Month: July 2026

Peshawar: Pakistan Genome Resource (PGR), the country’s largest genomic database developed by sequencing the genomes and exomes of more than 173,000 people, has been established to provide a comprehensive genetic reference for the Pakistani population and improve healthcare through precision medicine and the discovery of new gene-disease associations.

The initiative, described in a study published in prestigious journal `Nature’, involved genomic analysis of 173,303 participants recruited from 23 cities, including Karachi, Lahore, Peshawar, Quetta, Multan, Rawalpindi, Islamabad, Mardan, Swat, Hyderabad, Larkana and Faisalabad.

The study significantly expands the catalogue of human genetic variation, providing a comprehensive genomic reference for Pakistan while highlighting the importance of including underrepresented populations in global genetic research.

According to the researchers, the project aims to better understand naturally occurring genetic variations among Pakistanis and how these influence su
sceptibility to diseases such as diabetes, heart disease, kidney disorders, blood diseases and inherited conditions, while also supporting the development of safer and more effective medicines.

Explaining the research findings, Prof. Dr. Yasar Mehmood Yousafzai of Khyber Medical University (KMU) said Pakistani populations have long been underrepresented in international genomic studies, and the Pakistan Genome Resource fills a major scientific gap by establishing a reliable genetic reference for the country.

He said the study demonstrates the rich genetic diversity of Pakistanis and provides scientists with valuable information for understanding disease biology, developing precision medicine and improving public health.

The researchers identified more than 6.6 million coding genetic variants across 19,021 genes, with nearly 47 percent of these variants not previously reported in non-South Asian populations included in the Genome Aggregation Database (gnomAD).

The study also identified naturally occurring
loss-of-function variants in 6,476 protein-coding genes. Researchers say such discoveries are particularly valuable for drug development because genes that can be naturally switched off without causing disease may represent safe targets for future medicines.

The report emphasizes that these genetic variations are naturally occurring and do not indicate that Pakistanis possess “missing genes.”

Similar variations exist in all human populations, although they are especially informative in Pakistan due to its large, genetically diverse population and relatively high rates of consanguineous marriages in some communities.

According to the researchers, the genomic reference will help doctors distinguish between harmless and disease-causing genetic variants, leading to more accurate diagnosis of inherited disorders and improved patient care.

The findings are expected to strengthen research on thalassaemia, inherited childhood disorders, rare diseases, cancer, cardiovascular diseases, diabetes, kidney diseases and
individual responses to medicines. They may also support future genetic counselling, carrier screening, premarital counselling and family-based risk assessment.

Prof. Yousafzai stressed that the responsible use of genomic information requires informed consent, robust privacy safeguards, ethical oversight, secure data management and protection against misuse of genetic information.

He added that all research findings must undergo clinical validation before being incorporated into routine medical practice.

The researchers concluded that Pakistan’s rich genetic diversity represents a valuable scientific resource that, if studied responsibly and ethically, could significantly improve disease diagnosis, prevention, genetic counselling, treatment strategies and biomedical research, ultimately contributing to better healthcare outcomes across the country.

Peshawar: The Government of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa on Monday formally launched its Performance Agreement Framework, with the Health Department, Expanded Programme on Immunization and Polio Eradication Programme becoming the first entities to sign performance-based commitments aimed at delivering measurable results for citizens.

The agreements were signed during a ceremony attended by senior government leadership, marking the first phase of a province-wide initiative designed to link departmental performance with clearly defined targets, timelines and independent monitoring mechanisms.

The agreements are being executed between the Government of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, represented by Chief Secretary Shahab Ali Shah, and the respective Administrative Secretaries.

The concerned provincial ministers serve as witnesses to these commitments, while Additional Chief Secretary (General) Muhammad Abid Majeed and Additional Chief Secretary Planning and Development Lt. (R) Islam Zaib also witnessed the signing ceremony, reflecting collective ownership of the reform initiative at the highest administrative level.

The first Performance Agreement was signed between Chief Secretary Shahab Ali Shah, Health Secretary Shahid Ullah Khan, committing the Health Department to a series of ambitious reforms aimed at strengthening primary and secondary healthcare services across the province.

Under the agreement, the Health Department pledged to recruit and deploy at least 500 additional doctors to Basic Health Units (BHUs) and Rural Health Centres (RHCs), ensuring that no primary healthcare facility remains without a doctor.

The department also committed to making 250 BHUs and RHCs fully operational for 24-hour childbirth services, enabling expectant mothers, particularly in remote and underserved areas, to access safe delivery services closer to their homes and helping reduce preventable maternal and neonatal deaths.

Another major commitment includes the construction, rehabilitation and upgradation of Basic and Comprehensive Emergency Obstetric and Newborn Care (BEmONC and CEmONC) facilities throughout the province to improve maternal and newborn healthcare.

As part of a broader hospital management reform programme, the Health Department also undertook to hand over 62 secondary healthcare hospitals to professional service providers, a move aimed at improving efficiency, management standards and quality of healthcare delivery at the district level.

Following the signing of the Health Department agreement, the government formally signed a second Performance Agreement focusing on Polio Eradication, reaffirming Khyber Pakhtunkhwa’s commitment to eliminating the disease through coordinated action.

The agreement was signed by Chief Secretary Shahab Ali Shah, Health Secretary Shahid Ullah Khan, Coordinator Emergency Operations Centre (EOC) Polio Shafiullah Khan, and Director Expanded Programme on Immunization (EPI) Dr. Muhammad Sohail Farooqi. Provincial Minister for Health Khaleeq ur Rehman, Additional Chief Secretary (General) Muhammad Abid Majeed and Additional Chief Secretary Planning and Development Lt. (R) Islam Zaib witnessed the signing.

Through the tripartite agreement, the Health Department, Emergency Operations Centre and Expanded Programme on Immunization jointly committed to achieving measurable targets in support of Pakistan’s national polio eradication efforts.

The Health Department pledged to deploy 150 additional doctors at BHUs and RHCs across southern districts of the province, regarded as the frontline in the fight against polio.

The Emergency Operations Centre committed to reducing the number of missed children in southern Khyber Pakhtunkhwa to below 10,000 and achieving negative environmental polio samples in Peshawar, Bannu and North Waziristan during two consecutive vaccination campaigns.

Meanwhile, the Expanded Programme on Immunization committed to maintaining the functionality of more than 97 per cent of fixed vaccination centres while increasing full routine immunization coverage to 85 per cent, ensuring protection of children against polio as well as other vaccine-preventable diseases.

Addressing the ceremony, Health Minister Khaleeq ur Rehman said that although the provincial government had accorded the health sector the highest priority and allocated a record budget under the leadership of Chief Minister Muhammad Sohail Afridi, considerable work still remained to further improve healthcare services.

He observed that the growing disease burden posed a significant challenge for the province and stressed that failure to address it today would create greater pressures in the future.

He said the government was committed to developing sustainable solutions for managing disease burden while continuously improving public service delivery.

Speaking on the occasion, Chief Secretary Shahab Ali Shah said the Chief Minister had made healthcare the government’s foremost priority, with a clear focus on expanding health coverage across the province and ensuring affordable, quality healthcare for every citizen.

He said the Health Minister, Health Secretary and the entire health team were working vigorously to improve service delivery, adding that the government’s immediate priority was to ensure the availability of doctors at every primary healthcare facility, strengthen round-the-clock maternal and neonatal care services, and improve the performance of underperforming hospitals.

Referring to the government’s hospital outsourcing initiative, the Chief Secretary said the successful transformation of Mishti Mela Hospital in Orakzai District demonstrated the effectiveness of entrusting hospital management to professional service providers, resulting in significant improvements in healthcare delivery.

He said polio eradication remained another major challenge requiring greater efforts to reach every child, particularly those missed during vaccination campaigns, while simultaneously strengthening routine immunization across the province.

Highlighting the significance of the newly introduced Performance Agreement Framework, Shahab Ali Shah said the initiative represented a new governance methodology based on measurable performance, accountability and results.

He noted that the framework would enable senior leadership to objectively assess departmental performance through clearly defined indicators while encouraging civil servants to achieve higher standards of service delivery.

He added that the system would not only improve transparency and accountability but also provide capable officers with opportunities to demonstrate excellence, contributing both to their professional advancement and to better public services for the people of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.

Attock: Newly appointed Deputy Commissioner (DC) Attock, Dr. Mudassar Ahmed Shah, has formally assumed charge of his office and commenced his official responsibilities.

Senior government officials, officers, and representatives from social, political, business, and public circles of the district have welcomed his appointment and extended their best wishes for his tenure.

Dr. Mudassar Ahmed Shah belongs to the 42nd Common Training Program of the Pakistan Administrative Service (PAS). He is an experienced, competent, and professional civil servant who has served in several key administrative positions during his career.

Before his posting to Attock, he was serving as Additional Secretary (Administration) in the Services and General Administration Department (SandGAD), Government of Punjab, where he played a significant role in the effective management of administrative affairs.

After assuming charge, Dr. Shah held an introductory meeting with officers of the district administration and received an initial briefing on the performance of various departments, ongoing development projects, public service delivery, law and order, revenue administration, health, education, sanitation, environmental management, and other administrative matters.

On the occasion, he reaffirmed his commitment to implementing the policies of the Government of Punjab and the vision of the Chief Minister Punjab by ensuring the provision of quality public services, transparent governance, merit, the rule of law, timely completion of development projects, and prompt resolution of public grievances.

He stated that the district administration would prioritize public service and that all government departments would work in close coordination and with effective communication to provide better and more efficient services to the people.

Expressing their confidence in his leadership, members of the social, political, business, and public communities of Attock hoped that his tenure would further accelerate the district’s development, improve the resolution of public issues, and make administrative affairs more efficient, transparent, and people-centric.

Lodhran: A court sentenced a drug trafficker to 20 years’ rigorous imprisonment and imposed a fine of Rs 500,000. The drug trafficker, identified as Bilal Rajput, was found guilty in a narcotics case registered on October 6, 2025 at city police Kahror Pacca. Police had arrested the accused after recovered 10.6 kilograms of hashish from his possession during an operation.

Later on, District Police Officer (DPO) Capt (retd) Ali Bin Tariq commended SHO Arshad Baloch, the investigation officer, and the legal team for their professional investigation, meticulous collection of evidence, and effective prosecution.

Rawalpindi: Police have arrested four arm holders and recovered illegal weapons from their possession during separate operations here on Monday.

According to police spokesperson, the operations were carried out in the jurisdictions of Morgah, Westridge, Taxila, and Rawat police stations.

Cases have been registered against the suspects under the relevant provisions of the law, and further investigations were underway.

Divisional Superintendents of Police (SPs) said the crackdown against individuals possessing illegal weapons would continue as part of ongoing efforts to curb crime and maintain law and order in the district.

Likewise, Kahuta Police have arrested the prime suspect in a murder case who had been evading arrest since November 2022, police said.

According to a police spokesperson, the suspect was wanted for allegedly killing a man after opening fire along with accomplices over a previous enmity. He had been declared a proclaimed offender (POs) and remained at large for nearly four years.

The arrest was made through a targeted operation using technical surveillance and human intelligence, leading to the suspect’s successful apprehension.

Bahawalpur: Commissioner Irfan Ali Kathia visited the under-construction Chunri Making Centre Cluster Infrastructure Development Project at Abbas Nagar on the outskirts of Bahawalpur to review the progress of construction, quality standards, pace of work, and overall implementation of the project.

During the visit, the commissioner directed the concerned officials to ensure the highest construction standards and complete all development work within the stipulated timeline so that the project could become operational for the benefit of the public without delay.

Accompanying the Commissioner were Director Small Industries Rao Munir Ahmed, Assistant Commissioner Bahawalpur Saddar Hamza Ehtesham, Deputy Director (Technical) Waqas Muhammad Din, and other relevant officials. The project team briefed the Commissioner on the ongoing construction activities, progress achieved on various components, and the upcoming phases of development.

According to the briefing, the Chunri Making Centre is being established to support Bahawalpur’s traditional artisans, promote the region’s indigenous handicraft industry, and provide modern facilities to craftsmen associated with the centuries-old art of Chunri making. Upon completion, the project will help preserve and promote the traditional craft while offering artisans an improved working environment, technical training, modern production facilities, and enhanced marketing opportunities for their products. Officials informed the Commissioner that the project is being executed at an estimated cost of Rs352.9 million, with completion scheduled for 2027.

The briefing further revealed that a substantial portion of the boundary wall has already been completed. Brick masonry work at the Project Director’s residence has reached the door lintel level, while construction of the Administrative Block has progressed beyond the plinth level, with work on the superstructure continuing at a steady pace. Foundations for five of the ten planned Artisan Halls have been completed up to the plinth level, while foundation work for the overhead water tank has been completed and construction of its supporting columns is currently underway.

After inspecting the site, Commissioner Irfan Ali Kathia instructed the concerned departments to ensure that no compromise is made on construction quality and that all development activities are completed according to the approved schedule. He emphasized the need for transparent, efficient, and responsible utilization of public funds so that the project is completed on time and creates new opportunities for employment, entrepreneurship, and economic development for Bahawalpur’s local artisans, particularly those engaged in Chunri making. The Commissioner added that the Punjab Government is undertaking practical initiatives to promote traditional industries and improve the livelihoods of local craftsmen. He described the Chunri Making Centre as a landmark project that will not only preserve the region’s rich cultural heritage but also contribute significantly to strengthening the local economy through the development of the traditional handicrafts sector.