Day: July 30, 2026

Sukkur: The Begum Nusrat Bhutto Women University (BNBWU) Sukkur on Wednesday organized an awareness session on “Career Opportunities for Women in the Pakistan Air Force” at the Event Hall, Admin Block.

The session was held on the directives of Vice Chancellor Prof. Dr. Tehmina Nangraj as part of the university’s ongoing efforts to provide career guidance, professional exposure and opportunities for national service to its students.

Squadron Leader M. Shabeeb Durrani, Officer Commanding, PAF Information and Selection Centre Sukkur, was the keynote speaker. He was accompanied by Assistant Abdul Rafique, Corporal Technician Ikhtisham, Corporal Technician M. Umar and Corporal Technician Jawad.

The speakers briefed the students on career pathways in the PAF, eligibility criteria, recruitment procedures, professional training and the growing role of women in the Pakistan Air Force.

The session highlighted BNBWU’s commitment to empowering its female students with informed career choices, leadership opportunities and pathways to serve the nation with honour, courage and dedication.

Gujrat: The Environment Protection Department (EPA) sealed an industrial unit for violating environmental laws and seized 70 kilograms of banned polythene shopping bags during separate enforcement operations carried out across the district.

According to official sources, the crackdown was conducted on the directions of Assistant Director Environment Usama Majid as part of the department’s ongoing drive to ensure compliance with environmental regulations.

During the campaign, EPA teams carried out 20 inspections of industrial units and brick kilns across the district. One industrial unit was found violating environmental laws and was sealed in accordance with the relevant regulations.

The department also conducted 10 inspections targeting the use and sale of banned polythene shopping bags, seizing 70 kilograms of prohibited bags from various locations.

Officials said the enforcement campaign would continue to curb environmental pollution and ensure strict implementation of environmental laws.

Multan: All Pakistan Women Association (APWA) Multan chapter awarded certificates to women upon completion of various skill development courses at a ceremony here Wednesday.

Certificate distribution ceremony was held at Nawan Shehr Apwa centre on Abdali Road after women and girls successfully completed courses on freelancing, fashion designing, cooking, stitching and special training programmes for widows.

The women-exclusive ceremony was attended by Assistant Commissioner Multan Azka Sehar as the chief guest. Other distinguished participants included President District Bar Association (DBA) Bushra Naqvi, Apwa vice chairperson Farah Faisal, general secretary Nazia Yasir, joint general secretary Tehmina Munir, executive members Tahira Najam, Dr. Shehla Aftab, Alia Nabeel, Yasmeen Khalil Bukhari and Riffat Sadaf, principal Abida Ashfaq, and a large number of trainees and guests.

Addressing the participants, Azka Sehar said that women are increasingly being recognized for their contributions in every field and emphasized that success depends on confidence in one’s abilities rather than gender. She praised Apwa Multan for its continued efforts in empowering women and shared her own professional experiences as a female civil servant.

Although women officers face challenges, they are also respected for their dedication and professional competence, she added while explaining the responsibilities of an assistant commissioner. She later responded to questions from students and participants.

President DBA Multan Bushra Naqvi shared her professional journey and encouraged students and interns to pursue education alongside practical skills. She said hard work, honesty, self-confidence and commitment to the rule of law are the foundations of success and urged young women to play a positive role in society while striving to achieve their goals.

Apwa general secretary Nazia Yasir said, Apwa is successfully running programmes in freelancing, fashion designing, cooking, stitching, driving, self-grooming, social work, daily life skills, traffic awareness, leadership development, teamwork, cancer awareness, learning programmes and community support initiatives.

At the conclusion of the ceremony, Apwa vice chairperson Farah Faisal and AC Azka Sehar distributed certificates among women and girls who had successfully completed various training courses.

Hyderabad: Governor Sindh Syed Muhammad Nihal Hashmi visited Hala on Wednesday and paid homage at the shrine of Hazrat Ghous-ul-Haq Makhdoom Nooh Sarwar.

He laid a floral wreath, offered Fateha and prayed for the peace, prosperity and stability of the country. The Governor also visited the grave of Makhdoom Shah Nawaz, where he offered Fateha.

According to a handout, talking to the media on the occasion, Nihal Hashmi said that visiting the shrine of Makhdoom Nooh Sarwar in Hala was a great honour and blessing for him. He said the Sufi saints had always preached the values of love, brotherhood, tolerance and peace.

He emphasized the need to promote the message of peace, love and harmony taught by the Sufi saints throughout society.

Beijing: Pakistan has reaffirmed its strong support for China’s Global Development Initiative (GDI), with Ambassador to China Khalil Hashmi calling for greater international cooperation, preventive diplomacy, and sustainable development during a high-level meeting marking the fifth anniversary of the initiative’s launch.

The event, held in Beijing, brought together diplomatic envoys, United Nations agencies, think tanks, and academic experts.

Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi delivered the keynote address.

In his remarks, Ambassador Hashmi recalled the global circumstances surrounding the launch of the GDI by Chinese President Xi Jinping and reiterated Pakistan’s commitment to China’s vision of placing development at the center of global governance. He said the initiative aligns with the principles of the UN Charter and the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.

Hashmi noted that, through the GDI, China has provided more than US$23 billion in financial assistance for approximately 1,800 development projects worldwide.

He added that the initiative has received support from more than 100 countries and international organizations, including the United Nations.

Highlighting the close relationship between peace and development, the ambassador emphasized Pakistan’s commitment to dialogue, mediation, and the peaceful settlement of disputes.

He called for increased international investment in preventive diplomacy while advocating an open, fair, and international law-based global economic order.

The ambassador also pointed to Pakistan’s efforts to facilitate dialogue between the United States and Iran. He said Islamabad had supported diplomatic engagement through the Islamabad Talks, which resulted in the Islamabad Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) and established a framework for a ceasefire and continued negotiations on outstanding issues.

Looking ahead, Hashmi outlined five priorities to strengthen the Global Development Initiative. These include promoting a stable, peaceful, and open international environment for development; revitalizing multilateralism and global partnerships; narrowing the technology and artificial intelligence divide; expanding industrial cooperation by combining developing countries’ strengths with China’s technological capabilities and investment; and enhancing collaboration in marine geology, water resource management, climate action, and biodiversity conservation.

The ambassador said these areas of cooperation would help advance inclusive and sustainable development while reinforcing international partnerships to address shared global challenges.