Day: July 22, 2026

Rawalpindi: Commissioner Rawalpindi Salman Ghani on Tuesday directed all relevant departments to maintain a high state of alert and execute comprehensive emergency management plans to safeguard human life and property ahead of the monsoon season.

He issued these directives while presiding over a high-level monsoon review meeting.

“Protecting human life and public infrastructure during the monsoon rains remains our topmost priority,” commissioner said, emphasizing that all state institutions must operate under a seamless command and coordination system. He instructed that district control rooms, emergency helplines and field monitoring networks must remain operational round-the-clock.

During the meeting, all district administrations briefed the commissioner on their emergency preparedness, mapping of vulnerable low-lying areas, and machinery deployment plans.

The commissioner ordered targeted field operations against illegal encroachments along Nullah Lai and other natural waterways to prevent drainage blockages and urban flooding.

Rescue 1122, Civil Defence, and local municipal bodies were directed to keep heavy machinery, de-watering pumps, rescue boats, ambulances, and emergency supplies fully functional. The Commissioner also ordered regular mock exercises to test institutional response capabilities.

Reviewing water storage capacity across regional reservoirs, the commissioner instructed authorities to continuously monitor dam water levels and issue timely public warnings before releasing spillway discharges. He also directed private housing societies, including DHA, Bahria Town, and developments along the Soan River, to install early warning systems and integrate their response plans with the district administration.

Addressing specific arrangements for Murree, the commissioner instructed local authorities to keep heavy earth-moving machinery, alternative traffic routing plans, and landslide emergency units functional at all times to assist tourists and residents.

Additionally, the Livestock Department was ordered to ensure the safe evacuation, fodder supply, and vaccination of livestock in flood-prone areas.

The meeting was attended via video link by all DCs of the division. Senior officials from Rescue 1122, Civil Defence, the Livestock Department and regional development authorities were also present during the meeting.

Sargodha: Deputy Commissioner Hussain Ahmad Raza Chaudhry on Tuesday chaired a meeting to assess progress on the ongoing WASA sewerage mega project and various development schemes being executed under the Punjab Development Programme (PDP), restoration works and the Chief Minister Punjab’s special grant for local government projects.

According to the spokesperson for the DC office here, Water and Sanitation Authority (WASA) Managing Director Muhammad Abu Bakr Imran briefed the meeting on critical components of the sewerage mega project, ongoing construction activities and progress achieved so far.

On the occasion PDP Assistant Director Hamid Chatha informed the meeting that around 90 per cent of the critical works had been completed, while the remaining components were also progressing rapidly.

The DC expressed satisfaction over the progress and observed that the positive impact of the development projects had started becoming visible during the recent monsoon rains.

He said a significant improvement had been witnessed in the situation of rainwater accumulation on several major roads of the city, reflecting effective planning and execution of the development initiatives.

The meeting was informed that the sewerage line from Muhammadiya Colony to the Sillanwali Disposal Station was nearly complete. However, the pumping system near Maqam-e-Hayat could not yet be made operational due to the non-installation of a transformer.

The deputy commissioner directed FESCO authorities to install the transformer immediately so that the project could be made fully operational without further delay.

The meeting was further informed that restoration work at Company Bagh Hockey Ground had commenced following the completion of an underground water storage tank. Similarly, restoration of Khushab Road was in progress after the laying of a sewerage line, while restoration work at Rehmat-ul-Alameen Park had also begun after completion of an underground water tank.

Chaudhry directed the relevant departments to complete all remaining works within the stipulated timelines.

He also stressed regular quality testing of construction materials at every stage of the projects to ensure quality, durability and transparency.

Peshawar: Provincial Disasters Management Authority (PDMA) and Rescue 1122 besides other relief operations on Tuesday launched relief operations in five rains and flash hit districts of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.

According to a statement issued by the Office of the Commissioner, Peshawar Division, emergency response efforts are started in Peshawar, Nowshera, Charsadda, Khyber, and Mohmand districts to effectively deal with the evolving situation caused by heavy rainfall and flash flood.

District administration officials, Rescue 1122 personnel, police, Irrigation department, Health department, Tehsil Municipal Administrations (TMAs), and other relevant agencies are present in affected areas, continuously monitoring the situation and reviewing rescue, relief, and rehabilitation measures.

Authorities are evacuating affected residents to safer locations, restoring roads and communication links, draining accumulated rainwater, providing emergency medical assistance, and carrying out other essential relief activities to ensure maximum public support.

The Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government and the Peshawar division administration have placed the protection of lives and property as their top priority. All relevant departments remain on high alert to minimize potential losses during the monsoon season and provide immediate and effective assistance to affected communities.

The administration urged citizens to avoid unnecessary travel during heavy rains and to stay away from low-lying areas, seasonal streams, and flood channels. In the event of an emergency, residents have been advised to immediately contact Rescue 1122 or the relevant district administration.

Sargodha: The Anti-Corruption Establishment (ACE) Sargodha on Tuesday arrested a Patwari for accepting a bribe for land transfer in Khushab district. According to an ACE spokesperson, the operation was carried out under the special directives of Director General Anti-Corruption Punjab Sohail Zafar Chatta and the supervision of Regional Director ACE Sargodha Mudassar Hanif Bhatti.

Circle Officer Azhar Javed Bajwa, accompanied by Magistrate Ahmed Waqas, conducted the raid and recovered marked currency notes amounting to Rs 25,000 from the possession of the accused, Najmul Hassan. The spokesperson added that a citizen, Raza Haider, had filed a complaint stating that the Patwari was demanding Rs 25,000 for processing an inheritance transfer after already receiving Rs 5,000 previously.

The ACE team caught the official at the moment of the transaction and registered a case against him for further investigation.

Faisalabad: Three farmers were injured during a clash between two groups over irrigation water in tehsil Tandlianwala. According to Rescue-1122, the clash broke out between two farmers groups over an irrigation water dispute, escalating into an exchange of gunfire in Chak No 435-GB Lashrian. As a result, three farmers suffered bullet injuries. They were identified as Irfan, Shahid and Shahid . They were shifted to the THQ hospital.

Beijing: Pakistan’s Federal Minister for Climate Change and Environmental Coordination, Dr. Musadik Masood Malik, met with Xu Zhitao, Vice Chairman of Xizang Autonomous Region, on the sidelines of the 5th China-Xizang Trans-Himalaya Forum for International Cooperation, with both sides agreeing to expand collaboration in environmental protection and sustainable development.

Welcoming the Pakistani delegation, the Vice Chairman briefed the minister on Xizang’s history, economic progress, and cultural heritage, highlighting a development model built around ecological conservation. He noted that the region, home to 47 national parks, has witnessed remarkable socio-economic transformation in recent decades while keeping environmental protection at the heart of its development strategy. He also pointed to Xizang’s cultural and religious diversity, including the historical presence of a small Muslim community of Kashmiri origin.

Dr. Malik thanked his host for the warm hospitality and reaffirmed the Strategic Cooperative Partnership between Pakistan and China. He observed that Pakistan and Xizang shared similar mountain ecosystems and stood to gain significantly from knowledge-sharing and institutional partnerships, China Economic Net reported.

The two sides discussed avenues for cooperation in climate change, scientific research, innovation, mountain ecosystem conservation, and biodiversity protection. They also noted the potential of traditional knowledge systems, observing that several medicinal practices associated with Tibetan medicine were familiar in Pakistan’s Gilgit-Baltistan region, opening doors for academic and research collaboration.

Dr. Malik expressed confidence that closer cooperation in climate action and scientific research would further deepen the enduring friendship between the two countries.