Month: July 2026

Peshawar: The Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government has decided to launch a crackdown against unregistered private schools and directed all educational boards in the province to initiate the process of cancelling affiliations of such institutions.

According to an official letter issued in this regard, unregistered private educational institutions have been directed to immediately complete their registration with the relevant regulatory authority.

The government warned that private schools failing to obtain registration within the stipulated period would face cancellation of their affiliations along with legal action.

The unregistered schools have been given a final opportunity to fulfil all legal requirements and complete the registration process within the notified deadline.

Sargodha: As many as 542 successful landless farmers in Sargodha received agricultural land allotment certificates on Wednesday under the Punjab Government’s “Apna Khet, Apna Rozgar” programme to empower landless cultivators and promote rural prosperity.

The ceremony was held at the Arts Council, Sargodha, with Senior Member Board of Revenue Nabeel Javed as the chief guest.

Commissioner Hafiz Shaukat Ali, Deputy Commissioner Hussain Ahmad Raza Chaudhry, Director General Katchi Abadis Muhammad Shahid, Members of the Provincial Assembly Sardar Asim Sher Maken, Rana Munawar Ghaus, Assistant Commissioners and a large number of successful applicants attended the event.

Addressing the ceremony, Senior Member Board of Revenue Nabeel Javed described the initiative as a historic and transformative step aimed at making landless farmers economically self-reliant by providing them with state-owned agricultural land.

He said the entire selection process had been conducted with complete transparency through digital scrutiny, merit-based evaluation and a transparent balloting process to ensure that only deserving beneficiaries were selected.

He added that the programme had now entered its implementation phase, with thousands of acres of government land, particularly in Cholistan, being distributed fairly among deserving families.

Nabeel Javed said the beneficiaries would not only receive agricultural land but would also be provided technical and agricultural assistance to help them establish sustainable livelihoods.

Sukkur: Shikarpur police on Wednesday successfully foiled robbery attempt and arrested one outlaw in an injured condition at the Jagan Link Road area within the limits of Store Ganj Police Station.

Under the leadership of SSP Muhammad Kaleem, the crackdown against criminals involved in street crime has been intensified. Police engaged in an encounter with dacoits present with criminal intent in the Jagan Link Road area within the limits of Store Ganj Police Station.

During the exchange of fire, one dacoit was injured and arrested while his accomplices managed to escape.

The injured was identified as Sahnal Banglani, who was wanted in more than eight cases including theft, robbery and police encounters. One pistol, bullets and a gun magazine were recovered from his possession.

The arrested dacoit was shifted to the Civil Hospital for medical treatment. Police operations are underway to nab his escaped accomplices.

Police have registered a case against outlaw and further investigation was underway.

SSP Muhammad Kaleem said Shikarpur Police remain fully alert to ensure the protection of the lives and property of the public.

Peshawar: Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Muhammad Sohail Afridi on Wednesday reaffirmed his government’s commitment to strengthening higher education, announcing enhanced financial support for public universities, continuation of scholarship programmes, and new initiatives for students.

Addressing the convocation of the University of Peshawar he said that all public sector universities, including the University of Peshawar, remained a top priority of the provincial government.

He said pension liabilities of universities from 2017 to 2024 had been cleared in a lump sum, while dues from 2024 to June 2026 had also been released.

He added that the financial deficit of public universities had been reduced from Rs9 billion to Rs4.5 billion, with government assistance increased to Rs12 billion.

He announced that the provincial government would continue the Ehsaas Scholarship Programme from its own resources after its discontinuation by the federal government, adding that students and youth represented Pakistan’s future and had always played a decisive role in national movements.

Highlighting youth-related initiatives, Afridi said the provincial government was introducing interest-free educational loans as well as financial assistance for students seeking higher education abroad.

He also announced that the provincial internship policy had been finalised and would be formally launched soon.

Expressing concern over the growing brain drain, the CM said many talented young Pakistanis were leaving the country due to a lack of employment opportunities and better prospects abroad.

He stressed the need to create an environment where educated youth could contribute to national development.

Referring to the provincial economy, Afridi said KP had significantly increased its own-source revenue through administrative reforms without imposing new taxes.

He said provincial revenue had risen from Rs68 billion to more than Rs150 billion, surpassing the revenue target of Rs129 billion for the fiscal year 2025-26.

The CM also called on the federal government to clear the province’s outstanding gas-related dues, noting that KP produced more than 800 MMCFD of natural gas.

He maintained that under the Constitution, gas-producing provinces should receive priority in gas supply and described gas load-shedding in the province as unacceptable.

During his address, Afridi also expressed views on national political and economic issues, emphasising the importance of democratic values, media freedom, constitutional solutions to national challenges, and economic reforms.

He urged that public issues be resolved through dialogue and constitutional means.