Author: dailybalochistantimes.com

Islamabad: Gold prices witnessed a sharp increase in the local market on Friday, with the price of 24-karat gold per tola rising by Rs3,000 to settle at Rs430,436, according to rates issued by the All Pakistan Sarafa Gems and Jewellers Association.

Similarly, the price of 10 grams of 24-karat gold increased by Rs2,572 to Rs369,029, while 10 grams of 22-karat gold gained Rs2,357 to reach Rs338,288.

In the international market, the price of gold climbed by $30 to $4,080 per ounce, the association reported.

Meanwhile, silver prices also recorded an upward trend in the local market. The price of silver per tola increased by Rs79 to Rs6,294, while the price of 10 grams of silver rose by Rs68 to Rs5,396.

The price of silver in the international market also increased by $0.79 to $58.15 per ounce, the association added.

Islamabad: The Emergency Response Committee (ERC), constituted by Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, on Friday held its eighth consecutive session to assess the nationwide monsoon situation, review ongoing rescue and relief operations, and strengthen preparedness measures as fresh rainfall is forecast across northern and central Pakistan.

The meeting, held at the National Emergencies Operations Centre (NEOC) at NDMA headquarters, was chaired via video link by Federal Minister for Planning, Development and Special Initiatives Ahsan Iqbal, according to the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA).

Federal Minister for Water Resources Mian Muhammad Mueen Wattoo attended the session at NEOC, while Federal Minister for National Food Security and Research Rana Tanveer Hussain, Punjab Minister for Health and Emergency Services Khawaja Salman Rafique, provincial chief secretaries, NDMA chairman, senior federal officials, Provincial Disaster Management Authorities (PDMAs) and other response agencies’ officials joined physically and virtually.

NDMA officials briefed the committee on the latest monsoon situation, including human and infrastructure losses, ongoing rescue and relief efforts, and rehabilitation work in affected areas.

The committee was informed that rainfall was expected in northern and central parts of the country, while isolated to scattered showers were also likely in southeastern Sindh, raising concerns over further weather-related emergencies.

The National Emergencies Operations Centre also presented an updated hydrological outlook and highlighted potential hazards associated with the continuing monsoon spell.

Participants were briefed on relief operations being carried out in coordination with national and international humanitarian partners to support communities affected by heavy rains and flooding.

The committee was further informed that population growth, changing agricultural patterns, climate variability and rising temperatures were placing increasing pressure on Pakistan’s water resources, underscoring the need for improved water management and climate resilience.

Reviewing response measures undertaken by federal ministries, provincial governments and district administrations, the committee acknowledged the efforts of emergency responders in protecting communities, restoring essential services and delivering relief assistance.

Emphasising the need for continued vigilance, the committee reiterated the importance of close coordination among all stakeholders to ensure a swift response to any emerging situation.

Ahsan Iqbal directed all concerned departments to maintain the current operational tempo, strengthen coordination mechanisms, continue proactive preparedness measures and accelerate relief and rehabilitation activities in rain-affected areas.

Islamabad: National Academy of Higher Education (NAHE), Higher Education Commission (HEC), Pakistan held the closing ceremony of the National Faculty Development Program (NFDP) Cohort-IX for Interim Placement of Fresh PhDs (IPFP) Fellows, marking the successful completion of the professional development programme at HEC Secretariat, Islamabad.

Chairman HEC, Prof. Dr. Niaz Ahmad Akhtar, graced the ceremony as the Chief Guest and awarded certificates to the participants in recognition of their successful completion of the three-week professional development programme.

In his address, the Chairman congratulated the IPFP Fellows on successfully completed the programme and encouraged them to pursue academic excellence with professionalism, integrity, and a lifelong commitment to learning. He emphasized that Pakistan’s higher education institutions require competent, innovative, and ethically grounded faculty members who can inspire students, advance high-quality research, and contribute meaningfully to the country’s socio-economic development.

He underscored the need to further strengthen and transform the IPFP initiative into a sustainable model that places greater emphasis on entrepreneurship. Reaffirming the significance of the teaching profession, he described it as one of the noblest callings, urging the fellows to uphold the highest standards of academic and professional excellence throughout their careers.

Earlier, in her welcome remarks, Dr. Noor Amna Malik, Managing Director, NAHE congratulated the fellows on successfully completed the training programme and urged them to translate the knowledge, innovative teaching methodologies, and professional competencies acquired during the programme into effective classroom practice and academic excellence.

She reaffirmed NAHE’s commitment to equipping future faculty members with the knowledge, skills, and competencies required to meet the evolving demands of higher education through high-quality professional development initiatives.

During the ceremony, Dr. Muneer Ahmed, Director, NAHE, administered the professional oath to the IPFP Fellows, reaffirming their commitment to academic integrity, ethical conduct, excellence in teaching and research, lifelong learning, and dedicated service to advancing Pakistan’s higher education sector.

Islamabad: Following monsoon rains in the federal capital, the district administration launched a citywide response to address flooding in low-lying areas.

Acting on the directions of Additional Deputy Commissioner General Sahibzada Yousaf, Assistant Commissioners remained in the field while drainage operations continued across residential neighborhoods, commercial centers, and major roads.

Authorities reported that flooding in affected areas had been brought under control and traffic flow had been restored on all roads. The Islamabad district administration remained on high alert after monsoon rainfall triggered water accumulation in several low-lying parts of the city.

Additional Deputy Commissioner General Sahibzada Yousaf supervised the situation through real-time monitoring of drainage operations and coordinated field activities with Assistant Commissioners and sanitation teams.

According to the administration, drainage work was carried out in various sectors and vulnerable locations where rainwater had collected. Teams worked continuously to remove standing water and prevent disruptions to daily movement. Officials said the situation in low-lying areas was brought under control after timely intervention by field staff.

Traffic movement, which had been affected in some locations due to water accumulation, was restored after drainage operations cleared roads and key routes. Additional sanitation workers were deployed in response to complaints regarding standing water in different parts of the city.

Sahibzada Yousaf said drainage activities were continuing across Islamabad to ensure that rainwater was removed from all affected areas. He added that preparations for the monsoon season had been completed before the arrival of heavy rains, including the cleaning of storm drains and waterways across the capital.

The ADC General stated that special monitoring teams had been formed to keep a close watch on drains during rainfall and respond quickly to any blockage or overflow. These teams remained active throughout the rain spell and coordinated with field officers to address emerging issues.

Officials further said Assistant Commissioners were present on the ground alongside sanitation staff to oversee operations and ensure uninterrupted drainage work. Monitoring of residential areas, business centers, and major roads was continuing to prevent further water accumulation and maintain normal traffic flow.

The district administration said all available resources would remain deployed during the monsoon season to respond to weather-related challenges and keep public services functioning without interruption.

Islamabad: The Supreme Court of Pakistan has ruled that a conviction in a criminal case cannot be sustained on the basis of speculation, assumptions or incomplete evidence, holding that an offence of criminal breach of trust under Section 409 of the Pakistan Penal Code (PPC) can only be established if the prosecution proves that the disputed money or property had been entrusted to the accused or was under his lawful control.

On these legal grounds, the apex court accepted the review petition of Dr. Waqar Hameed and set aside his conviction.

Justice Shakeel Ahmad authored the judgment on Criminal Review Petition No. 122 of 2019 on behalf of a three-member bench comprising Justice Malik Shahzad Ahmad Khan and Justice Aqeel Ahmed Abbasi.

The court held that the prosecution had completely failed to prove that the disputed government funds had ever been entrusted to Dr. Waqar Hameed or had come under his lawful possession. It observed that “entrustment” is an essential and indispensable ingredient of an offence under Section 409 PPC, and in its absence the offence of criminal breach of trust cannot legally be made out.

The judgment further noted that a co-accused in the same case had already been acquitted by the Lahore High Court on the basis of the same evidence. It held that where the prosecution case against co-accused persons rests on identical evidence, and there is no independent and reliable evidence against the remaining accused, the principles of justice, equality and consistency require a fresh judicial assessment.

The Supreme Court also observed that the prosecution relied upon a challan bearing disputed signatures, but no forensic examination of those signatures was ever conducted. The investigating officer himself admitted that he had merely “assumed” that the accused had deposited the amount. The court held that criminal convictions must be based on solid, reliable and conclusive evidence rather than conjecture, assumptions or guesswork.

The judgment further stated that the prosecution failed to establish who had withdrawn the money from the government treasury, in whose name the treasury token had been issued, who had submitted the documents to the treasury, and who had ultimately received the payment. According to the court, the prosecution’s failure to prove these fundamental facts fatally weakened its case, entitling the accused to the benefit of doubt.

The court also held that, during the recording of the accused’s statement under Section 342 of the Code of Criminal Procedure, Dr. Waqar Hameed was not confronted with the crucial evidence and documents relied upon against him, thereby depriving him of a meaningful opportunity to present his defence. Such a course of action, the court observed, was inconsistent with the constitutional guarantee of a fair trial.

The Supreme Court further held that Section 5(2) of the Prevention of Corruption Act, 1947 creates a separate and independent offence, each of whose legal ingredients must be proved independently. However, the trial court as well as the High Court had failed to examine this aspect in accordance with the law.

The court observed that although the scope of review jurisdiction is limited, it may be exercised where there has been a manifest error in the application of law, disregard of material evidence, or a serious miscarriage of justice. On these grounds, the Supreme Court allowed Dr. Waqar Hameed’s review petition, set aside his conviction and held that maintaining the conviction on such evidence would be contrary to the requirements of law and justice.