Month: August 2026

Peshawar: Special Persons Development Association (SPDA)’s Joint Secretary, Masood Khan has stressed the importance of ensuring full accessibility for PWDs in the under-construction Chamkani Bus Terminal project.

This demand was made by SPDA office bearer during a meeting with Chamkani Bus Terminal Project Manager, Naveed Khan at his office.

According to a press release issued here, during the meeting, Masood Khan said that public infrastructure should be built in such a way that it is safe, dignified and barrier-free for all citizens, especially PWDs.

He stressed the need to include ramps, standard wheelchair access, tactile pathways, dedicated parking, accessible washrooms, proper signage and other facilities in the project as per international standards.

Project Manager Naveed Khan thanked SPDA and assured that all important points related to accessibility of persons with disabilities will be considered on priority basis and all possible steps will be taken to ensure universal accessibility in the project.

SPDA reiterated its commitment to continue its efforts to protect the rights of persons with disabilities and establish an inclusive, equitable and accessible society in collaboration with government agencies and development partners.

Mirpur: Polling for the second phase of elections to the Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK) Legislative Assembly concluded on Sunday across eight constituencies of Muzaffarabad Division after voting hours were extended by one hour to facilitate voters, officials of the AJK Election Commission said.

The extended polling period ended at 6:00 p. m. , bringing the voting process to a close. However, voters who had entered polling stations before the deadline were allowed to cast their ballots in accordance with the Election Commission’s rules.

With polling completed, election authorities immediately initiated the vote-counting process. Officials said all necessary arrangements had been made to ensure the smooth tabulation of ballots, while the transmission and compilation of results would continue in phases as counting progressed.

Election Commission sources said unofficial and provisional results from various constituencies were expected to emerge during the counting process. The Commission will issue the official and final results only after completing the consolidation, verification and formal confirmation of the vote count.

Rawalpindi: Deputy Commissioner Captain (Retd) Nadeem Nasir, alongwith City Police Officer (CPO) Hassan Mushtaq Sukhera, visited a polling station established for the Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK) Legislative Assembly elections on Sunday and expressed satisfaction over the peaceful conduct of the polling process.

During the visit, the officials reviewed polling arrangements, security measures and the overall voting process.

They were briefed from election staff on the arrangements in place and observed that polling was being conducted in a transparent, orderly, and peaceful manner.

Speaking on the occasion, Deputy Commissioner Nadeem Nasir said the district administration, in coordination with the police, was making every effort to provide voters with a safe, peaceful, and conducive environment to exercise their democratic right.

He urged eligible voters to visit polling stations without fear, cast their votes, and contribute to the democratic process by electing candidates of their choice.

The deputy commissioner also directed the relevant officials to maintain strict attention to security and administrative arrangements until the completion of polling, ensuring that the electoral process remained transparent, peaceful, and in accordance with the law.

Hyderabad: Deputy Commissioner Hyderabad Zain-ul-Abedin Memon visited various parts of the city following Sunday’s rainfall to monitor dewatering operations, restoration of electricity, and ongoing sanitation measures.

According to an official handout, the DC inspected the PDC Power Distribution Center Station to monitor the restoration of electricity feeders, particularly those supplying power to pumping stations. He was informed that 47 out of 158 suspended feeders of 11 KV were restored by the evening.

The DC directed HESCO officials to expedite the restoration of the remaining feeders to ensure uninterrupted operation of pumping stations and early normalization of electricity supply. Memon also visited Citizen Colony, Tando Jam, Fateh Chowk, Thandi Sarak, and Latifabad unit number 2, where 5 dewatering machines were deployed under his personal supervision.

He reviewed the pace of drainage operations, cleaning activities, and coordinated efforts of the concerned departments to clear accumulated rainwater.

The DC instructed all relevant departments to remain fully vigilant, continue dewatering and sanitation operations on a priority basis, and ensure that maximum relief was provided to citizens until normal conditions are restored.

Faisalabad: Rescue 1122 responded to 14, 834 emergency calls in Faisalabad during July, providing emergency assistance to 14, 703 people in road accidents, medical emergencies, fire incidents and other rescue operations.

According to District Emergency Officer(DEO) Engineer, Ehtesham Wahla, the Emergency Control Room received 14, 834 calls during the month.

Of these, rescue teams attended 10, 401 medical emergencies, 2, 516 road traffic accidents, 149 fire incidents, 283 crime-related emergencies, 13 drowning cases, 14 building collapses and 1, 135 other incidents across the district.

A total of 8, 779 victims were provided emergency medical treatment at the scene, while 5, 336 patients were shifted to hospitals after receiving first aid.

The official said Rescue 1122 also transported 187 bodies from government hospitals to the residences of the deceased with due respect.

Rescue teams additionally responded to 135 calls involving the rescue of birds and animals.

Despite emergency response efforts, 568 people lost their lives in various incidents reported during the month.

Wahla credited the department’s performance to the professionalism and dedication of Rescue 1122 personnel.

He urged citizens to immediately report emergencies through the 1122 helpline and cooperate with rescue teams to ensure timely response.

He reaffirmed the department’s commitment to providing efficient emergency services round the clock across the district.

Faisalabad: The Directorate of Livestock Faisalabad organised a training session on the Electronic Filing and Office Automation System (e-FOAS) to equip livestock officers and staff with modern digital office management skills in line with Punjab government’s vision of promoting transparent, efficient and paperless governance.

Director Livestock Dr Haider Ali Khan supervised the training session while officers and officials from the department participated in the program.

During session, the resource person Mr Shahid imparted detailed practical training on the effective use of e-FOAS platform.

The participants were guided about the creation of electronic files, digital movement of official files, approval workflows, electronic correspondence and efficient management of digital records.

The trainer also familiarized the participants with modern paperless office practices for improving administrative efficiency, enhancing transparency and ensuring great accountability in official business through the adoption of information technology.

Speaking on the occasion, Director Livestock Dr Haider Ali Khan said that the training program marked an important step towards effective implementation of the Electronic Filing and Office Automation System in accordance with Punjab government’s digital governance agenda.

He said that adoption of e-FOAS would streamline official procedures, accelerate file processing, improve record management and facilitate timely decision-making, ultimately leading to more efficient public service delivery.

He urged the officers and staff to fully utilize digital system in their routine official work. Continuous capacity-building initiatives would be organized to ensure successful transition to a modern, technology-driven and paperless administrative framework, he added.