Author: dailybalochistantimes.com

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CM GB orders immediate rescue operation after contact lost with international climbing team on broad peak


Gilgit: Chief Minister Gilgit-Baltistan Amjad Hussain has ordered an immediate and effective rescue operation after taking notice of reports that contact had been lost with a 10-member international mountaineering team following an avalanche on Broad Peak (8,047 metres).



According to official information from the Alpine Club of Pakistan (ACP) and the district administration of Shigar, the Chief Minister directed all relevant departments and the district administration to remain on high alert and to expedite search-and-rescue efforts in close coordination with the Pakistan Army.



The Chief Minister said that every possible resource should be utilized to ensure the safety of the international expedition led by renowned mountaineer Nirmal “Nims” Purja. The team includes Hunza-based Pakistani climber Sohail Sakhi, along with mountaineers from Nepal, the United States, Oman, China and other countries.



Despite adverse weather conditions, he instructed the authorities to keep both aerial and ground rescue teams fully prepared so that immediate assistance could be provided as soon as weather conditions permit.



Expressing deep concern over the incident, Chief Minister Amjad Hussain prayed for the safety of all climbers. He directed the concerned authorities to keep him informed of the rescue operation’s progress on a moment-to-moment basis.



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Rain brings relief as weather turns pleasant in Burewala


Burewala: Intermittent rain continued across Vehari, Burewala and adjoining areas on Friday, bringing welcome relief from intense heat and humid conditions.



The rainfall significantly lowered temperatures, with residents expressing relief after days of sweltering weather. However, electricity supply was disrupted in several urban and rural areas as power outages affected multiple feeders.



The rain also eased humidity, making the weather pleasant, while authorities remained on alert to address power restoration and any rain-related issues.



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Work on making 9 villages ‘model’ completed: minister


Lahore: Minister for Local Government Zeeshan Rafique has said that under Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz Sharif’s Sohna (beautiful) Punjab Program, the work on making 9 villages model has been completed, while the target of making 40 model villages will be achieved soon.



He was presiding over a review meeting on model villages held at the Civil Secretariat via video link. Secretary Local Government Shakeel Ahmed Mian, Special Secretaries Shahid Zaman Luck and Arshad Baig also attended. Punjab Rural Municipal Services Company (PRMSC) CEO Khurram Pervez briefed the provincial minister on the progress made so far.



Minister for Local Government Zeeshan Rafique said that according to the vision of Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz, development work is underway in 485 villages of Punjab. He said that the 9 villages in which the work has been completed include Chak 70 EB Pakpattan, Chak 99 Lodhran, Ghaniye ke village Kasur, Chak 81 WB Vehari, Pindi Amulak Narowal, Dari Chachran Rahim Yar Khan.



Zeeshan Rafique said that the schemes have also been completed in village Rekrra and Village Council No. 2 DG Khan and village Balarke Sheikhupura. He said that work is going on at a fast pace in 124 villages under the supervision of PRMSC. “More funds in the new fiscal year budget will facilitate the achievement of the set targets”, he hoped. He said that Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz Sharif wants to make more villages exemplary in the next phase. “Streets will be paved and a sewage system will be built in every model village”, he added. The Minister further said that the installation of street lights and construction of a park are also part of the program. He said that monitoring has improved by making District Officers (IandS) coordinators in the respective districts.



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Thar Foundation schools achieve 98.1pc pass rate in FBISE matric exams


Karachi: Students of Thar Foundation schools in Tharparkar achieved a 98.1 per cent pass rate in the Federal Board of Intermediate and Secondary Education (FBISE) Class 10 Annual Examination 2026, with 52 out of 53 candidates clearing the examination.



According to a statement issued here on Friday, the students from villages across Thar Block II appeared in the same national examination as candidates from leading urban schools across the country.



Among the successful candidates, five secured A1 grades and 23 obtained A grades, while the remaining students passed with B and C grades.



One of the top achievers, Rehana from Khororo village in Mithi, became the first member of her family to receive formal education. Expressing her ambition, she said she hoped to become an engineer and inspire other girls in Thar to pursue education and realise their dreams.



The statement said the schools were staffed by 249 locally trained female educators, including 228 teachers and 21 principals, serving 33 school units with an enrolment of 4,935 students, of whom 41 per cent were girls.



Principal of TCF Thar Foundation Dr Ashok Bakhtani Secondary Campus, Mithi, Kajal Dev Chouhan, said the students’ performance on a national board reflected the untapped potential of Thar and demonstrated the impact of sustained investment in education, committed teachers and community support.



General Manager of Thar Foundation Farhan Ansari said the results were a testament to the dedication of students, teachers, school leaders and parents.



He said the outcome demonstrated that high-quality educational standards could be achieved even in some of Pakistan’s most remote areas through consistent investment and sustained commitment.



Thar Foundation, the corporate social responsibility arm of the Block II entities, operates schools and implements programmes in education, healthcare and livelihoods across Thar Block II and surrounding villages, the statement added.



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No flour shortage in Punjab, supply continues uninterrupted: official


Lahore: The supply of flour across the province is continuing uninterrupted and there is no shortage of flour in the market.



A spokesperson for the Food Safety and Consumer Protection Department said this here on Friday: “Certain elements are spreading false rumours to mislead the public.”



The Punjab government was continuously and closely monitoring the situation to ensure the uninterrupted supply of quality flour to the public, spokesperson said and sharing the latest figures, he stated that after grinding government wheat, flour mills in Punjab supplied 109,799 bags of 10-kg flour to the market at a price of Rs 1,100 per bag. In addition, after purchasing wheat from the private sector and milling it, 396,196 bags of 10-kg flour were supplied across all districts of Punjab. Likewise, 78,996 bags of 20-kg flour were also supplied.



The spokesperson further said that a total of 663,987 bags of 10-kg flour have been supplied across all districts of the province, which clearly demonstrates that all flour mills in Punjab were operating normally and flour production was continuing without interruption.



The spokesperson said that all necessary and effective measures were being taken to maintain the flour supply chain, and no disruption in the supply of flour to the public would be allowed.



He also made it clear that strict legal action would be taken against hoarders, profiteers without any discrimination and no leniency would be shown towards them.



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Seven years post-Article 370 abrogation: IIOJK ground realities shatter India’s claims of peace, development


Islamabad: Despite the passage of seven years since the abrogation of Articles 370 and 35A, India’s narrative framing the move as a historic achievement of peace and integration is utterly unmasked by severe economic distress, rising unemployment, relentless political unrest, heavy militarization, and demographic engineering.



According to defence and foreign policy analysts, mere economic statistics or selective tourism figures cannot hide the real issues of Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IIOJK).



They emphasised that sustainable peace and stability are only possible when civil and political rights are restored, human rights violations are held accountable, meaningful dialogue is initiated, and a solution to the Jammu and Kashmir dispute is sought in accordance with international laws, UN resolutions, and the aspirations of the Kashmiri people.



Evaluating India’s claims of progress ahead of Youm-e-Istehsal, annually observed on August 5, analysts highlighted that ground realities starkly contradict official claims of development. India projects tourist numbers as proof of normalcy, yet the sector remains volatile and security-dependent-further exposed by a sharp decline following the 2025 Pahalgam attack-leaving thousands in tourism and handicrafts without livelihoods.



Similarly, claims of GSDP growth fail to obscure severe economic distress, where youth and female unemployment remain elevated, and key sectors like horticulture, handicrafts, and MSMEs face heavy financial losses alongside controversial land policies and unfulfilled job promises.



In education, despite rising literacy and enrollment figures, continuous internet shutdowns, institutional closures, teacher shortages, and pervasive insecurity have deeply affected students and the youth.



Analysts underscored that IIOJK remains one of the world’s most militarized regions, where Cordon and Search Operations (CASOs), mass detentions, and surveillance are routine, alongside grave human rights concerns regarding custodial deaths, fake encounters, and arbitrary arrests under PSA, UAPA, and AFSPA.



Furthermore, unilateral alterations to land, domicile, and voting rights serve as a systematic effort to alter the Muslim-majority demographic structure, violating UN Security Council resolutions which mandate a free plebiscite.



Interferences in religious leadership, Islamic institutions, Auqaf affairs, and local culture further threaten Kashmir’s heritage.



Rather than suppressing resistance, these policies have unified mainstream parties, civil society, and religious leadership under the July 2026 movement for statehood restoration, proving that Kashmiri political aspirations remain unfulfilled and that true peace requires rights restoration, accountability, and meaningful dialogue under UN resolutions.