Month: July 2026

Hyderabad: The budget session of the Hyderabad Municipal Corporation (HMC) for the financial year 2026-27 was held here on Tuesday at the Mumtaz Mirza Auditorium (Sindh Museum) under the chairmanship of Mayor Hyderabad Kashif Ali Shoro.

Municipal Commissioner Zahoor Ahmed Lakhan, council members and officers of various departments of the municipality participated.

Hyderabad Municipal Corporation has unanimously approved development funds worth over Rs one billion in its development budget for the financial year 2026-27.

The approved development projects included the establishment of new parks on the lines of Khan Bahadur Hasan Ali Effendi People’s Park, construction and rehabilitation of roads, upgradation of existing parks and establishment of a modern new slaughterhouse, among other public welfare projects.

Treasury and opposition members unanimously supported these development projects, calling them a major step towards providing better local government facilities to the citizens and the development of Hyderabad.

Similarly Hyderabad Municipal Corporation (HMC) has approved a budget of over Rs 6.30 billion for the financial year 2026-27 with the support of treasury and opposition members.

Presenting the budget for the financial year 2026-27 in the meeting, Mayor Hyderabad Kashif Ali Shoro said that there has been significant improvement in the financial affairs of the municipality during the last three years and special attention has been paid to the construction and development of the city, provision of civic amenities and development projects.

He said that adequate funds have been allocated in the budget of the new financial year for development works, civic services, employee salaries, gratuity, pension and other necessary expenses.

Abbottabad: The district administration of Abbottabad has imposed a two-month ban on bathing, picnicking and all recreational activities at rivers, streams, dams and other water bodies across the district in view of the increased risk of flash floods during the monsoon season.

According to an official notification issued by Deputy Commissioner Sarmad Saleem Akram, Section 144 has been enforced across the district to safeguard human lives. The order prohibits bathing, boating, rafting, tubing, fishing, picnicking, barbecuing, camping and all other recreational activities at rivers, streams, canals, dams, reservoirs and other vulnerable water sites.

The notification also bans pedestrians and motorists from crossing flooded roads, submerged routes, bridges and causeways during periods of high water.

The restrictions came into effect on July 6, 2026, and will remain in force for two months. Authorities warned that violators would face legal action under Section 188 of the Pakistan Penal Code for disobeying official orders.

The district administration has urged residents and tourists to stay away from waterways and flood-prone areas during the monsoon season and to strictly follow official safety advisories to avoid accidents and loss of life

Peshawar: Federal Minister for Kashmir Affairs, Gilgit-Baltistan and SAFRON, Engineer Amir Muqam, on Tuesday strongly condemned the terrorist attack in Ziarat Balochistan.

Expressing deep sorrow and grief over the martyrdom of police personnel in the attack, the minister paid tribute to the fallen officers for their sacrifice in the line of duty, says a statement.

Engineer Amir Muqam said the sacrifices of the martyrs would not go in vain and reaffirmed the government’s resolve to eliminate terrorism.

He said that the entire nation stands shoulder to shoulder with the country’s security forces in the fight against terrorism.

The federal minister also extended his heartfelt condolences and sympathies to the bereaved families of the martyrs, praying for strength and patience for them during this difficult time.

Peshawar: Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Law Minister Aftab Alam has said the provincial government is accelerating the process of legal reforms to provide speedy, transparent, effective, and accessible justice to the public.

Chairing a meeting of the Legislative Committee on Tuesday in Peshawar, the minister said the reform agenda was being pursued in line with the vision of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf founder Imran Khan and the directives of Chief Minister Muhammad Sohail Afridi.

He said legislative reforms, a transparent taxation system, improvements in the judicial system, and institutional reforms remained among the government’s top priorities.

Aftab Alam said every proposed law and amendment was being thoroughly examined in accordance with constitutional, legal, and administrative requirements before finalization to avoid future legal and administrative complications.

He directed the relevant departments to ensure that public interest, transparency, constitutional requirements, and effective implementation remained central to the legislative process.

The committee reviewed the proposed Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Urban Immovable Property Tax Bill 2026, the Code of Criminal Procedure (Khyber Pakhtunkhwa) Amendment Bill 2025, and proposed amendments to the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Subordinate Judiciary Service Tribunal Act, 1991.

The meeting was attended by Adviser to the Chief Minister on Finance Muzammil Aslam, Advocate General Shah Faisal Utmankhel, Secretary Excise, Taxation and Narcotics Control Khalid Ilyas, and senior officials from the Law, Excise, Taxation and Narcotics Control, Finance, Establishment, and Home departments, the Advocate General Office, Peshawar district administration, and other relevant departments.

Participants conducted a detailed review of the legal, administrative, and financial aspects of the Urban Immovable Property Tax Bill 2026 to make the taxation system more transparent, efficient, and public-friendly.

Following detailed deliberations, the Legislative Committee finalized the proposed amendments to the Code of Criminal Procedure (Khyber Pakhtunkhwa) Amendment Bill 2025 and decided to present the draft legislation to the provincial cabinet for approval at its next meeting.

The committee observed that the amendments would help strengthen the criminal justice system, ensure the speedy and fair disposal of cases, and improve timely access to justice.

The committee also reviewed proposed amendments to the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Subordinate Judiciary Service Tribunal Act, 1991, aimed at making service-related matters in the subordinate judiciary more transparent, efficient, and merit-based.

The Law Minister directed all concerned departments to further refine the draft laws in light of the recommendations presented during the meeting, complete consultations with stakeholders, assess their financial and administrative implications, and finalize the remaining draft legislation for consideration at upcoming meetings.

The meeting concluded with the decision that all relevant departments would submit their final recommendations and legal opinions to the Law Department within the stipulated timeframe so that the draft laws could be placed before the competent forums for approval after fulfilling all legal requirements.

Muzaffwrgarh: The Anti-Corruption Establishment (ACE), Muzaffargarh, on Tuesday arrested District Manager Auqaf Kareem Nawaz Bhatta (BPS-16) red-handed while accepting a bribe of Rs20,000.

An ACE spokesperson said the raid was conducted by Circle Officer Ammar Yasir Khan under the supervision of Section-30 Magistrate Zubair-ul-Hassan, on the directives of Director General Anti-Corruption Punjab Sohail Zafar Chattha and Regional Director Anti-Corruption Dera Ghazi Khan Region Malik Ziaul Haq.

According to details, Ghulam Hussain, a suspended Grade-IV employee of the Auqaf Department, had filed a complaint alleging that the accused had earlier taken Rs100,000 in bribe from him and was now demanding a further Rs20,000 for issuing his June 2026 salary cheque. The complainant requested ACE to take legal action instead of paying the bribe.

ACE laid a trap with marked currency notes as per procedure, and the accused was arrested on the spot while allegedly accepting the Rs20,000 bribe.

A case No. 53/2026 has been registered against the accused at the ACE police station, Muzaffargarh, and further legal proceedings are underway.

Peshawar: Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Police eliminated 306 terrorists and arrested 347 wanted suspects during counterterrorism operations across the province in the first six months of this year, according to the force’s six-month performance report.

The report stated that those killed included 25 key terrorist commanders carrying bounties worth millions of rupees. Among the arrested suspects were 30 high-value commanders, who were currently under investigation.

According to the report, police registered 980 terrorism cases across the province between January and June.

During the same period, charge sheets against 3,808 accused were submitted to courts, while 3,161 suspects remain absconding.

Bannu emerged as the worst-affected district, where 172 terrorism cases were registered.

Police killed 44 terrorists, arrested 17 suspects and declared 957 accused as absconders during the reporting period.

In North Waziristan, police registered 143 terrorism cases, killing 86 terrorists and arresting two suspects.

In Dera Ismail Khan, 128 terrorism cases were recorded, during which 96 terrorists were killed.

In Peshawar, police registered 106 terrorism cases, arrested 61 suspects and reported 380 accused as absconders. In Bajaur, 93 cases were registered, resulting in the arrest of 25 suspects, while 70 accused remained at large.

In Kohat, police recorded 69 terrorism cases, arrested 45 suspects and declared 218 accused as absconders.

The report said the provincial police were also expanding the use of modern technology to strengthen counterterrorism operations.

It added that the force had been equipped with advanced equipment and facilities to improve operational effectiveness against militant groups.

According to the report, police also foiled 341 drone attacks launched by terrorists during the first six months of the year.