Day: July 19, 2026

Multan: The Sui Northern Gas Pipelines Limited (SNGPL) disconnected seven gas meters during an operation against gas theft in different parts of Multan,officials said on Saturday.

According to the utility’s Unaccounted-for Gas (UFG) Control Task Force,the action was taken against consumers found using compressors to illegally increase gas pressure.

During the operation,officials also carried out door-to-door inspections of 65 consumers to check for gas theft and other irregularities.

SNGPL said the crackdown forms part of its ongoing campaign to curb gas theft,reduce unaccounted-for gas (UFG) losses and ensure an uninterrupted gas supply to legitimate consumers.

Kohat: Police in Kohat have arrested three suspected drug dealers and seized more than three kilograms of hashish during a targeted anti-narcotics operation launched as part of an ongoing crackdown on drug trafficking, officials said on Saturday.

The operation was carried out by a team led by Jarma Police Station House Officer (SHO) Sohail Khan under the directives of District Police Officer (DPO) Shahbaz Ilahi. Acting on intelligence, police conducted raids at various locations across the district and recovered 3,812 grams of hashish from the suspects’ possession.

The arrested suspects were identified as Pyaunur, Umar Hayat and Adil. They were taken to Jarma Police Station, where criminal cases were registered against them. Police said investigations are continuing to identify other members and facilitators of the suspected drug trafficking network.

DPO Shahbaz Ilahi said the campaign against narcotics would continue without interruption, describing drug traffickers as a serious threat to society. He reaffirmed the police’s commitment to taking strict legal action to curb drug-related crimes and promote a drug-free environment in the district.

Rawalpindi: Federal Parliamentary Secretary for Information and Broadcasting Barrister Danyal Chaudhry has expressed confidence that the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) would win all three Jammu and Kashmir refugee seats from Rawalpindi in the upcoming Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK) Legislative Assembly elections.

He was addressing a public gathering held on the occasion of the inauguration of the election office of candidate Ahmed Raza Qadri in Rawalpindi.

Barrister Danyal maintained that the Kashmiri people are deeply patriotic and hold an unbreakable bond of love and sacrifice with Pakistan, which forms the core foundation of the relationship between Pakistan and Azad Kashmir.

The Federal Parliamentary Secretary highlighted that successive PML-N governments had executed landmark development projects across AJK, significantly upgrading roads, basic infrastructure, education, and healthcare facilities.

He observed that the PML-N has always prioritized practical performance and public service over hollow slogans, adding that the party would continue to play its vital role in fulfilling the socio-economic aspirations of the people of Azad Kashmir.

The ceremony was attended by Senior Provincial Minister Marriyum Aurangzeb, Tahira Aurangzeb MNA, former Rawalpindi Mayor Sardar Naseem Khan, MPAs including Raja Muhammad Hanif, Ziaullah Shah, Malik Iftikhar, Zeb-un-Nisa Awan, and a large number of party workers and local residents.

Rawalpindi: A father lost his life while attempting to save his son after the child accidentally fell into the swollen Nullah Leh in Rawalpindi’s Gulistan Colony on Saturday.

While rescuers recovered the man’s body, a search operation was continuing to locate the missing child.

According to Rescue 1122, the incident occurred in Line No. 3 of Gulistan Colony. Upon receiving an emergency call, Rescue 1122 immediately dispatched water rescue teams and ambulances to the scene and launched a search and rescue operation.

Initial reports indicated that the child accidentally fell into Nullah Leh. In an attempt to rescue him, the father jumped into the drain but was overwhelmed by the strong current and deep water. Both were swept away.

During the operation, rescue teams recovered the father’s body from the drain. However, the child remained missing until the filing of this report.

Rescue 1122 official said specialized water rescue teams were utilizing all available resources to trace the missing child, adding that the search operation would continue until he was located.

Rawalpindi: Managing Director of the Pakistan Tourism Development Corporation (PTDC) Aftab ur Rehman Rana visited Taxila and Khanpur to explore opportunities for promoting heritage tourism, strengthening public-private collaboration, and expanding youth capacity-building initiatives.

During the visit, he toured the offices of Gandhara Odyssey (Pvt.) Ltd., Glaxit software development firm, and the Gandhara Taxila Center for Development (GTCD).

He was warmly received by Sohail Ahmed, CEO Gandhara Odyssey (Pvt.) Ltd. and Program Coordinator of GTCD, along with Riaz Ahmed.

During the meeting, the managing director PTDC and the CEO Gandhara Odyssey focused on enhancing historical, cultural, and religious tourism in Taxila and Khanpur, promoting the global significance of the Gandhara Civilization, preserving archaeological heritage, improving visitor facilities, advancing digital tourism, and strengthening collaboration between government institutions and the private sector.

Both sides agreed to expand joint initiatives aimed at positioning the region as a world-class heritage tourism destination.

The meeting also reviewed the recently concluded National Travel and Tours Training Program held in Islamabad.

Sohail Ahmed and Riaz Ahmed appreciated PTDC’s support in organizing the initiative in collaboration with Gandhara Odyssey (Pvt.) Ltd. and GTCD, describing it as an important step toward equipping young people with practical skills in tour guiding, travel management, and hospitality.

Riaz Ahmed proposed launching a similar training programme in Taxila to provide local youth with access to professional tourism education.

Responding to the proposal, Aftab ur Rehman Rana assured the participants that PTDC would work towards organizing the programme in Taxila within the next two to three months.

The delegation later visited key heritage sites, including Sirsukh, Jaulian, Mohra Muradu, Sirkap, where discussions focused on heritage conservation, visitor management, tourism infrastructure, and measures to further develop the region in accordance with international tourism standards.

Concluding the visit, the PTDC Managing Director commended the efforts of Gandhara Odyssey (Pvt.) Ltd., Glaxit IT Company, and the Gandhara Taxila Center for Development in promoting sustainable tourism, preserving cultural heritage, empowering youth, and engaging local communities. He reaffirmed PTDC’s commitment to supporting collaborative initiatives that contribute to the long-term growth of Pakistan’s tourism sector.

The visit represents an important step towards strengthening partnerships between the public and private sectors to unlock the tourism potential of Taxila and Khanpur while safeguarding their rich cultural and archaeological heritage.

Lodhran: A local court sentenced a convicted of rape to 25 years of rigorous imprisonment, imposed a Rs200,000 fine following effective investigation and prosecution by Lodhran Police.

According to the police spokesperson, the convict, Waqas Arain, was found guilty of raping a woman. The case was registered in 2024 at Gelay Wal police station on the complaint of the victim’s mother.

The spokesperson further said that the honourable court also ordered the rape convict to pay Rs1.5 million in compensation to the affected woman.

District Police Officer (DPO) Capt (R) Ali Bin Tariq, congratulated SHO Piran Ditta, the investigation and legal teams for securing the conviction.

“The successful prosecution of serious criminal cases and the conviction of offenders was a victory for justice,” the DPO said, adding that all legal requirements were being fulfilled to bring perpetrators of heinous crimes to justice.