Day: July 26, 2026

Gujrat: On the directions of Deputy Director Punjab Food Authority (PFA) Sadia Rafat, the PFA continued its food safety campaign across Gujrat district by inspecting 58 food outlets to ensure compliance with hygiene and food safety standards.

According to PFA sources, improvement notices were issued to 18 food business operators for violating food safety rules, while four businesses were fined a total of Rs 62, 000. The authority also sealed two food outlets and registered two FIRs over serious violations.

During the campaign, PFA officials disposed of 664 kilograms of banned and substandard food items and seized around 15, 000 kilograms of rendered fat for further legal action.

Kohat: In a major move to curb environmental degradation and protect forest cover, the District Administration has imposed a complete ban on the illegal cutting of trees across the Kohat District.

According to an official notification issued by Deputy Commissioner Kohat, Muhammad Nawaz, the restriction has been enacted under Section 144 of the Code of Criminal Procedure (Cr. P. C. ). The administration noted that illegal deforestation has led to a gradual reduction in green belts, severely harming the local environment and natural ecosystem.

The emergency preventive order will remain in force for sixty (60) days from the date of its issuance, unless withdrawn earlier.

The district administration has warned that strict legal action will be taken against violators, as contravening the order is punishable under Section 188 of the Pakistan Penal Code (PPC). Relevant departments, including law enforcement and municipal authorities, have been directed to ensure the rigorous implementation of the ban.

Sialkot: The Sialkot Chamber of Commerce and Industry (SCCI), under its Industry-Academia Linkage Program, organized an industrial visit for students of the University of Engineering and Technology (UET), Narowal, to provide them with practical exposure to the industrial sector.

As part of the initiative, the students visited Gold Panel Group, where they received a comprehensive briefing on the leather manufacturing process, modern production techniques, quality control standards, and export operations.

The visit enabled students to gain firsthand knowledge of industrial practices and understand how modern manufacturing processes are implemented to meet international quality and export requirements. It also provided an opportunity to observe the integration of technology, production management, and quality assurance in a leading export-oriented industry.

The industrial visit was organized to bridge the gap between academic learning and practical industry experience, reflecting SCCI’s continued commitment to strengthening industry-academia collaboration and preparing students for the evolving demands of the professional world.

Mirpur (ajk): Foolproof security arrangements have been devised across 13 electoral constituencies of Mirpur Division to ensure holding of free, fair, peaceful and transparent elections in all three districts of Mirpur division on Monday, July 27, official sources said.

According to Deputy Inspector General Police (DIG) Mirpur Range Kamran Ali, a total of 16, 500 personnel from various law enforcement agencies have been deployed across the division to maintain law and order during the electoral process.

The DIG told media that the deployment includes 2, 200 personnel from the Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK) Police, who will perform election security duties at polling stations and other designated locations.

He said special security measures have been devised to ensure full peace and order at all sensitive and highly sensitive polling stations.

He added that all relevant departments are fully mobilised to enforce the election code of conduct and ensure the safety of voters, polling staff and the general public throughout the polling processin and outside the polling stations during polling.

Multan: A training session and awareness walk on effective treatment of dengue fever were held at the Children’s Hospital Multan on Saturday.

The programme aimed to enhance the professional capacity of medical staff and create awareness about timely diagnosis, effective treatment and preventive measures against dengue.

The activity was held under the leadership of Dean Children’s Hospital Multan Prof Dr Muhammad Kashif Chishti. Medical officers, women medical officers, postgraduate resident doctors and nursing staff of the hospital attended the training session.

The session was organised in line with the guidelines issued by the Dengue Expert Advisory Group (DEAG), Government of Punjab, in which detailed briefing was given on timely diagnosis, clinical management, effective patient care and modern treatment principles for dengue fever.

Dr Saadia Khan, Dr Khurram Nawaz, Dr Rubina Qureshi and other doctors and nurses attended the session and also participated in the dengue awareness walk.

Multan: Pakistan Kissan Ittehad (PKI) President Khalid Mahmood Khokhar on Saturday urged the government to announce next year’s wheat policy ahead of the sowing season, warning that continued policy uncertainty could undermine wheat production and threaten food security.

Speaking at a press conference at the Multan Press Club, Khokhar said wheat growers had suffered heavy financial losses after selling their crop at rates ranging from Rs. 2800 to Rs. 3200 per maund against an estimated production cost of Rs. 3450 per maund.

He called on the government to announce the wheat support price every August, proposing that it be fixed at the cost of production plus a 25% profit margin to enable farmers to make informed cultivation decisions.

The PKI chief also demanded a reduction in diesel, electricity and fertilizer prices, the immediate restoration of urea plants to avert shortages and greater involvement of farmers in budgetary and agricultural policy-making.

Khokhar expressed concern over the declining use of DAP fertilizer, warning that lower application rates could adversely affect crop yields.

He also criticised the growing reliance on agricultural imports and declining exports, urging the government to adopt policies that promote domestic production and strengthen the farm economy.

Referring to the wheat market, he said growers were being denied remunerative prices while consumers continued to pay high flour prices, calling for reforms to eliminate market distortions and ensure equitable returns for both producers and consumers.

Highlighting agriculture’s role in the national economy, Khokhar said farmers had consistently safeguarded the country’s food security, including during the Covid-19 pandemic and urged the government to take timely decisions to protect their interests before the next wheat season begins.