Month: July 2026

Rawalpindi: A special ceremony was held at the Anjuman Faiz-ul-Islam (AFI) Centre, Faizabad, on Tuesday to commemorate the 786th annual Urs of the great Sufi saint of the Subcontinent, Hazrat Bahauddin Zakariya, with speakers highlighting economic self-reliance, moral integrity and character as the enduring essence of his teachings.

Dr Mehdi Al-Taheri, Cultural Counsellor at the Embassy of Iran, attended the event as chief guest. Among those present were the spiritual successor to the shrine of Hazrat Bahauddin Zakariya and Member of the National Assembly, Zain Qureshi, renowned religious scholar Syed Ghazanfar Mehdi, historian and President of Anjuman Faiz-ul-Islam Professor Dr Riaz Ahmad, Kaukab Iqbal Kaukab, Lt Col (Retd) Mian Jameel Athar, Group Captain (Retd) Pervez Akhtar, Naeem Akram Qureshi, members of the academic community and a large number of citizens.

Addressing the gathering, Zain Qureshi said Hazrat Bahauddin Zakariya had not only spread the message of Islam but had also emphasised economic self-reliance, moral integrity and strength of character throughout his life.

He said no individual or nation could exercise genuine independence without economic self-reliance, adding that the teachings of the great Sufi saints remained as relevant today as they were centuries ago.

Highlighting the saint’s contributions, he said Hazrat Bahauddin travelled from Baghdad and inspired people across Indonesia and other regions to embrace Islamic values while promoting trade and commerce to achieve economic prosperity alongside spiritual enlightenment.

He said Pakistan could attain self-reliance and national sovereignty by reviving and implementing the principles taught by its great spiritual leaders.

Zain Qureshi further said Hazrat Bahauddin Zakariya had established the first residential madrassa in the Subcontinent, equipped with boarding and lodging facilities, reflecting his visionary commitment to education and public welfare.

Speaking on the occasion, Dr Mehdi Al-Taheri said Pakistan and Iran enjoyed deep-rooted religious, cultural and brotherly ties, reaffirming his country’s commitment to further strengthening these historic relations.

He said the people of Iran held Hazrat Bahauddin Zakariya in the highest esteem and shared profound devotion to the revered saint.

Professor Dr Riaz Ahmad said the great Sufi saints had played a pivotal role in spreading Islam across the Subcontinent and paid tribute to Hazrat Bahauddin Zakariya for his invaluable services to religion, education and society.

He said the teachings promoted by such revered personalities through their exemplary conduct and noble character deserved to be better understood, preserved and implemented in contemporary society.

Other speakers also stressed that Pakistan’s path towards economic freedom, self-reliance and sustainable national development lay in following the timeless teachings of Hazrat Bahauddin Zakariya and other great Sufi saints. They urged people to emulate their honesty, character and public conduct to build a prosperous, morally upright and self-reliant society founded on Islamic values.

Sargodha: The National Commission for Human Development (NCHD) on Tuesday organised a certificate distribution ceremony at District Jail Shahpur Saddar to honour inmates who successfully completed the Adult Literacy Programme.

According to the NCHD spokesperson here, the certificates were awarded to learners (inmates) enrolled in literacy centres established by NCHD within the jail as part of its efforts to promote basic education and rehabilitation.

The event was attended by Superintendent District Jail Shahpur Muhammad Abu Bakar Abdullah, NCHD Deputy Director Sargodha Mehr Umar Daraz Jhawari, jail officials, teachers and learners.

Addressing the ceremony, Superintendent Muhammad Abu Bakar Abdullah said the literacy centres had been established through the joint efforts of NCHD and the District Jail administration to provide basic education to illiterate inmates and encourage positive behavioural change.

Rawalpindi: The Anti-Narcotics Force (ANF) conducted five operations in different parts of the country and arrested six suspects, recovering 213. 381 kilograms(kgs) of narcotics and other contraband worth more than Rs 1. 5 million.

During an operation at a courier office on Shahrah-e-Faisal in Karachi, ANF recovered 2. 1 kg of ice concealed inside hockey balls from a parcel destined for Australia, an ANF spokesman said on Tuesday.

In an inter-provincial operation near the Kala Shah Kaku Toll Plaza, officials recovered 672 bottles containing a total of 204 litres of liquor from a vehicle and arrested one suspect.

In Rawalpindi, ANF seized 7. 2 kg of hashish from a vehicle near Pir Wadhai and arrested three suspects.

In another operation ANF arrested two motorcyclists near the GT Road Bus Terminal in Rawalpindi, and recovered 100 ecstasy tablets weighing 56 grams from their possession.

Separately, officials recovered 30 ecstasy tablets weighing 25 grams concealed inside a jar in a parcel at a courier office on Ring Road in Peshawar.

Cases have been registered against the arrested suspects under the Control of Narcotic Substances Act, 1997, while further investigations was underway.

Rawalpindi: City Police Officer (CPO) Hassan Mushtaq Sukhera on Tuesday assured the business community of enhanced security measures and closer coordination between the police and traders during an introductory meeting with a delegation of the Traders’ Association, emphasizing that maintaining peace and tackling civic and security challenges requires a collective effort.

SSP Operations also attended the meeting.

The delegation comprised Sharjeel Mir, Chaudhry Iqbal, Yasir Ismail Mughal, Talha Tauqeer, Saddam Abbasi, Haji Parvez Ghazi, Imtiaz Abbasi, Sheikh Suhail, Rafiq Shah, Adnan Khan, Rao Irfan, Shoaib Khan, Wahab Bhatti, Ishtiaq Mughal, Khawaja Fahad and other representatives of the trading community.

Speaking on the occasion, CPO Sukhera said Rawalpindi Police remains fully committed to protect the lives and property of citizens and is working around the clock to maintain law and order.

He said the police would continue to strengthen coordination with the business community, adding that traders could play a vital role by identifying civic and security-related issues and assisting the authorities in resolving them.

Representing the Traders’ Association, Sharjeel Mir reaffirmed the business community’s continued support for the police, saying traders have always stood alongside law enforcement for the betterment of the city.

Other members of the delegation also pledged cooperation with the police and district administration in addressing public and security concerns.

The traders appreciated the performance of Rawalpindi Police in curbing crime, describing its efforts as commendable, while both sides agreed to enhance mutual cooperation to ensure a safer and more peaceful environment for residents and the business community.

Astore: Chief Minister Gilgit-Baltistan, Amjad Hussain Advocate has lauded the Pakistan Army, Frontier Works Organization (FWO), National Highway Authority (NHA), district administrations, Gilgit-Baltistan Disaster Management Authority (GBDMA), Commissioner Baltistan, and the Deputy Commissioners of Gilgit and Skardu, along with all other concerned departments, for their outstanding efforts in restoring the Jaglot-Skardu Road and installing the Bailey Bridge.

The Chief Minister said that continuous rainfall and accelerated glacier melting had created severe challenges in restoring the highways, causing considerable inconvenience to local residents and tourists. Despite limited resources, he said, the Gilgit-Baltistan Government worked tirelessly in close coordination with all relevant institutions, ensuring the earliest possible restoration of the road network through round-the-clock efforts.

He also appreciated the timely restoration of the Astore Valley Road, acknowledging the dedicated services of the district administration and the Communication and Works (CandW) Department in reopening the vital route.

The Chief Minister further commended the patience and cooperation shown by stranded tourists and local residents during the road closures. He stated that the Government of Gilgit-Baltistan had taken immediate measures to minimize the difficulties faced by tourists and to provide them with every possible assistance and facility during the emergency.

Peshawar: Sarhad Chamber of Commerce and Industry president, Junaid Altaf, urged the government to make more conducive policies for promoting entrepreneurship in youth that will enhance their self-employment and pave the way for sustainable economic growth of the country.

Chairing a meeting of the SCCI’s Standing Committee on Education, the SCCI chief emphasized the need for promotion of young entrepreneurship and startup businesses, describing it as the backbone of the national economy and a central pillar of the economic transformation agenda.

Meeting was attended by SCCI’s Standing Committee Chairman Sanan Sethi, executive committee member Sajjad Zaheer, WCCIP President Qurtul Ain, SVP Zara Imtiaz, VP Zareen Akthar, young male and female entrepreneurs and startups, and others.

On the occasion, a multimedia presentation highlighted SCCI’s role, its objective, overall activities and welfare initiatives for uplift of the businesses, trade and economic growth.

President Junaid Altaf called upon the commercial banks to also come up with low cost business loan schemes for youth to facilitate them in launching business start-ups.

He was of the view that by becoming entrepreneurs, they would not only achieve a prosperous career for themselves, they would create jobs for others and make useful contributions towards the economic development of the country.

The SCCI chief highlighted that the future of global competitiveness would be shaped by artificial intelligence, digital transformation and innovation, stressing that nations embracing technological advancement and entrepreneurship would emerge as future economic leaders.

President Junaid Altaf highlighted that KP has immense potential to enhance Pakistan’s export and trade, stressing that it is pragmatic to take advantage of untapped potential for economic and business growth.

On the occasion, SCCI chief also enlightened the participants about traders’ ordeals due to the prolonged closure of trade routes.

Earlier, the SCCI’s Standing Committee Chairman, Sanan Sethi and others also spoke on the occasion and briefed the participants on overall initiatives for promotion of young entrepreneurship and startup businesses.