Category: District

Dera ismail khan: Two alleged inter-provincial robbery suspects, including a man described by police as a notorious criminal wanted in dozens of cases, were arrested after being injured in an exchange of fire with police here at Sheikh Yousaf Adda on Tuesday.

According to police, the operation was carried out under the supervision of DSP City Syed Sagheer Gilani, SHO Cantt Abdul Ghaffar Khan and SHO Shorkot Aftab Alam Baloch.

Acting on intelligence regarding the movement of the suspects, the police set up a checkpoint at Sheikh Yousaf Adda. When officers signaled a car to stop, the occupants allegedly opened fire on the police party. The police retaliated fire in what they described as an act of self-defense.

After the firing stopped, the police searched the vehicle and arrested the two injured suspects, identified as Safdar Ali and Ahsan, son of Sajjad, a resident of Faisalabad.

According to police, Safdar Ali is a notorious inter-provincial robber allegedly wanted to police in Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa in around 40 cases involving murder, robbery, theft and illegal arms smuggling. His accomplice is also wanted in criminal cases.

The police further claimed that both suspects were also involved in robbery and theft cases registered at City and Paharpur police stations in Dera Ismail Khan.

The injured suspects were taken into custody and shifted to hospital for medical treatment before further legal proceedings.

Commending the police team for the successful operation, DPO Ziauddin Ahmed said the district police would continue indiscriminate action against criminal elements and remain committed to maintaining peace and protecting the lives and property of citizens.

Rawalpindi: Punjab Revenue Authority (PRA) has decided to tighten measures across all districts to expedite the registration of new businesses and ensure the effective implementation of the E-Invoice Monitoring System (E-IMS).

The decision was taken during a video-link meeting chaired by PRA Chairman Azam Iqbal Sapra, which was attended by commissioners and relevant officials from all districts.

The meeting reviewed progress on the registration of new businesses, implementation of the E-Invoice Monitoring System, and measures to improve tax collection. The PRA chairman directed the authorities to ensure the timely registration of new businesses and effectively implement the E-IMS to make the tax system more transparent.

Azam Iqbal Sapra said the Punjab Revenue Authority would continue indiscriminate action against fake invoicing and tax evasion, adding that strict legal action would be taken against those violating the law.

He also instructed the relevant officials to strengthen field monitoring to enhance revenue collection and ensure comprehensive documentation of business activities.

Rawalpindi: A month-long English Language Proficiency Training Program for teachers kicks off in Rawalpindi which aims to equip public sector teachers with modern communication skills.

The second batch training initiative is being organized by the Punjab Educational Capacity Building and Training Academy (PECTAA) in collaboration with Berlitz, under the direct supervision of the District Education Authority (DEA) Rawalpindi.

Chief Executive Officer (CEO) District Education Authority Rawalpindi, Yaseen Baloch.

At the opening ceremony of the training, Yaseen Baloch highlighted that the initiative reflected the authority’s commitment to academic excellence and continuous professional empowerment of government school teachers.

He advised the participants to make the most of the professional training program, highlighting that enhancing English language proficiency would directly improve classroom delivery and educational outcomes across public sector institutions in the district.

He further urges the participants of the training to exploit the opportunity to improve their communication skills in English language. The participants expressed satisfaction over the learning opportunity.

Sargodha: District Police Officer (DPO) Sargodha Tauqeer Muhammad Naeem on Tuesday held an open court at the DPO Complaint Cell to hear and address the grievances of citizens.

According to the police spokesperson here, during the open court, the DPO met with the citizens, listened to their complaints and issued on-the-spot directions to the concerned officers for the prompt resolution of their issues.

The DPO directed the relevant officers to ensure that citizens’ complaints are resolved on a priority basis and in accordance with the law. ‘Doors of my office are always open for all citizens. Anyone can meet me to seek redressal of their grievances without any recommendation or reference,’ he said.

He reiterated that the police department would continue to facilitate citizens and take all possible measures to resolve their genuine complaints promptly.

Beijing: Highlighting the deepening agricultural cooperation between China and Pakistan, foreign and Chinese researchers gathered in Beijing stressed the pivotal role of bilateral partnerships in expanding corn production, seed technological innovation, and cross-border grain trade.

The exchange took place during the 2026 Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei Fresh Edible Corn Industry Development Conference, held alongside the Sino-Foreign Fresh Edible Corn Technical Exchange and Industrial Cooperation Seminar and the 12th Beijing Fresh Edible Corn Festival in Tongzhou District, Beijing.

Protocol Opens New Avenues for Export

Delivering a presentation titled “Resource Dilemma and Livelihood Evolution of Pakistan’s Maize Industry,” Prof. Audil Rashid Dean of Science and Chairperson of Department of Botany at the University of Gujrat, Pakistan, emphasized that expanding technical and trade linkages with China offers a vital path forward for rural farmers.

Prof. Rashid noted that the bilateral agricultural relationship has entered an accelerated phase following the execution of the official trade agreement. With both governments having signed the phytosanitary protocol and Chinese customs (GACC) granting access for Pakistani corn shipments local producers now possess a clear regulatory gateway to supply the vast Chinese market, CEN reported.

He highlighted that while Pakistan maintains substantial production capacity in field maize, joint ventures with Chinese institutes in high-value fresh edible varieties such as sweet and baby corn can enhance farm income and rural livelihoods.

Advancing Seed Tech and Germplasm Research

Outlining China’s recent breakthroughs in crop research, Lu Baishan, senior researcher at the Maize Research Institute under the Beijing Academy of Agriculture and Forestry Sciences (BAAFS), presented on “Fresh Edible Corn Technological Innovation and New Variety Breeding.”

Lu showcased how innovations in elite germplasm selection, stress resilience, and post-harvest quality retention are driving high-yield production. He affirmed that Chinese scientific institutions remain committed to exchanging technical expertise, modern breeding protocols, and resilient crop varieties with international partners like Pakistan to support sustainable regional agriculture.

The conference underlined that with official market clearance in place and joint research initiatives expanding, China-Pakistan corn cooperation stands as a key anchor of the agricultural agenda under the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) framework.

Peshawar: To improve access to quality immunization services in the remote, mountainous and underserved district of Upper Kohistan, a Digital Immunization Hub has been established at the Rural Health Centre (RHC) Dassu.

The initiative has been launched by HUJRA Village Support Organization in collaboration with the District Health Department to strengthen the Expanded Programme on Immunization (EPI) through improved coordination, digital data management, community engagement and enhanced service delivery.

“Geographic isolation, difficult terrain, limited infrastructure and inadequate health system support have historically contributed to low vaccination coverage, high dropout rates and delays in routine immunization in Upper Kohistan,” said Dr. Munib ur Rehman, Team Lead of HUJRA Village Support Organization.

The Digital Immunization Hub is designed to improve the planning, monitoring and delivery of routine immunization services while ensuring that children in remote communities receive life-saving vaccines on time and regularly, he added.

The initiative was formally inaugurated by Deputy Commissioner Upper Kohistan, Tariq Ali Khan, who appreciated the collaboration between the district administration, HUJRA Organization and the health department.

‘Establishment of this digitized immunization hub is a vital step for enhancing ability of health teams to track immunization coverage, manage data effectively and reach every child in the most remote corners of the district,’ Dr. Munib continued.

The immunization hub will not serve just a center for data, but will perform as a beacon of better healthcare for Upper Kohistan, representing commitment, coordination and innovation.

He also expressed the hope that this initiative will improve accountability, increase outreach and create strong linkages between communities and health systems.

The immunization hub will be empowering healthcare infrastructure in Upper Kohistan and sets a strong foundation for future expansion and sustainability in digital health services across the region.