Month: July 2026

Karachi: A sub-committee of the Senate Standing Committee on National Heritage and Culture on Wednesday directed relevant authorities to take coordinated measures to address administrative, developmental and security issues at the Mausoleum of Quaid-e-Azam and its peripheral areas, expressing hope that the national monument would soon be reopened to the public.

The meeting, chaired by Sub-Committee Convener Senator Waqar Mehdi, was attended by Senator Bushra Anjum Butt, Senator Syed Masroor Ahsan and, online, Senator Sarmad Ali.

Commissioner Karachi Syed Hassan Naqvi, the Resident Engineer of the Quaid-e-Azam Mazar Management Board (QMMB), the Additional Inspector General of Police Karachi, the Municipal Commissioner of the Karachi Metropolitan Corporation (KMC), the Managing Director of the Karachi Water and Sewerage Corporation (KWandSC) and other officials also attended.

Briefing the media after the meeting, Senator Waqar Mehdi said the Senate had constituted the sub-committee after the issue of the mausoleum’s peripheral areas was raised in the main committee.

He said the committee had taken the matter as a dedicated project to restore the dignity and grandeur of the national monument.

He said all relevant institutions had been taken on board to resolve the issues being faced by the Quaid-e-Azam Mazar Management Board. He said the Sindh Solid Waste Management Board had been asked to improve cleanliness around the mausoleum, while the KMC had been tasked with preparing a beautification plan.

Highlighting security concerns, Mehdi said the Additional IGP Karachi had been requested to deploy Special Security Unit (SSU) commandos at the site.

He said the mausoleum had remained closed to the public for the past several years due to security concerns. To address the issue, he said, the sub-committee had constituted a committee under the Commissioner Karachi comprising representatives of the police, Rangers and other law enforcement agencies to evaluate the security situation and submit recommendations.

He said the sub-committee would meet again after 15 days to review progress.

The convener said the committee had also recommended the installation of CCTV cameras at the mausoleum and requested the Karachi Water and Sewerage Corporation to exempt the mausoleum from future water charges, noting that outstanding dues required clarification.

Expressing optimism, Mehdi said he hoped the mausoleum would soon be reopened for visitors.

During the meeting, the Resident Engineer informed the sub-committee that drug addicts had stolen grills from parks surrounding the mausoleum and four first information reports (FIRs) had been registered. The committee directed the Additional IGP Karachi to coordinate action on the matter.

The committee also sought audit reports of the QMMB and recommended a third-party audit.

Officials informed the meeting that, against a sanctioned strength of 113 employees, 53 posts were vacant, while 59 employees were currently serving in the organisation.

The committee also recommended that the mausoleum management activate its vigilance teams to strengthen monitoring and protection of the premises.

Karachi: The University of Karachi has extended the deadline for submission of admission forms for MPhil, PhD, MS, ME, LLM, M.S. M.D., and Master of Dental Surgery (MDS) programs. Interested students can now submit their admission forms to their relevant department until July 10, 2026.

According to the Director of the Postgraduate Admissions Committee Professor Dr Anila Amber Malik the deadline has been extended by two days for admissions to the above-mentioned programs for the year 2026. She advised that students must ensure their forms are submitted by July 10, 2026.

It is noteworthy that, for the first time in the history of the University of Karachi, admissions to the Master of Dental Surgery (MDS) program are being offered from this year. This initiative is being regarded as a significant milestone in advancing higher education and professional expertise in the field of dentistry.

The list of candidates eligible for the admission test will be published on the University of Karachi’s website on July 20, 2026. Eligible candidates will be able to collect their admit cards on July 23 and 24, 2026, from their respective departments, centers, and institutes. The admission test will be held on Sunday, July 26, 2026.

Dr Anila Amber has advised all applicants to carefully study the prospectus before submitting their forms, to ensure they are fully aware of the admission requirements, eligibility criteria, necessary documents, and other important information.

Karachi: Mayor Karachi, Barrister Murtaza Wahab, distributed pension arrears cheques worth Rs 310 million among retired employees of the Karachi Metropolitan Corporation (KMC) and announced the introduction of the KMC Pension Card.

The ceremony was attended by Deputy Mayor Karachi Salman Abdullah Murad, Municipal Commissioner KMC Abrar Jaffer, Pakistan Peoples Party Parliamentary Leader in the City Council Karamullah Waqasi, Deputy Parliamentary Leader Dil Muhammad, Jaman Darwan, President of Peoples Labour Bureau Karachi Division Aslam Samoo, and other officials.

Addressing the cheque distribution ceremony, the Mayor said that resolving the long-standing issues faced by retired KMC employees, which had remained pending for many years, had been a priority of the present city administration.

He stated that due to the flawed policies of previous governments, retired employees had been deprived of their legitimate rights; however, the current elected leadership had taken practical steps to address these issues.

He said that when the present administration assumed office three years ago, KMC had pension liabilities amounting to approximately Rs. 11 billion. Through prudent financial planning and effective investment of available resources, pension arrears of employees who retired between 2013 and 2019 are being cleared in phases, while Rs. 310 million is being disbursed today.

He added that approximately Rs. 6.2 billion in pension arrears still remains to be paid, and work in this regard is progressing rapidly.

He further said that KMC now ensures that all retired employees receive their monthly pension on the first day of every month, and there is currently no outstanding liability against regular pension payments.

The Mayor said that the credit for this achievement goes to the entire City Council, the Deputy Mayor, the Parliamentary Leader, the Deputy Parliamentary Leader, the Peoples Labour Bureau, and all officers and employees who contributed to this effort.

He also revealed that a long-standing financial dispute with the K-Electric had been resolved, as a result of which approximately Rs 1.4 billion would be transferred to KMC’s account during the current month. He said these funds would also be utilized for the welfare of employees and the citizens of Karachi.

Barrister Murtaza Wahab said that the implementation of the SAP system had significantly enhanced transparency by eliminating fake recruitments and financial irregularities.

He stated that several cases of dual employment in KMC, the Karachi Development Authority (KDA), and other institutions had been identified. Additionally, around 1,200 individuals were found to be getting fake pensions amounting to Rs. 57 million unauthorisedly.

He emphasized that every payment would now be made through a fully digital system to ensure transparency and accountability.

He also announced that retired employees would soon be issued computerized KMC Pension Cards, making the pension disbursement process more convenient.

Highlighting the city’s development initiatives, the Mayor said that the present city administration had successfully completed several major infrastructure projects, including Shahrah-e-Bhutto, Korangi Causeway Bridge, Senator Taj Haider Bridge, Karimabad Underpass, Bhains Colony-Ibrahim Hyderi Flyover, and the Azeempura Flyover.

He further announced that two additional flyovers would soon be constructed at the My Kolachi Road railway crossing and near Disco Bakery in Gulshan-e-Iqbal.

He also said that Rs. 200 million had been allocated for development and beautification works around mosques before the month of Rabi-ul-Awwal.

The Mayor stated that he always addresses the media in connection with the inauguration or completion of development projects because his politics is based on public service.

He remarked that these achievements were not the work of any single individual but the result of the collective efforts of the Pakistan Peoples Party and the City Council.

He added that some elements attempt to claim credit for every achievement, but KMC has always fulfilled its responsibilities, continues to do so today, and will keep serving the people of Karachi with the same dedication in the future.

Karachi: Pakistan Atomic Energy Commission (PAEC) is playing a pivotal role in combating cancer in Pakistan through its nationwide network of 21 cancer hospitals and diagnostic centers, which provide treatment to nearly 80 percent of the country’s cancer patients.

Member (Science), PAEC Dr. Shakeel Abbas Rofi made these remarks while addressing the inaugural ceremony of the international symposium titled “Sustainable Agriculture Under a Climate Change Scenario: From Seeds to Biopesticides, Biostimulants and Biofertilizers,” held on Wednesday at the Prof. Salim-uz-zaman Siddiqui Auditorium of the International Center for Chemical and Biological Sciences (ICCBS), University of Karachi.

Appreciating ICCBS for organizing the symposium, Dr. Rofi said the event addressed one of the most pressing challenges facing Pakistan’s economy, sustainable agriculture under changing climatic conditions.

He noted that PAEC’s network of Atomic Energy Cancer Hospitals and diagnostic centers provides comprehensive cancer care to nearly 80 percent of Pakistan’s cancer patients.

He emphasized the need to strengthen scientific research in health, cancer, agriculture and chemical sciences to support national development.

He added that PAEC’s agricultural research centers continue to develop improved crop varieties, strengthen pest management practices and promote climate-resilient farming to enhance national food security.

Dr. Rofi also highlighted the contribution of PAEC’s nuclear power program in providing clean, reliable and affordable electricity to strengthen Pakistan’s energy security.

Former Federal Minister for Science and Technology, Prof. Dr. Atta-ur-Rahman, spoke on the emerging role of Artificial Intelligence (AI) in chemical sciences.

He said AI is opening new horizons in chemical sciences, particularly in Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (NMR) spectroscopy, by transforming it from a labor-intensive analytical technique into a faster, more accurate and highly automated tool for chemical research.

He also briefed participants on the progress made in Pakistan’s science, technology and higher education sectors during his tenure.

Welcoming the guest speakers and participants, Prof. Dr. Muhammad Raza Shah, Director of ICCBS, said organizing international symposia, seminars and workshops has long been part of the institution’s scientific tradition.

He presented an overview of ICCBS’s achievements and highlighted its status as the only Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) Centre of Excellence of its kind with an international reputation.

Renowned Pakistani microbiologist and biotechnologist Prof. Kauser A. Malik delivered an online lecture on sustainable agriculture.

Prof. Dr. Bina Siddiqui of ICCBS presented her research on Neem and Neem-based products.

Dr. Shahid Mansoor highlighted the importance of organizing the symposium, noting that Pakistan’s food, nutritional and fibre security are increasingly threatened by climate change, making regenerative and organic agriculture promising alternatives.

Dr. Kashif Riaz Khan of the Nuclear Institute for Agriculture and Biology (NIAB) delivered a presentation on cotton production, while Dr. Farooq A. Khan of ICCBS discussed his research on protecting cotton crops from pests and other damaging organisms.

Dr. Nizamuddin Depar of PAEC also addressed the symposium.