Month: July 2026

Peshawar: Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) on Sunday arrested an owner of a private travel agency in Swat district and recovered 12 passports with other important personal documents belonging to various individuals.

Acting on a tip off, FIA officials conducted a raid against an illegally run travel agency in Barikot, District Swat and arrested a suspect, Abu Bakr Bacha – the owner of Bacha Air Travel Services.

A subsequent search of premises led to recovery of 12 Pakistani passports alongside important personal documents belonging to various individuals. Because the accused could not provide any legal justification or authorized license to possess these passports, all recovered items were formally seized under legal action.

Initial investigations indicate that the accused violated Section 6(g) of the Passport Act, 1974.

A case has been registered, while further investigations are currently underway.

Faisalabad: Police have arrested a man and his father for allegedly subjecting a woman to brutal physical violence and forcibly cutting her hair during a domestic dispute,officials said on Sunday.

According to a police spokesperson,the accused Ali Shan allegedly assaulted his wife with the assistance of his father, Mehar Ali, following a domestic disagreement.

Police said the victim was subjected to severe physical abuse during the incident and her hair was forcibly cut.

On receipt of a complaint, Station House Officer (SHO) Garh police station,Muhammad Usman took immediate action and arrested both suspects.

Police said a case has been registered and further investigation was underway.

City Police Officer (CPO) Tanveer Hussain said violence against women was completely unacceptable and strict action would be taken against those involved.

He said protection of women’s rights remained a top priority in line with the vision of the Punjab chief minister, adding that Faisalabad police were committed to ensuring safety, dignity and legal protection of women through prompt enforcement of the law.

The CPO directed investigating officers to ensure a transparent inquiry and bring the accused to justice, adding that a zero-tolerance policy against domestic violence would continue.

Faisalabad: Marking the final day of his tenure, Deputy Commissioner Capt (R) Nadeem Nasir inaugurated two major public welfare projects-a state-of-the-art dialysis center at Hilal-e-Ahmar Maternity Hospital and an e-library at Kaleem Shaheed Park on Narwala Road-describing them as lasting contributions to healthcare and education in the city.

Faisalabad Development Authority (FDA) Director General Muhammad Asif Chaudhry, Deputy Director Development Syed Naveed, Medical Superintendent Hafiz Mukhtar Randhawa, Masood Bukhari, Hajji Ramzan, Colonel Ijaz, Hajji Yaseen and other philanthropists attended the inauguration ceremonies. Speaking on the occasion, the Deputy Commissioner said the newly established dialysis center would provide free-of-cost dialysis services to kidney patients, ensuring access to quality treatment for deserving individuals without financial burden.

He said the establishment of dialysis center had been one of his long-cherished goals during his tenure, adding that the project had now been completed with modern medical facilities to provide quality healthcare services to patients suffering from kidney diseases.

Capt (R) Nadeem Nasir acknowledged the valuable contribution of philanthropists and donors whose financial and moral support made the establishment of state-of-the-art dialysis facility possible. Later, he inaugurated the e-library at Kaleem Shaheed Park and said that the initiative had been launched to promote reading habits and provide students, researchers and book lovers with a peaceful and technology-enabled learning environment. He observed that establishing e-libraries in public parks was aimed at encouraging healthy educational and recreational activities by allowing visitors to benefit from digital learning resources in a pleasant atmosphere.

The Deputy Commissioner said that similar e-libraries had already been established at Jinnah Garden and Kashmir Park in D-Ground where a large number of readers and students were visiting daily to study and utilize the digital facilities. He expressed confidence that the newly inaugurated e-library would further promote the culture of reading and knowledge-sharing while offering another valuable educational facility to the citizens of Faisalabad. The participants appreciated the district administration’s efforts to improve healthcare and educational infrastructure, describing both projects as significant additions to public welfare facilities of the city that would continue benefiting residents for years to come.

Abbottabad: A youth, identified as Rizwan, a resident of Berin Gali Sat has drowned while bathing at the Jandar Bari Waterfall in the Beringli area of Abbottabad on Saturday.

According to initial reports, the youth slipped into deep water while swimming in the waterfall. A search and rescue operation is underway, with local volunteers joined by Rescue 1122 teams from Galiyat and Abbottabad. The teams are continuing efforts to recover the body.

The incident once again highlights the recurring tragedies witnessed across the Hazara region during the monsoon season. Every year, dozens of people lose their lives in streams, waterfalls, ponds and lakes of Hazara Division despite official bans on swimming and bathing at such sites due to the heightened risks posed by strong currents and rising water levels.

Authorities have repeatedly appealed to the public to comply with safety restrictions, warning that ignoring the ban continues to result in avoidable loss of life each year.

Multan: Seeking to strengthen Pakistan’s horticulture sector through research, innovation and market linkages, Muhammad Nawaz Sharif University of Agriculture, Multan (MNSUAM) on Saturday launched a two-day Mango and Dates Festival featuring business networking, scientific discussions,

cultural festivities and family entertainment.

The festival was jointly inaugurated by Commissioner Amir Kareem and MNSUAM Vice Chancellor Dr Asif Ali in the presence of farmers, exporters, processors, researchers and representatives of allied industries from across Pakistan. Vice chancellors of several public and private universities also attended the opening ceremony, along with Bangladesh High Commissioner MD Iqbal Hussain Khan underscoring the international interest in Pakistan’s world-renowned mangoes and rapidly expanding date industry.

An extensive exhibition showcasing dozens of mango and date varieties remained the centre

of attraction, with visitors thronging stalls displaying fresh produce, processed food products

and modern orchard technologies. Mango and date growers from different regions, besides leading agribusiness companies, established stalls highlighting improved cultivars, value-added products, post-harvest technologies, irrigation systems and farm inputs.

A key feature of the festival was the Business-to-Business (B2B) networking forum, which brought together growers, exporters, processors, traders and corporate representatives to explore investment opportunities, develop commercial partnerships and discuss strategies for increasing Pakistan’s exports of mangoes and dates.

Addressing the inaugural ceremony, Vice Chancellor Dr Asif Ali said agriculture was entering a new era where scientific research, technological innovation and market-oriented production would determine future success. He said MNSUAM was committed to connecting researchers with farmers and industry to ensure that modern agricultural technologies reached orchards and translated into higher productivity and better incomes.

He said Pakistan enjoys a natural advantage in producing premium-quality mangoes and dates, but sustained investment in climate-resilient farming, quality assurance, value addition and export-oriented production was essential to unlock the sector’s full economic potential. He added that the university would continue serving as a hub for research, innovation and stakeholder collaboration to support sustainable horticultural development.

Later, experts, scientists and horticulture specialists participated in a technical session titled “Oasis to Orchard Economy: Smart Climate-Resistant Mango and Date Production Systems.” The speakers highlighted the growing challenges posed by climate change and stressed the adoption of precision agriculture, efficient irrigation, improved orchard management, disease control and modern post-harvest practices to safeguard production and improve competitiveness in international markets.

Besides its commercial and academic activities, the festival offered a rich blend of infotainment and cultural celebrations. Families and children enjoyed a fun gala featuring cultural performances, recreational activities, food stalls and interactive exhibits, creating a festive atmosphere that celebrated the heritage and economic importance of Pakistan’s two signature fruits.

The two-day festival is expected to promote collaboration among academia, farmers, industry and policymakers while encouraging investment, technological advancement and export growth in the country’s mango and date sectors.

Peshawar: The 130th syndicate meeting of University of Agriculture Peshawar on Saturday approved recommendations of finance and planning committee and academic council meetings.

The syndicate meeting was chaired by Vice Chancellor Prof. Dr. Sarzamin Khan and attended by Chancellor’s representative Prof. Dr. Qibla Ayaz, former Justice Irshad Qaiser, Deputy Secretary Agriculture Department, Waseem Akhtar, Additional Secretary, Higher Education Department, Muhammad Farooq, Deputy Secretary, Finance Department Syed Ibrahim Shah, Director Higher Education Dr. Fareed Ullah Shah and Dean, Faculty of Animal Husbandry and Veterinary Sciences Prof. Dr. Abdul Rahman. Registrar Dr. Abdul Salam who served as the Secretary of the meeting presented the agenda before the forum.

The Syndicate approved the minutes and decisions of the 129th syndicate meeting, the recommendations of the 90th finance and planning committee meeting and the 60thacademic council meeting. The forum also approved the University Annual Work Plan 2026-27, Annual Report 2024-25 and the Laboratory Guidelines.

Addressing the participants, Vice Chancellor Prof. Dr. Sarzamin Khan congratulated the members on the successful conduct of the meeting and thanked them for their valuable contributions. He appreciated the support of the Higher Education Commission (HEC) and the Government of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa in promoting academic and research activities.

He emphasized that faculty members and university employees should continue to play an active role in the institution’s development by promoting quality education, research, and co-curricular activities.