Month: July 2026

Gilgit: Election Commission of Gilgit-Baltistan has announced the schedule for re-polling at selected polling stations in two constituencies of Diamer district in compliance with the judgments of the Gilgit-Baltistan Supreme Appellate Court.

According to the Public Relations Office, the Chief Election Commissioner of Gilgit-Baltistan has issued a notification for re-polling on Sunday, July 12, 2026, at the Female Polling Station Lushi Thak in GBA-15 (Diamer-I) and at eight polling stations in GBA-17 (Diamer-III).

The Election Commission has directed the concerned District Returning Officers (DROs) and Returning Officers (ROs) to ensure that all arrangements are completed in accordance with the Election Act, 2017, the Election Rules, 2017, and the Supreme Appellate Court’s directives. The re-polling process is to be conducted in a transparent, free, fair, impartial, and peaceful manner.

According to the notification, polling will take place from 8: 00 a.m. to 5: 00 p.m. without any break.

Chief Election Commissioner Raja Shehbaz Khan urged all eligible voters in the affected polling stations to exercise their right to vote responsibly on the scheduled date and contribute positively to the successful conduct of the electoral process.

Faisalabad: Provincial Health Minister, Khawaja Salman Rafique has said the Punjab government is committed to making the government hospitals built with public taxes, the best treatment centers. A uniform policy is being chalked out to resolve the issues of medical colleges in the province. He was addressing the 17th syndicate meeting of Faisalabad Medical University (FMU) held here on Monday.

The minister said that management of all medical colleges in the province had been directed to promote quality research. No compromise would be made on the supply of medicines in government hospitals, he said, adding that necessary instructions have been issued to medical colleges to hold syndicate meetings regularly so that issues of government hospitals could be resolved timely. The meeting was attended by Member of Punjab Assembly Arif Gil, Vice-Chancellor Faisalabad Medical University Prof Dr. Zafar Chaudhry, Director Budget and Accounts Hammad Al-Rabb, MS Allied Hospital-I Dr. Faheem Yousuf and officers of other departments and syndicate members.

The meeting approved the minutes of the 16th syndicate meeting of Faisalabad Medical University. The approval was granted for repair and maintenance of medical and lab equipment of Allied Hospital-I. The meeting also granted approval of funds for the purchase of 630 and 400 KVA transformers for Allied Hospital-II, construction of a waiting area for a new medical emergency at Allied Hospital-II, establishing PAEDS emergency in front of the medical emergency of Allied Hospital-II. The syndicate meeting also allowed Faisalabad Medical University to start PhD programs as well as Chinese language and Integrated Nutrition in Clinical Care courses. The meeting approved to start MS in a 2-year / 4-year nursing degree program also.

Peshawar: The first project under the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Cities Improvement Project (KPCIP), implemented by the Local Government and Rural Development Department, has been completed and will soon be opened to the public.

According to officials, the project marks an important step towards improving urban facilities and promoting environmentally friendly development in the province.

Spread over 105 kanals and located in Phase-I, Sector D-1 of Hayatabad, the park has been developed in line with modern urban requirements. The facility includes basketball and volleyball courts, a modern children’s play area, a cafeteria, spacious parking facilities, an urban forest, and modern walking and jogging tracks, along with several other public amenities.

The project aims to provide citizens and families in Peshawar with a healthy, safe, and peaceful recreational environment while promoting sustainable urban development.

Officials said the initiative would contribute to making Peshawar greener, more attractive, and a better place to live.

Mirpurkhas: A meeting to review precautionary measures ahead of the expected monsoon rains was held at the Commissioner Committee Hall under the chairmanship of Divisional Commissioner Shahmir Khan Bhutto.

Shahmir Khan directed all relevant departments to ensure that comprehensive preparedness measures are completed before the anticipated monsoon rains.

He said that the Government of Sindh is taking emergency steps to strengthen natural waterways and embankments to protect people from the impact of heavy rainfall and possible flooding.He further instructed the authorities to remove all obstacles hindering drainage by cleaning drains and waterways.

The Commissioner also directed concerned officials to conduct joint inspections of natural water channels and vulnerable embankments to identify and resolve any issues, emphasizing that negligence in this regard would not be tolerated.

He ordered strict monitoring of embankments and flood protection bunds during the rainy season to prevent any illegal breaches or damage. On the occasion, Managing Director LBOD, Fawad Memon, informed the meeting that, in view of the expected monsoon rains, the Government of Sindh had strengthened and expanded the embankments along natural waterways during the current year.

Layyah: The Punjab government’s initiative to provide dignified transportation of deceased persons has been extended to Layyah district, where three dedicated ambulances have been allocated to offer the service free of cost to bereaved families.

Deputy Commissioner Asif Ali Dogar, formally handed over the keys of the specially-designated-body-transportation ambulances to the District Emergency Officer, Rescue 1122, at a ceremony at Layyah DHQ hospital.

One ambulance each has been assigned to the tehsils of Layyah, Karor Lal Esan, and Chaubara to ensure uninterrupted access to the service across the district.

Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Health Dr. Shahid Riaz, District Emergency Officer Dr. Sajjad Ahmed, Medical Superintendent DHQ Hospital Dr. Hayat Ullah, and other officials attended the ceremony.

Deputy commissioner inspected the ambulances and reviewed the facilities available inside, while officials briefed him on the operational mechanism of the service.

Speaking on the occasion, Asif Ali Dogar said the initiative reflected Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz Sharif’s vision of providing maximum public relief and ensuring that the transportation of deceased persons was carried out with dignity, respect, and honour.

He said, free service would support grieving families during difficult times and represented the Punjab government’s commitment to public welfare and humanitarian values.

Dogar directed officials to ensure uninterrupted operation of the service, maintain the vehicles in excellent condition, and treat bereaved families with compassion, dignity, and respect.

He added that all necessary arrangements had been completed to keep the service operational round the clock. Rescue 1122 would operate the service.

Multan: Bangladesh High Commissioner to Pakistan Muhammad Iqbal Hossain Khan on Monday praised Multan’s famed mangoes and blue pottery, calling them a hallmark of South Punjab’s rich cultural identity.

The envoy, leading a high-level delegation on a visit to the South Punjab Secretariat, also lauded the secretariat as a unique administrative model, saying he would brief the Bangladesh government on it in detail.

Additional Chief Secretary South Punjab Fuad Hashim Rabbani received the High Commissioner and his delegation, and the two held wide-ranging discussions on administrative and bilateral matters at the secretariat.

The High Commissioner said Multan’s landscape and lifestyle bore close resemblance to Bangladesh. He described Multani mangoes as exceptionally sweet, juicy and flavorful, and said Multan’s sohan halwa was equally unmatched in taste and distinction.

Briefing the visiting delegation, Rabbani said the establishment of the South Punjab Secretariat had brought service delivery closer to people’s doorsteps, saving time, resources and travel hardships in resolving public issues. He said offices of all South Punjab departments, including his own, remained open to the public at all times in line with Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz Sharif’s open-door policy.

Rabbani said South Punjab held major cultural, geographic and agricultural significance, with a history spanning thousands of years and a key role played by Sufi saints in the spread of Islam in the region. He cited blue pottery, Kashi tile work, camel-hide lamps and khussas as important elements of the region’s culture, while wheat, cotton, sugarcane and mangoes formed a significant share of the country’s agricultural output. He observed that Pakistan’s five major rivers, Indus, Chenab, Ravi, Sutlej and Jhelum converge at Panjnad in South Punjab.

At the conclusion of the meeting, Rabbani presented the Bangladeshi delegation with gifts of blue pottery, mangoes and sohan halwa, while the High Commissioner presented Rabbani with a gift of Bangladeshi tea.