Author: dailybalochistantimes.com

Islamabad: President Asif Ali Zardari on Friday paid tribute to Madar-e-Millat Fatima Jinnah on her 133rd birth anniversary, recalling her as a trustworthy companion of Quaid-e-Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah and a distinguished leader of the Pakistan Movement.

The president, in a statement, said that Fatima Jinnah was a strong champion of democratic values, who encouraged women to play an active and effective role in national life and the freedom movement.

Calling her struggle a guiding light for the nation even today, he said that the services of Fatima Jinnah to the nation, democracy and society would always be remembered with profound respect.

President Zardari prayed to Allah Almighty for the elevation of Fatima Jinnah’s ranks in paradise.

Islamabad: Federal Minister for Economic Affairs Ahad Cheema on Friday that the government will take all necessary measures to ensure the availability of affordable, high-speed internet services across the country, enabling citizens to participate fully in the digital economy.

The minister chaired a meeting on the National Connectivity Plan, joined by the Minister for IT and Telecom Shaza Fatima Khawaja and senior officials, said a press release.

The meeting primarily focused on expanding access to high-speed internet in villages, remote areas, and small towns to bridge the digital divide and unlock new economic opportunities.

The minister said the government’s top priority is to facilitate freelancers, e-commerce entrepreneurs, and other digital professionals living in remote regions who continue to face challenges due to slow and unreliable internet connectivity.

The session also underscored the vital role of next-generation fiber-to-the-home (FTTH) networks and 5G infrastructure in driving national economic growth, creating employment opportunities, and fostering nationwide digital inclusion.

Highlighting the momentum of Pakistan’s digital development, officials noted that FTTH subscriptions have grown steadily to 2.8 million, supported by a robust fiber footprint of 234,000 kilometers, 5.1 million house passes, and six operational submarine cables.

To build upon this progress, Federal Minister Ahad Cheema outlined ambitious national targets under the plan, including expanding infrastructure to 10 million house passes, raising average fixed broadband download speeds to 85 Mbps, securing a place among the world’s top 50 countries for broadband performance, and increasing tower fiberization to 60 percent.

The meeting placed strong emphasis on improving digital accessibility and affordability for all citizens. In a key decision aimed at supporting consumers, participants considered targeted tax relief for internet users in remote areas to expand digital participation.

Additional strategic reforms discussed included abolishing right-of-way fees, launching a single-window approval portal, introducing district-level licensing, and making fixed broadband connectivity mandatory across public institutions, schools, and health facilities.

Emphasizing the government’s commitment to effective implementation, Federal Minister Ahad Cheema said the National Connectivity Plan will be finalized expeditiously through comprehensive stakeholder consultation.

He further stressed that a structured and sequenced approach, prioritizing essential regulatory reforms, enforcing clear operator obligations, and linking financial support to verified performance milestones, will be critical to accelerating nationwide fiber deployment while safeguarding public resources and ensuring long-term commercial viabilit

Islamabad: The National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) on Friday issued a nationwide flood alert from July 31 to August 2, warning of rising river flows, possible flash floods, urban flooding and landslides across several parts of Pakistan due to ongoing monsoon rains, while directing local administrations to take precautionary measures and urging citizens to avoid unnecessary travel in vulnerable areas.

According to the NDMA’s National Emergencies Operation Centre (NEOC), a medium-level flood is continuing at Guddu Barrage on the Indus River, while low-level flooding persists at Kalabagh, Chashma and Sukkur.

The authority warned that water flows in the Chenab River could rise to medium-to-high levels at Marala, while Khanki and Qadirabad may experience low-to-medium flows over the next two days.

Low-to-medium flood levels are also expected in the Jhelum, Ravi and Kabul rivers, as well as their associated streams and tributaries. Authorities forecast a significant increase in water flow in nullahs linked to the Jhelum, Chenab and Ravi rivers.

The alert highlighted the risk of intense flows in hill torrents of Dera Ghazi Khan and Rajanpur, while flash flooding is also feared in seasonal streams across central and southern Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and northern Balochistan.

NDMA identified Mohmand, Bajaur, Buner, Mardan, Kurram, South Waziristan, Shangla and Peshawar among the districts where streams and nullahs could overflow.

In Balochistan, flash floods may occur in the Nari, Bolan, Kangri and Lehri river systems due to heavy rainfall in upper catchment areas.

The authority also warned of urban flooding and water accumulation in low-lying areas of several Punjab cities, including Rawalpindi, Jhelum, Gujranwala, Sargodha, Mandi Bahauddin, Sialkot, Gujrat, Narowal, Lahore, Okara, Sahiwal and Faisalabad.

In Sindh, urban flooding is feared in Nawabshah, Sukkur, Shaheed Benazirabad, Hyderabad, Thatta, Badin, Sanghar, Khairpur, Mithi, Mirpurkhas, Umerkot, Tando Muhammad Khan, Tando Allahyar and Tharparkar.

Peshawar, Nowshera, Charsadda and Mardan are also identified as vulnerable to urban flooding during the ongoing spell.

NDMA advised the public to avoid unnecessary travel to flood-prone areas and warned that landslides, debris flows and flash floods could occur in mountainous regions during the monsoon season.

Citizens were urged not to cross flooded roads, streams or fast-flowing water on foot or by vehicle, as even shallow water currents can sweep away people and vehicles.

The authority further advised travellers to carry drinking water, dry food, first-aid supplies, flashlights, power banks and emergency contact information, and to stay updated through the official Pak NDMA Disaster Alert mobile application.

Local administrations have been directed to remain vigilant, implement preventive measures and ensure preparedness for any emergency arising from the evolving monsoon situation.