Day: July 24, 2026

United nation: Pakistan told the UN Security Council that natural resources must serve as instruments of shared prosperity rather than tools for coercion.

At the high-level debate on ‘Natural resource governance: the foundation of peace, security and prosperity,’ Ambassador Asim Iftikhar Ahmad, permanent representative of Pakistan to the UN, warned against the weaponization of vital resources and called for equitable, rules-based global governance.

The debate was presided over by the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), which hold the 15-member Council’s presidency for the month of July.

‘Resource wealth can contribute to affluence with peace only when accountability by strong institutions, transparency, national ownership and prioritizing people’s welfare,’ the Pakistani envoy said, adding that the minerals-rich Democratic Republic of the Congo’s example is illustrative.

Pakistan, he said, has long stood in solidarity with African countries in their pursuit of sovereign control over their natural wealth. Africa’s experience demonstrates that resource wealth can contribute to affluence with peace, only when accompanied by strong institutions, transparency, national ownership and prioritizing people’s welfare.

For decades, he said, illicit exploitation and trafficking of natural resources have financed armed groups and deprived the Congolese people of the benefits of their country’s immense national wealth.

He called for strengthened traceability mechanisms – including lessons from the Kimberly Process – responsible supply chains and regional cooperation, which are essential to disrupt conflict financing.

“Natural resource governance must remain firmly anchored in the UN Charter and international law, Ambassador Asim Ahmad said. The right of peoples to permanent sovereignty over their natural wealth and resources, as enshrined in General Assembly resolution 1803, remained fundamental.

“International cooperation must strengthen national capacities while respecting national ownership, priorities and policy space,” he added.

“The Security Council has an important responsibility where the exploitation or weaponization of natural resources, threatens international peace and security, whether through the illicit exploitation of minerals that fuels and perpetuates conflict, or the unilateral actions to exploit shared natural resources as instruments of coercion in disregard of international law and binding treaty obligations,” the Pakistan envoy said.

“The Council should make full use of the tools at its disposal, including preventive diplomacy, peaceful resolution of disputes, sanctions regimes and monitoring mechanisms to address these threats.”

UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres also addressed the Council, urging an end to the “plundering” of resources and calling for transparency in the global supply chain.

Mirpur: Internet services were restored across various parts of Azad Jammu and Kashmir, including the three districts of Mirpur division, Mirpur, Kotli and Bhimber, on Thursday, bringing relief to residents after a suspension of around 45 days, official sources said.

The internet outage began on June 5 following a protest and shutdown call by the Jammu Kashmir Joint Awami Action Committee, which was later declared a proscribed organization by the Azad Jammu and Kashmir government. The group had been demanding the implementation of its charter of demands, including the abolition of the 12 reserved seats in the AJK Legislative Assembly allocated to Pakistan-based Kashmiri refugees.

The restoration of internet connectivity was welcomed by residents, who said the prolonged disruption had affected communication, business activity, education, media operations and access to online services across the region.

With services resuming, normal life has begun returning to the region as businesses, educational institutions and the public reconnect to digital platforms after weeks of limited communication and online access.

Rajshahi: Rajshahi Medical College Hospital (RMCH) has strengthened its diagnostic services with the installation of several advanced laboratory machines received free of cost, a development expected to reduce patients’ waiting time and improve the accuracy of medical tests.

Hospital authorities said the equipment, donated by three organizations-Health Care, ABC Corporation and Victor Trading-has already started enhancing pathology and cardiac laboratory services, enabling quicker diagnosis and timely treatment.

The newly installed equipment includes a state-of-the-art cell counter, hormone analyzer, urine analyzer, unstained cell counter, ESR analyzer and electrolyte analyzer.

RMCH spokesperson and Assistant Professor Dr Sheikh Shamim Ahmed said some of the machines have already been installed at the hospital’s outdoor pathology laboratory.

“The reports generated by these machines are highly reliable and more accurate than those produced by the previous equipment,” he said, citing feedback from the hospital’s pathology department.

Hospital sources said one of the major additions is the Maglumi X-3 analyser installed in the cardiac laboratory. Unlike the existing Point of Care Testing (POCT) analyser, which performs tests individually and requires more time, the new machine is based on chemiluminescence immunoassay technology, offering greater sensitivity and specificity.

The system is capable of performing around 200 tests an hour, significantly increasing laboratory capacity while lowering testing costs. The technology has received approval from the United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and is already being used in many leading hospitals across the country, including Bangladesh Medical University and Dhaka Medical College Hospital.

The hospital has also replaced its three-parameter electrolyte analyser with a five-parameter system capable of measuring sodium, potassium, chloride, pH and bicarbonate. Physicians believe the additional testing capability will help improve the diagnosis and management of critically ill patients.

Besides, the newly installed ESR analyser follows the internationally recognized Westergren method, regarded as the global standard for erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR) testing, ensuring more dependable results.

Dr Shamim Ahmed said the upgraded equipment would improve the quality of diagnostic services by providing faster and more accurate reports while reducing waiting times for patients.

He said the older machines frequently developed mechanical faults, disrupting laboratory services and delaying treatment. “The new equipment will help ensure uninterrupted testing, although the existing machines will continue to operate alongside the new ones whenever necessary,” he added.

Sources at the hospital said Mizanur Rahman Mizan, president of Rajpara Thana BNP, facilitated the donation for the benefit of patients.

Healthcare professionals at the hospital believe the addition of the new diagnostic equipment will significantly strengthen laboratory services, particularly as RMCH serves thousands of patients every day from Rajshahi and surrounding districts.

Faisalabad: University of Agriculture Faisalabad (UAF) and Government College Women University Sialkot (GCWUS) entered into a strategic partnership by signing a five-year Letter of Intent (LoI) aimed at expanding academic research, institutional development, and women’s leadership in higher education.

UAF spokesman said here on Thursday that the document was formally signed by UAF Vice Chancellor Prof. Dr. Zulfiqar Ali and GCWUS Vice Chancellor Prof. Dr. Shazia Bashir, in the presence of UAF Director External Linkages Dr. Muhammad Tehseen Azhar and GCWUS Director External Linkages Dr. Muhammad Umer Farrukh.

Under the terms of this collaborative agreement, both public universities will focus on interdisciplinary research and academic development across key fields, including food security, climate change, artificial intelligence, biotechnology, public health, and women’s studies.

The institutional framework emphasizes faculty and student mobility, joint post-graduate supervision, collaborative publications, and the integration of agriculture-related courses into GCWUS’s curriculum.

The partnership also mandates close coordination between the respective Offices of Research, Innovation and Commercialization (ORICs) to advance startup incubation, technology transfer, and joint funding applications through national and international bodies, the spokesman added.

Dera ismail khan: A high-level inquiry committee constituted by the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Higher Education, Archives and Libraries Department has stepped up its investigation into administrative, financial and academic affairs at Gomal University, recording statements from employees, affected officials and representatives of various associations during a visit to the university on Thursday.

The committee, headed by Commissioner Dera Ismail Khan Division, Daud Khan, also included the Vice Chancellor of the University of Peshawar and the Registrar of the University of Science and Technology Bannu. During the visit, members held separate hearings with stakeholders, providing each party an opportunity to present its position while formally documenting their statements as part of the inquiry.

According to the Higher Education Department, the committee has been tasked with examining governance, administration, financial management, recruitment procedures, security arrangements, hostel management and student discipline at the university.

It was also investigating allegations of administrative irregularities, non-merit appointments and other complaints.

Under its mandate, the committee was authorized to collect evidence from all relevant stakeholders, identify those responsible for any violations, point out procedural lapses and recommend corrective as well as disciplinary measures in accordance with the law.

Committee members said the inquiry was being conducted with complete transparency, impartiality and adherence to merit.

They added that all available records, documents and witness statements would be thoroughly reviewed before a comprehensive, evidence-based report was submitted to the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Higher Education Department within the stipulated timeframe.

Sources said the committee might summon additional individuals and examine further records, if required, to ensure the investigation was comprehensive, transparent and credible.

Muzaffargarh: A medium-level flood continued at Marala Headworks and Qadirabad Barrage on the Chenab River, while water flow at other major barrages remained stable, according to the Punjab Irrigation Department on Thursday.

A spokesperson for the department said that the inflow at Marala Barrage was recorded at 224,496 cusecs, while the outflow stood at 206,496 cusecs. Water levels at Marala Headworks continued to rise, where a medium-level flood was in progress.

At Qadirabad Barrage, the river discharge was recorded at 158,539 cusecs, with the flood remaining at a medium level and the overall situation reported to be stable.

The spokesperson said that 126,717 cusecs of water was passing through Khanki Barrage, where a low-level flood persisted, although the situation remained under control.

Meanwhile, 64,483 cusecs of water was recorded at Trimmu Barrage, where river conditions were reported to be normal.

The spokesperson added that water flow at all other rivers and barrages across Punjab remained within normal limits.

He said that the Punjab Irrigation Department had kept all its field teams on high alert and was continuously monitoring the situation at rivers, barrages and headworks to ensure timely response to any change in water levels.