Day: July 23, 2026

Bahawalpur: The Regional Office of the Federal Ombudsman heard more than 100 public complaints against various federal government departments during a complaint hearing session, with several cases decided on the spot and relief worth millions of rupees provided to affected citizens.

According to an official press release, Associate Advisor Khalid Nazir presided over the hearing, which dealt with complaints involving the Sui Gas department, the National Bank of Pakistan (NBP), Zarai Taraqiati Bank Limited (ZTBL), Pakistan Post Office, the Federal Employees Benevolent and Group Insurance Fund (FEBandGIF), the Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) and the Passport Office.

Complainants raised a range of issues, including correction of utility bills, payment of pensions and financial benefits, banking disputes, gas connections and other administrative matters.

After reviewing each case, the Associate Advisor directed representatives of the relevant departments to resolve the complaints promptly in accordance with the law and applicable regulations.

According to the press release, several complaints were settled during the hearing, while the remaining departments were instructed to take immediate action to ensure that citizens received their lawful entitlements. The hearing resulted in relief amounting to millions of rupees for complainants, who expressed satisfaction over the outcome.

Gujrat: Deputy Commissioner Noor-ul-Ain Qureshi chaired a meeting to review the measures for promoting tree plantation, improving greenbelts and implementing plantation plans under ongoing development projects. According to official sources, the meeting decided that horticulture funds allocated under ongoing development schemes would be utilized for large-scale plantation across the district.

In the first phase, trees will be planted on the central medians of Gujrat-Sargodha Road and Kotla Arab Ali Khan Road to enhance the beauty of the roads and promote a greener environment.The deputy commissioner directed the relevant departments to complete the plantation drive at the earliest and ensure proper care, irrigation and protection of the saplings to ensure the project’s long-term success. Deputy Conservator Forest, Deputy Director Development Tasawar Abbas, Chief Officer District Council Syed Faraz Mehdi, officials of the Highways Department and other officers concerned attended the meeting.

Manila: Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Senator Mohammad Ishaq Dar on Wednesday arrived here along with his delegation to participate in the 33rd ASEAN Regional Forum (ARF) Ministerial Meeting.

On his arrival at the airport, the deputy prime minister was received by Elmer G. Cato, Assistant Secretary for the Office of Intelligence and Security Services (OISS), Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) of the Philippines, Pakistan’s Ambassador to the Philippines Ambassador Asima Rabbani, and officials of the Embassy of Pakistan.

The ministerial moot will bring together foreign ministers and delegates from the 27 ARF member states, including the Secretary-General of ASEAN.

At the meeting, Deputy Prime Minister Dar will participate in discussions on political and security issues affecting the Asia-Pacific region, with a special focus on promoting peace, stability, and mutual cooperation through sustained dialogue and diplomacy.

He will also hold bilateral meetings with his Philippine counterpart and several other participating dignitaries on the sidelines of the meeting.

Sukkur: The Sindh Rural Support Organization (SRSO) organized community dialogue sessions on the Sindh Social Protection Policy and the Climate-Social Protection Nexus in Jacobabad and Sukkur districts in Wednesday.

The Focus Group Discussions (FGDs) were facilitated by Masood Lohar, noted environmentalist and climate change consultant, and Ghulam Sakina, Senior Social Protection Officer at GIZ.

In Jacobabad, the session was held at LSO Nai Roshni, Village Ranjhapur, Taluka Thul, while in Sukkur, it was organized at the SRSO District Office, Rohri. The delegates interacted with community members to understand the local impacts of climate change, existing adaptation practices, and the linkages between climate vulnerabilities and social protection needs.

Community members actively participated and shared their experiences, observations and recommendations regarding climate change impacts and disasters, particularly heavy rainfall and flooding in their areas.

The discussions was focused on identifying and documenting key issues, challenges and recommendations to strengthen the nexus between climate resilience and social protection.

At the conclusion of the field visits, the delegates appreciated SRSO for its support in organizing the visits, facilitating community outreach and ensuring the successful completion of the assessment.

Peshawar: Special Assistant on Food Dr.Muhammad Asrar Khan met a World Food Programme delegation led by Country Director Anita Hirsch here on Wednesday. The delegation was briefed in detail on nutrition programmes, wheat strategic reserve system, departmental digitalization, capacity building, provision of safe and quality food, and food security reforms.

Dr. Asrar Khan said the KP government had made significant strides in ensuring food security for all citizens. He said the provincial food department had successfully streamlined wheat procurement and distribution mechanisms, ensuring timely availability of subsidized flour across the province even during crisis periods.

He said the digitalization drive had enhanced transparency and efficiency in food supply chain management, reducing leakages and ensuring targeted subsidy delivery.

The strategic wheat reserve system had been strengthened to maintain buffer stocks for emergencies, he added.

The Special Assistant said KP was actively working to combat stunting and malnutrition through integrated nutrition programmes in collaboration with international partners. He said safe food standards were being enforced rigorously to protect public health.

Country Director Anita Hirsch appreciated KP’s progressive approach to food security and nutrition.

She said WFP valued its partnership with the provincial government and looked forward to expanding cooperation in capacity building, climate-resilient agriculture and community-based nutrition interventions.