Month: July 2026

Sargodha: Commissioner Sargodha Division, Hafiz Shaukat Ali, on Tuesday chaired a meeting to review urban flooding, city beautification project and other civic issues, directing the Deputy Commissioner to constitute an inquiry committee after rainwater entered the basements of several shops during recent heavy rainfall.

According to a spokesperson for the Commissioner’s office, the meeting was attended by Deputy Commissioner Hussain Ahmad Raza Chaudhry, Director Development and Finance, Managing Directors of the Suthra Punjab Authority and WASA, Chief Officer of the Municipal Corporation, Executive Engineers of Highways and officers of relevant departments.

The participants reviewed the situation arising from the recent heavy rains, particularly the incident in which rainwater inundated the basements of shops on City Road and Kutchery Bazaar. Expressing serious concern over the incident, the Commissioner questioned the performance of the departments concerned and directed the DC to immediately constitute an inquiry committee to identify those responsible and recommend disciplinary action against officials found negligent.

Hafiz Shaukat Ali said protecting citizens and the business community from inconvenience and financial losses was a collective responsibility of all civic agencies. He directed the authorities to make the drainage system fully functional, ensure the cleaning of drains and storm water channels, identify vulnerable locations and implement permanent remedial measures.

He further directed all departments to remain fully coordinated and maintain an active field presence during rainfall to effectively respond to emergencies. The meeting also reviewed progress on the city beautification project. Participants discussed measures to enhance the city’s cleanliness, remove encroachments, restore green belts, improve roads and further upgrade public amenities.

The Commissioner made it clear that negligence in resolving public issues would not be tolerated.

Peshawar: A 27-year-old WAPDA employee lost his life after suffering an electric shock while carrying out electrical work inside a well in the Gar Yousafai area of Swabi district on Tuesday. According to Rescue 1122 officials, the deceased was identified as Waqar, a government employee of WAPDA and a resident of Topi.

Upon receiving the emergency call, Rescue 1122 teams reached the scene and conducted a rescue operation, recovering the victim’s body from the well.

Rescue authorities said that after completing the necessary legal formalities, the body was handed over to the heirs.

WAPDA authorities have started getting information to determine the cause of the accident.

Sialkot: Pakistan Hosiery Manufacturers Association (PHMA) Sialkot successfully organized an insightful interactive session titled “Productivity through AI – Global Case Studies”, aimed at highlighting the transformative role of Artificial Intelligence (AI) in improving business performance and operational efficiency.

The session received an overwhelming response from PHMA members, who participated with great enthusiasm and keen interest in exploring how AI-driven solutions could enhance productivity, streamline operations, save valuable time, and strengthen their competitive edge in global markets. The interactive discussion featured practical insights and international case studies, demonstrating how businesses around the world were leveraging AI technologies to optimize processes, improve decision-making, and accelerate growth. The PHMA Sialkot reaffirmed its commitment to empowering members with the latest technological advancements and industry knowledge. The association emphasized that embracing innovation and digital transformation was essential for ensuring the long-term competitiveness and sustainable growth of Pakistan’s hosiery and knitwear sector.

Lodhran: A Farmers Facilitation Center was formally inaugurated in Dunyapur to provide modern agricultural services and technical guidance to local growers. Former provincial minister Zawar Hussain Warraich inaugurated the facility by cutting the ribbon at a ceremony attended by Deputy Director Agriculture (Extension) Malik Muhammad Zafar and Assistant Director Agriculture Dunyapur Majid Khan.

The center was established at Al-Baghdad Traders in collaboration with Bayer Pakistan (Private) Limited. The center aimed to provide farmers with comprehensive agricultural support under one roof, including information on modern farming practices, quality agricultural inputs, crop protection, and technical advisory services.

Farmers visiting the center will have access to quality pesticides at reasonable prices, modern spraying equipment, expert agricultural guidance, and professional consultation on crop management and protection. The initiative was expected to help growers improve productivity through timely and effective agricultural services.

Speaking on the occasion, Zawar Hussain Warraich and Deputy Director Agriculture Malik Muhammad Zafar said the initiative reflected the Punjab government’s commitment to strengthen the agriculture sector by ensuring farmers have access to modern facilities, high-quality agricultural inputs, and the latest technical expertise.

They emphasized that farmers could also obtain up-to-date agricultural information and advisory services from the center, enabling them to adopt modern farming practices and achieve higher crop yields, ultimately contributing to greater agricultural prosperity.

Multan: The Horticulture Agency Multan has completed the revitalization of a Miyawaki forest on Nawabpur Road and planted more than 70 shade trees along Shujaabad Road as part of its ongoing drive to expand the city’s green cover.

Managing Director (MD) Horticulture Agency Multan Syed Waseem Hassan reviewed the plantation activities during visits to Multan-Vehari Road, Multan Avenue, Siwra Chowk and Head Muhammadwala-Nawabpur Road and issued necessary directions for further promotion of urban forestation and beautification initiatives.

Speaking on the occasion, Syed Waseem Hassan said the agency was committed to making Multan a greener and more beautiful city, adding that urban forestation had become an urgent need in view of growing environmental challenges.

He said shade trees were being planted along green belts and roadsides to improve the city’s environment and provide relief to citizens. The plantation drive from Northern Bypass to Sahu Chowk would also be completed soon, he added.

The MD stressed the importance of planting indigenous tree species in the city and said a vigorous plantation campaign would be launched in August.

He urged citizens to actively participate in the plantation drive and plant at least one tree as their contribution towards creating a greener, healthier and more sustainable Multan.

Peshawar: A team of nine young mountaineers from Khyber Pakhtunkhwa has achieved a remarkable feat by successfully climbing the 6, 050-metre Thalo Zom peak, highlighting the growing potential of adventure tourism in the province.

Special Assistant to Chief Minister for Tourism, Culture, Archaeology and Museums Malik Adeel Iqbal congratulated the climbers, saying their achievement reflected the courage, technical skills and determination of KP’s youth.

He said the provincial government was taking practical steps to promote adventure tourism and provide opportunities for young mountaineers to showcase their talent on national and international platforms.

The expedition was organised with the support and technical assistance of the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Culture and Tourism Authority.

The team comprising climbers from different districts of the province successfully reached the summit of Thalo Zom, a challenging peak situated in the Hindu Kush mountain range.

The eight-day expedition began on July 9 and concluded with the successful summit on July 17.

During the journey, the climbers faced extreme conditions while crossing difficult terrains of Kumrat and Chitral, glaciers, ice crevasses and steep snow-covered slopes.

The team completed an eight-hour continuous ascent to reach the summit and hoisted the national flag at the peak.

The mountaineers appreciated the support provided by the Culture and Tourism Authority, saying the technical guidance and assistance played an important role in accomplishing the challenging mission.

They said the successful expedition would encourage young climbers and help promote technical mountaineering and adventure tourism in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.

According to the Tourism Authority, Thalo Zom was first conquered by Australian mountaineers in 1971 and later by an Italian expedition in 2019.

The successful team included climbers from Swat, Peshawar, Nowshera, Charsadda, Besham and Chitral, namely Rohullah, Umar Khan, Intikhab Khan, Nauman Sami, Izzatullah Shah, Saeed Akhtar, Naeem Khan, Fawad Khan and Rawaz Ali.