Month: August 2026

Rawalpindi: The Rawalpindi Waste Management Company (RWMC) conducted a special sanitation operation at polling stations set up across the city for the Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK) Legislative Assembly elections.

Special cleaning arrangements were made at polling stations in Raja Bazaar, Satellite Town, Sadiqabad, Shamsabad, Committee Chowk, Waris Khan, Pirwadhai, Dhok Kala Khan, Dhok Syedan, Morgah, Rawat and other localities.

Chief Executive Officer of RWMC Rana Sajid Safdar said sanitation staff had completed the cleaning of all polling stations, entrance and exit routes, adjoining roads and public places on the eve of polling. He said lime had also been sprinkled to provide voters with a clean and hygienic environment.

On polling day, workers, supervisors and officers remained deployed at key polling stations to supervise sanitation activities. Garbage was removed promptly, while dedicated teams ensured timely waste collection, emptied dustbins and maintained cleanliness around polling stations to facilitate voters, election staff and security personnel.

Rana Sajid Safdar said providing citizens with a clean and healthy environment on every occasion remained the agency’s top priority in line with the vision of the Punjab chief minister.

He said a zero-waste operation had been launched immediately after polling concluded to clean all polling stations, adjoining roads and public places and restore them to their normal condition.

He appealed to citizens to cooperate with sanitation staff, dispose of waste at designated places and play their part in keeping the city clean.

Multan: The Punjab Food Authority (PFA) has fined five food business operators Rs. 117, 000 during a crackdown on the sale of unsafe and prohibited food items in Khanewal district, here on Sunday.

The operation, carried out on the directives of PFA Director General(DG) Raja Mansoor Ahmad, targeted bakeries, sweet shops, grocery stores and other food outlets in Kabirwala, Chowk Farooq Azam, Makhdoom Pur Pahoran, Quli Bazaar and Jandiali Bangla in Mian Channu.

During the inspections, food safety teams seized and destroyed 20 kgs of banned China salt, 30kg of expired food products and 12 dozen spoiled eggs.

A grocery store was fined Rs. 20, 000 after officials recovered banned China salt from its premises while a bakery was penalized Rs. 50, 000 for using broken and spoiled eggs in bakery products.

Three other grocery stores were also fined for selling expired food items.

The authority said the enforcement drive was part of its ongoing campaign to curb the sale of unsafe food and ensure compliance with food safety regulations across the province.

PFA Director General(DG), Raja Mansoor Ahmad urged the public to report food safety violations through the authority’s helpline, 1223.

Attock: The Chehlum of Hazrat Imam Hussain (AS) was observed peacefully in Attock. The central ‘Alam’ and Zuljinnah procession of Chehlum in Attock city was taken out on Sunday from Imambargah Panjtani under tight security, with deep religious devotion and reverence.

Addressing the Chehlum majlis at Imambargah Panjtani, religious scholar Maulana Muhammad Abbas Rizvi said that Karbala is a lesson-teaching event in human history, giving a message to all mankind to stand firm on truth and righteousness for eternal success and to foil the nefarious designs of evil forces.

He narrated the hardships faced by Imam Hussain (AS) and his loyal companions for the glory of Islam, recounting several events leading up to the tragedy of Karbala.

Later, mourners performed Zanjeerzani and Matam. On the procession route, stalls of water, milk, and food were set up under the supervision of security personnel to facilitate the mourners. The Zuhrain prayers were offered near Fowara Chowk, after which the procession peacefully concluded in the evening at Imambargah Hussainia, Kamalpur Syedan, Attock Cantonment.

The Tehsil administration had made excellent arrangements for the procession, while the local police maintained complete vigilance. Commissioner Rawalpindi, DC, DPO, SP investigation were present.

To prevent any untoward incident, strict security measures were taken by law enforcement agencies. The procession route was cordoned off with barbed wire, and police personnel were deployed on rooftops.

Multan: Punjab Emergency Service Rescue 1122 has finalized a comprehensive emergency plan across Multan district ahead of Chehlum of Hazrat Imam Hussain (RA), District Emergency Officer(DEO), Dr. Hussain Mian, here on Sunday.

Rescue posts, mobile rescue posts, medical camps, incident command posts and emergency response units will be set up across the district to provide timely emergency services to mourners and participants of processions and gatherings, he said.

DEO Hussain said that a special rescue medical camp and mobile rescue post will be established at the district’s main procession at Ghanta Ghar, staffed round-the-clock by trained rescuers and emergency medical technicians with medicines and first-aid facilities to ensure immediate medical response.

He further said that ambulance services, motorbike ambulances, fire and rescue services and other emergency resources will be deployed at sensitive and important locations to ensure timely response during emergencies while routine services for road accidents, medical emergencies and fire incidents will continue uninterrupted.

Dr. Hussain Mian said all station in-charges and rescue personnel have been directed to remain on 24-hour high alert, maintain effective coordination and ensure complete preparedness to handle any emergency.

Additional rescuers, ambulances and resources will remain on standby as backup at the Central Rescue Station Multan, while the command and control room will monitor the district round the clock, he added.

He appealed to citizens to follow the directions of the district administration and law enforcement agencies during processions and gatherings, avoid unnecessary crowding, take special care of children, elderly and women and immediately call the 1122 helpline or contact the nearest rescue post in case of any emergency.

Kohat: The Kohat police have intensified their ongoing crackdown on Sunday against criminal elements and drug peddlers, arresting six suspects and recovering a huge cache of narcotics and illegal weapons.

According to police sources, the city police carried out successful raids and apprehended two drug dealers.

In the first operation, the police caught a suspect, identified as Adil, a resident of Hafizabad, red-handed and recovered 1, 010 grams of ice (methamphetamine) and 1, 005 grams of heroin from his possession.

In the second raid, another suspect, Atif, a resident of Mustafa Bazaar, was arrested with 110 grams of ice and two 30-bore pistols.

Separate cases under the Narcotics Act have been registered against both accused, and they have been handed over to the investigation staff for further inquiry.

In a separate action, Jarma Police Station, conducted a search and strike operation along with a general hold-up snap-checking in the area. During the operation, police arrested four suspects. A cache of illegal arms and ammunition was recovered from their possession, including one SMG, one M4 rifle (223-bore), one double-barrel gun, one 30-bore pistol, six magazines, and 91 cartridges of various bores. Separate cases have been registered against the arrested individuals, and further investigations are underway. The police stated that search and strike operations would continue to maintain law and order in the area.

Sargodha: Polling for the 2026 Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK) Legislative Assembly elections continued peacefully in Sargodha on Sunday, with more than 2, 100 registered voters casting ballots under stringent security arrangements.

According to the District Election Commission, Constituency LA-34 Jammu-I has 2, 153 registered voters, including 1, 170 men and 983 women.

Six polling stations and 12 polling booths were established across the district to facilitate voting.

Polling was held at Government Comprehensive Boys High School Sargodha, Government Boys Higher Secondary School Dharima, Government Boys High School No. 1 Sillanwali, Government Boys High School Bhalwal, Government Girls High School Jauharabad and Government Girls Higher Secondary School Lillian.

In a rare case, only one voter was registered in Sargodha for Constituency LA-42 Kashmir Valley-III.

A separate polling station was set up at Government Boys High School No. 1 Sillanwali to enable the lone voter from the Kot Musa Khan/Machhar Khadi area to cast a ballot.

Election officials said arrangements had been made to ensure orderly polling and urged voters to reach their designated polling stations within the prescribed voting hours.