Factory worker dies after lift fell in Multan


Multan: A 53-year-old factory worker lost his life after a lift fell down after its cable broke at a brush and vaporizers manufacturing unit near Chungi No 11, on Tuesday. According to Rescue 1122, the lift crashed when its wire suddenly broke, leaving the worker, identified as Mustafa s/o Muhammad Hanif, injured.



Rescue teams, including a motorcycle ambulance and a regular ambulance, rushed to the scene immediately after receiving the emergency call. Paramedics administered cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) before shifting the victim to Nishtar hospital.



Doctors at Nishtar hospital pronounced Mustafa dead upon examination. Rescue officials said preliminary findings suggest the accident occurred after the lift cable snapped. The relevant departments were busy in investigation into the incident.



Kohat administration steps up service delivery, market inspections and environmental enforcement


Kohat: The Kohat district administration has intensified efforts to improve public service delivery, enforce environmental regulations and curb profiteering through a series of inspections and administrative reviews led by Deputy Commissioner Muhammad Nawaz.



Chairing a high-level meeting under the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government’s District Service Delivery initiative, the deputy commissioner reviewed the progress of public welfare projects with officials from the district administration and line departments. He directed all departments to ensure the timely delivery of essential public services, resolve citizens’ complaints promptly and submit regular progress reports on development schemes, warning that negligence and unnecessary delays would not be tolerated.



As part of the district administration’s enforcement drive, the Additional Assistant Commissioner-II inspected several crush plants in Gulshanabad to verify Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) approvals and other required documents. Officials said the inspections were aimed at ensuring compliance with environmental regulations and safety standards.



Additional Assistant Commissioner Gambat Syed Mukhtiyar Shah also conducted surprise inspections of markets along Pindi Road, checking grocery stores, vegetable and fruit shops, poultry outlets and fast-food businesses. Several shopkeepers were fined for failing to display official price lists and for poor hygiene standards, while vendors were directed to sell quality products at government-approved prices.



In a separate operation, the Additional Assistant Commissioner inspected petrol pumps on Pindi Road following public complaints. Officials said one filling station was temporarily closed due to a fuel shortage, while the remaining pumps were found to be supplying fuel with accurate measurements. Pump owners were instructed to maintain transparency and ensure uninterrupted services.



Afghan repatriation drive steps up as thousands return


Kohat: The authorities have intensified a nationwide campaign to repatriate undocumented Afghan nationals, issuing eviction notices to the owners of more than 20,000 houses and apartments accused of accommodating people living in the country illegally.



The district officials have given property owners one week to remove undocumented Afghan tenants, adding that legal action would be taken against those who fail to comply within the deadline.



According to a spokesperson for Pakistan’s Home Department, the police and security forces had expanded operations across Peshawar and other districts in recent days.



The Officials said more than 600 Afghan nationals had been detained and deported from Peshawar over the past five days, while 2,163 others were repatriated after being detained in different districts. The government figures showed that 23,336 Afghan nationals, including women and children, returned to Afghanistan between July, 11 to 16 .



The authorities said the pace of returns had increased sharply, adding daily repatriations, which previously averaged between 400 and 600 people, had risen to between 3,400 and 4,100 individuals. The security forces said that the operations would continue as part of the government’s effort to ensure the departure of all undocumented foreign nationals from the country.



DC reviews progress on WASA, development projects


Sargodha: Deputy Commissioner Hussain Ahmad Raza Chaudhry on Tuesday chaired a meeting to assess progress on the ongoing WASA sewerage mega project and various development schemes being executed under the Punjab Development Programme (PDP), restoration works and the Chief Minister Punjab’s special grant for local government projects.



According to the spokesperson for the DC office here, Water and Sanitation Authority (WASA) Managing Director Muhammad Abu Bakr Imran briefed the meeting on critical components of the sewerage mega project, ongoing construction activities and progress achieved so far.



On the occasion PDP Assistant Director Hamid Chatha informed the meeting that around 90 per cent of the critical works had been completed, while the remaining components were also progressing rapidly.



The DC expressed satisfaction over the progress and observed that the positive impact of the development projects had started becoming visible during the recent monsoon rains.



He said a significant improvement had been witnessed in the situation of rainwater accumulation on several major roads of the city, reflecting effective planning and execution of the development initiatives.



The meeting was informed that the sewerage line from Muhammadiya Colony to the Sillanwali Disposal Station was nearly complete. However, the pumping system near Maqam-e-Hayat could not yet be made operational due to the non-installation of a transformer.



The deputy commissioner directed FESCO authorities to install the transformer immediately so that the project could be made fully operational without further delay.



The meeting was further informed that restoration work at Company Bagh Hockey Ground had commenced following the completion of an underground water storage tank. Similarly, restoration of Khushab Road was in progress after the laying of a sewerage line, while restoration work at Rehmat-ul-Alameen Park had also begun after completion of an underground water tank.



Chaudhry directed the relevant departments to complete all remaining works within the stipulated timelines.



He also stressed regular quality testing of construction materials at every stage of the projects to ensure quality, durability and transparency.



GIMS Gambat completes 50 successful PTMC procedures


Sukkur: The Department of Pediatric Cardiology and Adult Congenital Heart Diseases at Gambat Institute of Medical Sciences (GIMS) has achieved a significant milestone by successfully completing 50 Percutaneous Transvenous Mitral Commissurotomy (PTMC) procedures.



The procedures were performed by Dr. Naresh Kumar Chohan, Associate Professor and Head of Department (HOD) Pediatric Cardiology.



According to Dr. Naresh Kumar Chohan on Tuesday, the age of patients who underwent the procedure ranged from 11 years to 58 years and all procedures were completed successfully without any complications. He said PTMC is a minimally invasive, life-saving procedure for patients suffering from mitral valve stenosis, which provides immediate relief and avoids open-heart surgery.



Dr. Chohan lauded the vision and continuous support of the Director, GIMS, Dr. Raheem Bux Bhatti, whose dynamic leadership has transformed GIMS into a state-of-the-art center of excellence providing free, high-quality tertiary care treatment to patients from all over Sindh and beyond.



He said that this achievement was made possible due to the provision of state-of-the-art Cath Lab facilities, modern equipment and dedicated team work at GIMS, made available with the generous support of the Government of Sindh.



He added GIMS, under the leadership of Dr. Bhatti and with the patronage of the Sindh Government, is providing free of cost advanced cardiac interventions, including pediatric and adult congenital heart disease treatments, which otherwise cost millions in private hospitals.



The successful completion of 50 PTMC cases marks another step forward in making advanced cardiac care accessible and affordable for the common man at GIMS Gambat.



2 men die days after gas cylinder explosion at sweet shop


Burewala: Two men died from severe burn injuries sustained in a gas cylinder explosion at a sweet shop here, four days after the blast, the police said on Tuesday.



The victims were identified as Habibur Rehman 40 years old and Hassan Ali 25-year old .



They died while receiving treatment at the Burn Unit, Nishtar Hospital, Multan.



The explosion occurred at a sweet shop near Chungi No. 5 and was caused by a leaking gas cylinder, according to police. Thirteen people, including two children, were injured in the blast. All of the injured were initially taken to the Tehsil Headquarters Hospital in Burewala. Those with more serious injuries were later transferred to Nishtar Hospital for specialized treatment, they added.



The hospital sources said three other patients remained in critical condition, with many victims suffering severe burns to their faces and other parts of their bodies. The police said an investigation into the cause and circumstances of the explosion was ongoing.