Day: July 28, 2026

Faisalabad: Divisional Commissioner Imran Hamid Sheikh on Monday announced plans to expand Children’s Hospital Faisalabad from 314 to 450 beds under the Punjab government’s ongoing healthcare reforms.

During his visit to the hospital, he reviewed healthcare services and reaffirmed the Punjab government’s commitment under the vision of Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz Sharif to modernize public health facilities and enhance access to quality medical care for children. He said that fast-track steps would be taken to increase the hospital’s capacity from 314 to 450 beds to meet the growing demand for specialized paediatric healthcare. He said the administration would also take up the matter of providing additional doctors with the competent authorities to address staffing requirements. He appreciated the hospital management for ensuring effective treatment and uninterrupted supply of medicines to young patients.

He said the hospital’s efficient management system would be replicated in other public hospitals across Faisalabad division to improve the overall standard of healthcare delivery.

During the visit, the Divisional Commissioner inspected various wards, met children undergoing treatment and interacted with their parents to obtain first-hand feedback on the quality of medical services and hospital arrangements. The parents expressed satisfaction over the treatment facilities and patient care being provided at the hospital.

The Divisional Commissioner also inspected the dialysis unit, reviewed patient care arrangements, checked the availability of medicines in the hospital pharmacy and examined cleanliness and sanitation measures. He said that making government hospitals across the division complaint-free in terms of treatment facilities and patient services remains one of the administration’s top priorities. All necessary efforts would continue to improve healthcare standards and public confidence in the health system, he added.

Muzaffargarh: Rescue-1222 teams safely evacuated 21 members of a family stranded in floodwaters at Basti Chajra, a low-lying area along the River Chenab, after rising water levels submerged several houses on Monday.

According to Rescue 1122 officials, teams reached the affected site promptly after receiving an emergency call and managed to access the area despite difficult conditions and flood-hit routes.

The rescue personnel safely evacuated all 21 stranded individuals along with their essential belongings from the flood-affected area.

The rescued persons were later shifted to a safe location at Mochiwala Patan.

Rawalpindi: Federal Parliamentary Secretary for Information and Broadcasting, Barrister Danyal Chaudhry, on Monday rejected the joint press conference of Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) leaders Nadeem Afzal Chan and Saeed Ghani, labeling their claims a combination of baseless allegations and political frustration aimed at misleading the public.

In a statement, Barrister Danyal asserted that the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) government remains firmly committed to public service, economic stability and widespread development, adding that criticisms regarding the Green Bus initiative, wheat procurement, monsoon management, and other matters are unfounded political point-scoring.

He advised the PPP leadership to reflect on its own governance record before shifting blame.

Refuting Saeed Ghani’s allegation regarding firing on a candidate, Barrister Danyal expressed grief over the tragic killing of worker Mukhtiar Younus and extended deep condolences to the bereaved family.

He maintained that the Azad Jammu and Kashmir elections are being conducted in a free, fair and transparent manner, noting that levelling pre-poll rigging allegations out of fear of impending defeat is a routine tactic of the opposition.

Highlighting provincial achievements, Barrister Danyal emphasized that the Punjab government, under CM Maryam Nawaz Sharif, is rapidly delivering public welfare initiatives. He highlighted that the Green Bus project provides safe, modern and eco-friendly transit to thousands daily, cautioning that targeting essential public utilities harms citizen interests.

He also dispelled claims regarding inadequate facilities in Punjab’s public schools, pointing to ongoing, visible upgrades in infrastructure, IT laboratories and smart classrooms.

Additionally, he rejected assertions that agriculture is neglected in Punjab or that local farmers were bypassed during wheat procurement, affirming that all state decisions are executed transparently according to law.

Addressing rain management, Barrister Danyal denied claims that half of Punjab was submerged during recent monsoon spells, saying that prompt field action ensured rainwater was cleared from affected zones within hours.

He reiterated that the federal government, under Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, continues to take decisive measures to secure economic stability, curb inflation, attract foreign investment and deliver direct relief to the masses.

Kohat: The religious scholars at a convention have called for greater efforts to safeguard the Islamic belief in the Finality of Prophethood, describing it as a shared religious responsibility.

The gathering, organised by the district chapter of the Global Council for the Protection of the Finality of Prophethood at the Old Madrassah in Mohallah Prachgan, drew a large number of Islamic scholars, clerics and local residents.

Maulana Abid Kamal, a preacher associated with the Khatm-e-Nabuwwat movement, and Maulana Qari Muhammad Aslam, the Nowshera chapter chief of the organisation addressed on the occasion.

They stressed the importance of educating younger generations about the significance of the belief in the Finality of Prophethood.

Multan: An Additional Sessions Court, Jalalpur Pirwala, on completion of trial, awarded varying sentences to two convicts in a murder and attempted murder case, with one sentenced to death and the other to life imprisonment.

According to the prosecution, convict Irshad s/o Allah Diwaya was sentenced to death along with a fine of Rs 500, 000 for murder and awarded 10 years’ rigorous imprisonment with a fine of Rs100, 000 for attempted murder.

His co-convict Muhammad Naeem s/o Allah Diwaya was sentenced to life imprisonment and fined Rs 500, 000 for murder, besides 10 years’ imprisonment and a fine of Rs100, 000 for attempted murder.

The court announced the verdict after the prosecution successfully established the charges against both accused during the trial.

According to police sources, the convicts had allegedly killed Mumtaz Ahmed and attempted to murder another person in 2022 within the jurisdiction of City Police Station Jalalpur Pirwala.

Following the incident, City Jalalpur Police registered FIR No. 543/2022 under Sections 302, 324, 109 and 34 of the Pakistan Penal Code and launched an investigation to trace and arrest the suspects.

Police subsequently arrested the accused and completed the investigation after collecting what they described as substantial evidence against them. A challan was then submitted before the competent court for trial.

After completion of proceedings, the court convicted both accused and awarded sentences in accordance with law.

The police said the verdict reflected their commitment to ensuring justice for victims and bringing those involved in serious crimes to justice through effective investigation and prosecution.

Muzaffargarh: Crime Control Department (CCD) squad arrested an alleged drug dealer in Farid Colony for supplying a large consignment of hashish, police sources said on Monday. Acting on a tip-off, the CCD team timely intercepted the accused as he was on his way to supply the drugs in Farid Colony. Around 9 kilograms of hashish was recovered from his possession, they said.

A case has been registered against the accused, who was shifted to the police station. Raids and investigations are underway to arrest other members of his network. The identity of the alleged outlaw would be disclosed later, the sources stated.