khan to conduct an inquiry into the allegations.

The inquiry reportedly found both police officials guilty. However, the accused later obtained interim bail from the Rawalpindi High Court.

After the court suspended their interim bail, Anti-Corruption raiding teams arrested the two officials and initiated legal proceedings against them.

Muzaffargarh: Five persons were injured after two cars collided on the Multan Road near Syedi Adda in the Chowk Sarwar Shaheed area on Friday, the Rescue 1122 officials said.

The Rescue 1122 team provided first aid to the injured before shifting them to the Tehsil Headquarters (THQ) Hospital, Chowk Sarwar Shaheed. The authorities did not immediately disclose the cause of the collision, and further investigation was underway.

Bahawalpur: A 40-year-old loader rickshaw driver was killed in a road accident in Ahmadpur East after a piece of his clothing became entangled in the vehicle’s wheel, causing him to lose control.

According to Rescue-1122 officials, the victim was transporting vegetables from the New Vegetable Market to the Old Vegetable Market when the incident occurred. His clothing became trapped in the wheel of the loader rickshaw, causing him to lose control of the vehicle and fall onto the road. He died at the scene. The deceased was identified as Saleem, son of Kamal Deen, a resident of Mohalla Shikari, Ahmadpur East.

Rescue 1122 officials said the victim sustained only minor external abrasions but suffered fatal internal bleeding, which caused his death.

Bhakkar: The district administration held a mock emergency exercise to assess preparedness for possible flooding and the ongoing heatwave, the official sources said on Friday.

The fourth mock exercise was organised at the Assistant Commissioner’s Office on the directions of Deputy Commissioner, Ahsan Ali Jamali to evaluate the readiness of government departments, available resources and emergency response arrangements.

The officials from various departments briefed the participants on contingency plans, emergency equipment and safety measures designed to respond to potential flood-related incidents and extreme heat.

Deputy Commissioner Jamali said the district administration was committed to protecting the lives and property of residents under all circumstances.

He added that the flood situation in Bhakkar remained satisfactory, but the authorities were maintaining close coordination with all relevant agencies and had completed the necessary preparations to deal with any emergency.

Sargodha: Faisalabad Electric Supply Company (FESCO) detected 23 cases of electricity theft during raids conducted in different parts of the city during the past 24 hours.

A FESCO spokesperson said task teams, led by subdivision officers (SDOs) and assisted by executive engineers (XENs) carried out the operations and caught suspects allegedly stealing electricity.

The accused were identified as Taimoor, Tahir, Tajamal, Farhat, Furqan, Fahim, Nabeel, Nouman, Ali, Kamran, Sajaad, Waheedullah, Naimatullah, Abdullah, Farzand Ali and others.

Police have registered cases against the suspects.