Author: dailybalochistantimes.com

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: 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: Pakistan Nuclear Regulatory Authority (PNRA), in collaboration with the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), successfully concluded a five-day National Training Course (NTC) on Conducting Computer Security Inspections for Nuclear Facilities at PNRA.

The course, held from July 27-31, was organized by PNRA’s National Institute of Safety and Security (NISAS), as an IAEA Collaborating Centre.

It brought together national regulatory staff and security inspectors responsible for safeguarding the digital systems of Pakistan’s operational nuclear facilities, strengthening participants’ understanding of computer security methodologies, sharpening their ability to assess compliance, conduct security audits, and identify potential vulnerabilities in line with IAEA’s Nuclear Security Series guidance.

The course was led by three distinguished international experts; Mr. Louis Ebiotuno Tabai of the IAEA, Mr. Jeong Ho Lee of the Republic of Korea, and Mr. Ricardo Paulino Marques of Brazil, who provided participants with practical knowledge and global perspectives on computer security inspections.

“Computer security is one of the important aspects of regulatory oversight of safety and security of nuclear installations. This training has contributed in further enhancing our inspector’s ability to stay ahead in ensuring computer security against evolving threats. This is of course a reflection of partnership with IAEA to further strengthen regulatory oversight of facilities and activities’ said Chairman PNRA, Mr. Zia Hussain Shah, during his concluding remarks.

While speaking at the closing ceremony, the IAEA representative Mr. Louis Ebiotuno Tabai, acknowledged Pakistan’s continued collaboration with the Agency and emphasized the importance of building national expertise to address evolving computer security challenges in the nuclear sector.

The successful conclusion of the course marks another milestone in the longstanding cooperation between PNRA and the IAEA in building national regulatory capacity.

The knowledge and practical experience gained during the programme will further strengthen Pakistan’s capability to effectively oversee computer security at nuclear facilities in accordance with internationally recognized practices.

Islamabad: Search and rescue teams have recovered the bodies of two mountaineers and transported them to Skardu after an avalanche struck a group attempting to summit Broad Peak in the Karakoram range.

Efforts are continuing to locate the remaining eight missing mountaineers from a team of 10 caught in the incident.

The rescue operation, involving Pakistan Army helicopters and ground teams, remains underway in the high-altitude region. Sources said the process of confirming the identities of the two recovered mountaineers was still in progress.

In a separate rescue during the same mission, an Italian climber who fell ill while participating in the K2 expedition was airlifted safely by a Pakistan Army helicopter.

The ground search and rescue mission for the missing mountaineers was being led by Pakistani mountaineer Sarbaz Khan. Rescue teams continued to search difficult terrain in an effort to locate those still unaccounted for.

According to rescue officials, the missing group included climbers from the United States, China, Nepal, and Oman, as well as Pakistani mountaineer Sohail Sakhi. Search teams were working across multiple sections of the mountain where the avalanche was believed to have struck.

The operation was being carried out through a combination of aerial and ground efforts. Alongside Pakistan Army helicopter missions, civil rescue teams had been assisting in the search operation and supporting efforts on the ground.

The accident occurred a day earlier when a team of mountaineers attempting to ascend Broad Peak was suddenly hit by an avalanche. The mountain, located in the Karakoram range of northern Pakistan, is one of the world’s highest peaks and attracts climbers from different countries each year.

Rescue officials said weather and terrain conditions remained a challenge, but search teams were continuing their efforts to locate the missing climbers.