Month: July 2026

Gilgit: Chairman Pakistan Peoples Party, Bilawal Bhutto Zardari said that the people of this region defeated the Dogra rule to gain independence, and joined Pakistan to this day, are waiting to be a part of it.

Addressing the oath-taking ceremony of the Chief Minister of Gilgit Baltistan, Amjad Advocate, Chairman Bilawal said that Pakistan responded to the struggle of the people of GB by imposing the FCR system.

The people of GB remember Quaid-e-Awam Shaheed Zulfikar Ali Bhutto who abolished the FCR system, and introduced subsidy for the downtrodden masses of GB. When Shaheed Mohtarma Benazir Bhutto got the opportunity, she laid the foundation for politics in GB. President Zardari also gave GB administrative rights and identity.

Chairman PPP said that along with the interim status, GB should attain constitutional rights. He said he wants to see the day when the representatives of GB are sitting alongside him in the National Assembly.

Bilawal stated that the PPP provincial government will implement its manifesto based on three core principles: the right to rule, the right to ownership, and the right to employment.

He advised the public to form farming collectives and utilize public-private partnerships once land ownership rights are fully granted.

The PPP Chairman assured that the new chief minister would provide government jobs strictly on merit.

Bilawal announced plans to hold local body elections in Gilgit-Baltistan before the onset of the winter season.

The PPP leader thanked Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N), the Istehkam-e-Pakistan Party (IPP), Majlis Wahdat-e-Muslimeen (MWM), and PTI-backed candidates for supporting the historic election of the Chief Minister.

He assured the PML-N that the PPP would work cooperatively, ensuring the opposition does not feel excluded from governance. In GB, we will break this myth, and work together with other political parties.

Furthermore, the geo strategic importance of this region is evident to everyone. We would also like to salute the soldiers who are manning the toughest borders of the world in GB, Chairman Bilawal expressed. Those soldiers are protecting the lives of the people of GB and Kashmir, while facing India on the other side. The people of GB and Azad Kashmir do not only value the contribution of our soldiers, but are proud to host them.

Bilawal strongly condemned Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s government, accusing it of attempting to destabilize Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Balochistan, GB, and AJK through cross-border proxies. He noted that India is replicating failed Israeli tactics used against Iran.

The Chairman vowed that Pakistan would not compromise on the Indus Water Treaty, declaring that the people from GB to Sindh will defend the Indus River.

Bilawal invited all political parties in Azad Kashmir to participate in the upcoming elections. He announced that if PPP wins, the party will host a Joint Constitutional Convention for both AJK and GB to secure their political future without compromising their protected international status.

Concluding his address, the Chairman paid tribute to the Pakistan Army soldiers deployed along the world’s toughest borders in GB and AJK, labeling both regions as the economic “Kohinoor” of Pakistan.

Sialkot: A 39-year-old woman died after allegedly jumping from the Rangpura Railway Bridge in Sialkot on Monday.

According to Rescue 1122, the deceased, Irshad Bibi, wife of Amjad,resident of Sahiwali, Pasrur, was reportedly under mental stress.

After receiving the emergency call, Rescue 1122 divers and swimmers started a search operation and later recovered her body.

The body was handed over to the police for legal action.

Sukkur: The distribution and installation of Solar Home System kits to eligible households in various districts continues under the ‘Roshan Ghar Roshan Sindh’ initiative.

The solar kits are being distributed under the Solar Home System (On-Grid/Off-Grid) Project of the Sindh Government’s Energy Department, which is being implemented by the Sindh Rural Support Organization (SRSO). According to SRSO Spokesperson on Monday, the objective of the Solar Home System Project is to provide reliable, affordable and sustainable energy solutions to 275,000 households in 30 districts of Sindh through solar technology, selected via a transparent process.

Following a transparent verification process, solar home system kits are being provided free of cost to households meeting the eligibility criteria set by the Sindh Government. SRSO has clarified that no fee or charges are being collected at any stage for the survey of households, distribution of kits, or their installation in homes.

As per details, solar kits have been distributed to 69 eligible households in District Thatta, 41 in District Matiari, 35 in District Sujawal, 356 in District Sanghar, 82 in District Matiari, 103 in District Ghotki, 34 in District Sukkur, 32 in District Malir, and 99 in District Dadu.

Peshawar: Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Minister for Elementary and Secondary Education Arshad Ayub Khan on Monday inaugurated the first phase of the province’s first-ever Summer Learning and Grooming Festival 2026 at Jalal Baba Auditorium in Abbottabad.

The initiative aimed to help students develop leadership skills, broaden their outlook and promote cultural harmony, said a press release issued here.

The inaugural ceremony was attended by Commissioner Hazara Division Fayaz Ali Shah, Chairman Board of Intermediate and Secondary Education Abbottabad Inayat Ullah Waseem, Additional Secretary Education Hayat Shah, Education Adviser (ESRU) Mian Saaduddin, senior officials of the Education Department, and a large number of students and teachers from Abbottabad and other districts.

The provincial minister formally inaugurated the festival by cutting a cake with participating students, while the opening ceremony featured speeches, band performances and educational and cultural presentations by students.

Addressing the gathering, Arshad Ayub Khan said the festival had been launched with the support of the KP Chief Minister and was being organised for the first time in the province’s history, with around 2,000 students from across Khyber Pakhtunkhwa taking part.

He said the programme would enable students to explore different regions of the province, learn about local cultures and traditions, and contribute to their overall personality development.

He stressed that meaningful educational reforms required respect for teachers and announced that the Education Department was working to improve the posting and transfer system, review departmental performance, establish a separate Directorate for Primary Schools and introduce a better examination system.

Commissioner Hazara Division Fayaz Ali Shah said education was the foundation of progress and urged collective efforts to strengthen the education sector.

He said the administration was considering establishing one model school in every tehsil, with district officers adopting selected institutions to improve facilities, teacher training and academic standards.

Chairman Board of Intermediate and Secondary Education Abbottabad Inayat Ullah Waseem said nurturing children was a shared responsibility of teachers and parents, adding that initiatives such as the Summer Learning and Grooming Festival would play an important role in building a better and stronger society.

Rawalpindi: A woman in labour successfully delivered a healthy baby inside a Rescue 1122 ambulance in Rawalpindi after being shifted from Peoples Colony, Street No. 32 on Allama Iqbal Road.

Rescue 1122 was informed about a woman experiencing severe childbirth complications.

An ambulance was immediately dispatched to the location and began shifting her to the hospital.

During the travelling, the woman gave birth to a healthy baby inside the ambulance.

The Rescue 1122 medical team ensured a safe delivery and provided immediate medical care to both the mother and newborn.

Later, both were shifted to Benazir Bhutto Hospital (BBH) Rawalpindi, for further treatment and observation.

The timely response and professional handling by Rescue 1122 staff ensured the safety of both mother and new born baby.

Multan: Director General Radio Pakistan Saeed Ahmed Sheikh said on Monday that Pakistan Broadcasting Corporation (PBC) was generating Rs 1 billion per annum through effective utilization of available resources and further strengthening revenue generation can help attain financial self reliance for the national broadcaster.

He was addressing the officials during visit to Radio Pakistan, Multan, during which he visited different sections of the Radio Multan office building.

Emphasizing the need for strengthening revenue generation, the Director General said, the management of Radio Pakistan was making concerted efforts to transform the organization into a financially sustainable institution.

During the visit, Saeed Sheikh reviewed the progress on the under-construction auditorium and directed the officials concerned to complete the remaining work within one month, keeping in view the importance of the project.

He also visited the studio block where he inspected transmission facilities and reviewed the operational arrangements.

He said, Radio Pakistan was currently generating around Rs1 billion annually through the effective utilization of its available resources and added that efforts were continuing to optimize the organization’s remaining assets and resources to further strengthen its financial position and meet operational expenditures.

The DG urged employees to play an active role in identifying and developing new revenue streams so that Radio Pakistan could further strengthen its financial stability.

He also said that an efficient and transparent mechanism had been introduced for pension payments, ensuring greater transparency, accountability and proficiency in the system.