Day: July 30, 2026

Islamabad: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Wednesday directed the authorities concerned to work vigorously on an effective and comprehensive strategy to create employment opportunities under the Prime Minister’s Youth Program.

The prime minister, in a meeting with Chairman of Prime Minister’s Youth Program Rana Mashhood Ahmed Khan, who called on him here, highlighted that providing top-class education and vocational training to the youth remained among the government’s priorities.

During the meeting, Rana Mashhood briefed the prime minister on the progress of ongoing projects being executed under the Youth Program.

Prime Minister Shehbaz emphasized that equipping young people with modern technology, artificial intelligence (AI), digital skills, and entrepreneurial abilities was an urgent need of the hour.

He said that the government was utilizing all available resources to provide youth with equal opportunities in employment, business, education, and skills.

Calling the educated and skilled youth the guarantors of the nation’s bright future, the prime minister highlighted that a skilled workforce played a pivotal role in the country’s economy, industry, and social diversity.

Islamabad: The Emergency Response Committee (ERC) on Wednesday reviewed Pakistan’s monsoon preparedness and ongoing response efforts at its sixth meeting in Islamabad, warning that a fresh weather system from July 29 to August 5 could trigger heavy rains, urban flooding and rising river flows across the country, as the nationwide death toll from monsoon related incidents climbed to 109 and injuries reached 362.

The meeting, held at the National Emergencies Operations Centre (NEOC) at NDMA headquarters, was chaired via video link by Federal Minister for Planning, Development and Special Initiatives Prof Ahsan Iqbal. It was attended by Federal Minister for Climate Change Dr Musadik Malik, Federal Minister for Power Sardar Awais Ahmad Khan Leghari, Federal Minister for Water Resources Mian Muhammad Mueen Wattoo, Federal Minister for National Food Security and Research Rana Tanveer Hussain, NDMA Chairman Lt Gen Inam Haider Malik and senior officials from relevant ministries and departments.

The committee was informed that a new monsoon system is expected to affect Gilgit Baltistan, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Azad Jammu and Kashmir, Balochistan, Punjab and Sindh, bringing widespread rainfall with isolated heavy downpours.

Officials warned that the weather system could cause rapid rises in river flows, medium to high flows in the Chenab River and its associated nullahs, flash floods in hill torrents and seasonal streams, and urban flooding in vulnerable cities.

According to the latest situation report, 109 people lost their lives and 362 were injured nationwide between June 26 and July 28. House, roof and wall collapses remained the leading cause of fatalities, while Khyber Pakhtunkhwa reported the highest number of deaths, followed by Punjab.

The committee was also informed that 148 rescue operations had been carried out across the country, resulting in the evacuation of 4,111 people to safer locations through coordinated efforts of the NDMA, provincial disaster management authorities and partner agencies.

Participants stressed the need for close coordination among federal ministries, provincial governments, district administrations and emergency response agencies to ensure timely implementation of preparedness measures.

The meeting emphasized continuous monitoring of vulnerable areas, effective dissemination of early warning alerts and proactive public awareness campaigns to reduce risks from monsoon related hazards.

The ERC directed all relevant departments to remain on high alert and ensure the availability of emergency resources, rescue equipment, relief supplies and uninterrupted essential services in high risk areas.

Chairing the meeting, Prof Ahsan Iqbal directed that chief secretaries of all provinces, Gilgit Baltistan and Azad Jammu and Kashmir attend future ERC meetings to strengthen coordination, accelerate decision making and improve implementation of preparedness and response measures.

The committee reaffirmed the government’s commitment to protecting lives, livelihoods and critical infrastructure through coordinated action and timely response throughout the ongoing monsoon season. NDMA said it would continue monitoring the evolving situation through the NEOC and maintain close coordination with all stakeholders to ensure a unified national response.

Islamabad: The Islamabad Capital Territory (ICT) administration teams have detained 11 touts during an operation outside the Excise Department office, as officials stepped up efforts to curb unauthorized agents and improve access to public services.

The action was carried out by the Assistant Commissioner Industrial Area, who urged citizens to use official service channels and report individuals involved in illegal facilitation activities.

According to the district administration, the operation targeted people allegedly acting as unauthorized intermediaries outside the Excise Department office. During the drive, 11 individuals were taken into custody and shifted to the lock-up for further legal proceedings.

Officials said the Excise Department has introduced additional service counters to facilitate citizens and reduce waiting times. The department has also expanded access to online services, allowing people to complete various procedures and obtain services from their homes without relying on agents.

The administration appealed to residents to avoid dealing with unauthorized individuals who claim to offer faster processing or special access to government services. Citizens were encouraged to use official counters and digital platforms for registration, tax-related matters, and other Excise Department services.

Authorities further requested the public to help identify and report agents operating outside government offices. Officials said public cooperation is essential to ensuring transparent service delivery and preventing exploitation of citizens seeking assistance.

The district administration reiterated its commitment to maintaining orderly service environments at public offices and said similar operations will continue against unauthorized agents involved in misleading or charging citizens for services that are available through official channels.

Islamabad: The Virtual University of Pakistan (VU) and Foundation University Islamabad (FUI) have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to establish a strategic partnership focused on advancing higher education, digital learning, research, and innovation.

The MoU was signed by Prof. Dr. Arshad Saleem Bhatti (S.I, T.I) Rector, Virtual University of Pakistan, and Maj. Gen. (R) Dr. Raza Ali Khan, HI(M), Rector, Foundation University Islamabad, during a ceremony held at Foundation University Islamabad.

The VU delegation included Prof. Dr Ather Azim Khan, Registrar; Prof. Dr Asif Nadeem, Head, Department of Biological Sciences; Mr. Aamer Rafique, Director Campuses and Additional Registrar; Dr Baber Ali, Director Administration and General Manager Television; and Ms. Rubina Ali, General Manager Marketing.

Under the partnership, both institutions will strengthen Online Learning (ODL), organise joint training programmes, workshops, and faculty development initiatives, undertake collaborative research and quality assurance activities, facilitate academic resource sharing and student exchange opportunities, and implement joint academic and outreach initiatives to expand access to quality education across Pakistan.

The partnership reflects the shared commitment of both universities to academic excellence, innovation, and expanding learning opportunities for students and faculty. Together, VU and FUI are building stronger pathways for the future of higher education.

Islamabad: The National Assembly Standing Committee on Human Rights Wednesday called for adopting a uniform minimum marriage age across the country and directed the Ministry of Human Rights to strengthen coordination among relevant ministries and departments to effectively address social issues that are affecting the society.

The committee, which met at Parliament House under the chairpersonship of MNA Asiya Naz Tanoli, also appreciated the Ministry of Human Rights for successfully organizing the 9th OIC Ministerial Conference on Women in Islamabad, saying the event would contribute to promoting women’s socio-economic empowerment, digital inclusion and political participation.

Expressing concern over different minimum marriage ages prescribed under federal and provincial laws, the committee directed the Ministry of Human Rights to take concrete measures, in consultation with all provinces, to make the marriage age uniform across the country.

The committee also voiced concern over what it described as the poor performance of ministries and departments responsible for addressing social evils, attributing the situation to inadequate coordination among institutions. It observed that many policies remained confined to paper with little implementation at the grassroots level.

The committee directed the Ministry of Human Rights to establish effective coordination among all relevant ministries and departments to curb social issues, including rape, harassment, child abuse, drug abuse and begging. It also asked the ministry to launch a comprehensive media awareness campaign highlighting the services it provides to improve public awareness and enhance institutional performance.

Earlier, officials briefed the committee on the performance of the National Commission on the Status of Women (NCSW) and the Child Protection Institute (CPI), highlighting challenges faced by the organizations. They sought the committee’s support for increased budgetary allocations and recruitment against vacant posts to improve service delivery.

The meeting was attended by MNAs Danyal Chaudhary, Shamsher Ali Mazari, Zeb Jaffar, Tamkeen Akhtar Niazi, Dr. Nelson Azeem, Sehar Kamran, Shahida Rehmani, Naveed Aamir, Sabheen Ghoury (via Zoom), Syeda Nosheen Iftikhar, and senior officials of the Ministry of Human Rights and its attached departments.

Islamabad: The Supreme Court on Wednesday dismissed a petition seeking cancellation of the bail granted to Bilal, an accused in a case involving alleged links with the banned Balochistan Liberation Army (BLA), while raising questions over the prosecution’s evidence connecting him to the outlawed group.

A two-member bench headed by Justice Naeem Akhtar Afghan heard the case.

During the proceedings, the state counsel sought additional time to submit further documents, arguing that the prosecution intended to place on record evidence regarding the accused’s alleged connection with a suicide bomber.

Justice Naeem Akhtar Afghan questioned how the prosecution had established Bilal’s alleged links with the BLA.

“The accused is a bank manager. How does transferring money for the purchase of a vehicle amount to a criminal offence?” the judge remarked.

He further observed that the bank manager had merely processed the transfer of funds and could not have known that the vehicle would allegedly be used in a bombing.

The bench also directed the state counsel to clarify the nature of Bilal’s alleged association with the banned organisation and to produce credible evidence supporting the claim.

According to the prosecution, the accused is facing charges in a case registered by the Counter-Terrorism Department (CTD) in Karachi.

After hearing the arguments, the Supreme Court dismissed the petition seeking cancellation of the accused’s bail and disposed of the case.