Month: July 2026

Peshawar: A nine-member team of mountaineers from Khyber Pakhtunkhwa has successfully summited the 6, 050-metre-high Thalo Zom Peak.

According to official sources on Tuesday, Thalo Zom is one of the most challenging and least-frequently climbed peaks in the Hindu Kush mountain range.

After an arduous eight-day expedition, the team successfully reached the summit and hoisted the national flag.

The mountaineers traversed the difficult routes of Kumrat and Chitral, crossing glaciers and snow-filled crevasses to complete the climb.

Sources added that Thalo Zom was first climbed in 1971 by an Australian mountaineering team.

Burewala: A minor boy died after falling into a water channel in the area of Police Station Sadr here on Tuesday. The body was recovered from a water channel in village 118/EB. Police said that preliminary investigation revealed the boy suffered from epilepsy. He apparently fell into the channel and could not get out, resulting in his death.

Family members searched for the boy for a considerable time. Later, when relatives reached the fields, they spotted his body floating in the water channel and informed police. Police reached the spot, took the body into custody, and handed it over to the family after completing legal formalities. Further investigation was underway.

Hyderabad: Deputy Commissioner Shaheed Benazirabad, Abdul Samad Nizamani, chaired a meeting at Darbar Hall to review arrangements for the Polio Booster Dose (fIPV and OPV) Vaccination Campaign, which is scheduled to commence on 20 August in nine Union Councils of the riverine belt of Sakrand and Qazi Ahmed.

Meeting reviewed in detail administrative arrangements, security, micro-planning, cold chain management, social mobilization, and deployment of vaccination teams.

On the occasion, Deputy Commissioner directed all concerned departments to work in close coordination and adopt an effective strategy to ensure that every eligible child in the riverine areas of Sakrand and Qazi Ahmed is reached so that no child is deprived of additional protection against polio.

DC emphasized that Information Department, Education Department, Social Welfare Department, and other relevant institutions should play an active role in creating awareness among parents, countering misinformation, and ensuring success of the campaign.

He also instructed that comprehensive security and logistical arrangements be put in place. Deputy Commissioner urged all departments to perform their responsibilities with dedication to make the national mission of polio eradication a success and to protect district from the disease.

During meeting, Health Department officials Dr. Javed Qureshi and WHO Divisional Coordinator Dr. Jahangir Korai briefed participants on the campaign’s targets, team composition, identification of high-risk areas, vaccine availability, and monitoring mechanism.

They informed the meeting that Polio Booster Dose Campaign in nine riverine Union Councils of Qazi Ahmed and Sakrand would continue from 20 August to 27 August.

They said that during the campaign, 92, 436 children up to 10 years of age would receive Oral Polio Vaccine (OPV), while 86, 890 children aged 4 months to 10 years would be administered Fractional Inactivated Polio Vaccine (fIPV) booster dose.

For this purpose, 152 skilled persons, 152 team assistants, 304 social mobilizers, and 12 team support centers have been established. They also informed the meeting that the training of skilled personnel has already begun, while micro-plan is being finalized.

In addition, a District Crisis Committee has been constituted to ensure the successful implementation of Polio Booster Dose Campaign.

The meeting was attended by Additional Deputy Commissioner Saddam Hussain Memon, MS PMC Dr. Yar Ali Jamali, District Population Officer Javed Ahmed Mallah, District Manager PPHI Zakir Hussain Samoon, Additional Director Local Government Sabir Hussain Otho, District Education Officer (Primary) Muhammad Saleem Bhatti, Information Officer Aijaz Ali Teevino, as well as officers from Social Welfare Department, Private Schools, SIEHS, and other relevant departments.

Gujrat: Police claimed on Tuesday to have arrested five alleged members of two gangs involved in motorcycle and other theft cases, recovering six stolen motorcycles, cash, mobile phones and illegal weapons during separate operations in the B-Division police station jurisdiction.

According to police, a special team headed by Station House Officer (SHO) B-Division Sub-Inspector Raja Shahroz and Shah Daula Gate Police Post In-charge Assistant Sub-Inspector Daniyal was constituted to trace and arrest suspects involved in motorcycle theft and other property crimes.

The team, using modern investigation techniques, arrested three alleged members of the “Mana Gang”, identified as Abrar, Ateeq and Abdul Rehman. Police recovered six stolen motorcycles and illegal weapons from their possession. In another operation, police arrested two alleged members of the “Zubair Gang”, identified as Zubair and Ali Hamza, and recovered stolen property, including cash worth Rs 425, 000, from their possession.

Separately, B-Division police arrested an alleged liquor supplier, Ali Raza, a resident of Bakhshupura, and recovered 35 bottles of liquor from his possession. Police said cases had been registered against the suspects and further investigation was underway.

Peshawar: Jamaat-e-Islami (JI) Khyber Pakhtunkhwa North Ameer and former Senior Provincial Minister, Inayatullah Khan on Tuesday alleged that Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI)-led provincial government had used a private member’s bill to pave the way for delaying local government elections in the province.

Addressing a press conference at the Peshawar Press Club along with Jamaat-e-Islami Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Ameer, Abdul Wasi, Inayatullah Khan claimed the bill was passed without adequate public notice or consultation, raising concerns that the proposed legislation could delay local government elections indefinitely.

He said the PTI government claimed to uphold democracy but had failed to strengthen grassroots democratic institutions and public service delivery.

Rejecting the proposed amendments to the local government law, Inayatullah demanded that the Election Commission of Pakistan ensure the early conduct of local government elections in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.

He alleged that the provincial government was reluctant to transfer powers to elected local governments because it feared defeat in the local government elections.

According to Inayatullah, the proposed legislation would reduce the number of local government constituencies, require fresh delimitation and consequently delay the elections for an indefinite period.

He warned that if the provincial government did not withdraw the bill, Jamaat-e-Islami would raise the issue inside the assembly and launch a protest movement after August.

Recalling his party’s previous tenure in local government, Inayatullah said JI had strengthened grassroots democracy by empowering village councils and enabling greater public participation in local governance.

He alleged that the proposed changes would weaken local government institutions, create larger constituencies and reduce people’s representation at the grassroots level.

The JI leader also criticized organizations representing local governments for what he described as their silence over the proposed legislation, alleging that they had failed to oppose the bill publicly.

He demanded that the provincial government restore the Local Government Act, 2013, and ensure the early holding of local government elections in the province.

Bahawalpur: Additional Deputy Commissioner Headquarters Dr Ayesha Khan chaired a meeting of the District Emergency Board to review security and arrangements for Chehlum of Hazrat Imam Hussain (RA).

Officials informed the meeting that 56 religious gatherings (Majalis) would be held across the district during Chehlum, including six B-category and 50 C-category events. A total of 30 processions are scheduled, comprising one A-category, eight B-category, and 21 C-category processions.

The meeting decided that the police and other law enforcement agencies would ensure comprehensive security arrangements for all gatherings and processions. Technical sweeping of procession routes will also be carried out before the events.

Dr Ayesha Khan directed the authorities to prohibit vehicle parking within a 500-yard radius of Majalis venues. She instructed MEPCO to ensure an uninterrupted electricity supply and immediately remove hanging power lines along procession routes. The Water and Sanitation Agency (WASA) and the Municipal Corporation were directed to ensure cleanliness, restore streetlights, and cover all open manholes and drains on procession routes. The Health Department and Rescue 1122 were instructed to keep field hospitals, ambulances, fire brigade units, and other emergency services on high alert throughout the observance.

The Punjab Food Authority was directed to inspect food distributed at Niaz and Sabeel points to ensure the provision of safe and hygienic food and beverages.

During a briefing on the flood situation, officials informed the meeting that water flow and conditions at Ganda Singh Wala, Sulemanki, and Islam Headworks on the Sutlej River remained normal. As a precaution, five flood rescue posts have been established at Islam Headworks, Head Panjnad, Rasoolpur Shakarani, Mangwana Pattan, and Mari Qasim Shah to respond promptly to any emergency.

The meeting was further informed that rescue vehicles had been serviced, special duty rosters had been prepared, and the district control room would remain operational around the clock with officers on duty to coordinate immediate emergency response.