Category: District

Muzaffargarh: Poultry vendors observed a strike and staged a protest outside the Muzaffargarh Press Club on Tuesday against a daily tax imposed by the Municipal Committee, demanding its immediate withdrawal.

The demonstration was led by District Poultry Association President Sheikh Shan Akhtar with protesters chanting slogans against what they termed an “unjustified and illegal” levy.

According to the association, the Municipal Committee has imposed a daily tax of Rs.300 on poultry vendors. Protesters argued that the levy was beyond the means of small traders, saying a vendor earning around Rs.800 a day could not afford to pay Rs.300 in daily tax.

The association urged the government to withdraw the tax immediately, warning that its continuation would place an additional financial burden on poultry vendors already struggling with rising business costs.

Sargodha: District Police Officer Sargodha Tauqeer Muhammad Naeem on Tuesday visited Cantt Police Station and Police Khidmat Markaz and inspected administrative operations and the quality of public service delivery in the district.

During his visit to the Cantt Police Station, the DPO reviewed various sections including the building structure, front desk, lockup, and the Moharrar office to ensure compliance with official protocols, a police spokesperson said. The DPO issued specific directives to the station staff to improve cleanliness standards and maintain an environment conducive for citizens seeking assistance.

Later, district police officer Tauqeer Muhammad Naeem visited the Sargodha Khidmat Markaz, where he interacted with visiting citizens to obtain direct feedback regarding the facilities and the efficiency of staff, the spokesperson added. Speaking on the occasion, DPO Tauqeer Muhammad Naeem emphasized that every law-abiding citizen deserves respect at police stations, adding that the department was committed to transforming police stations into centers of public service.

He further directed the officials to take all necessary measures for improving public service delivery and to intensify legal action against criminal elements to ensure peace in the district.

Sargodha: The district administration launched practical measures to provide free vegetables to locals under Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz Sharif’s ‘Sanjhi Sabzi, Sasti Nahin Muft’ initiative.

According to an official spokesperson, vegetable cultivation has been successfully completed on two kanals of land at the Agricultural Research Farm, Chak (Risala) No. 5, under the technical supervision of the Agriculture Department. The project was now being expanded, with the cultivation of various seasonal vegetables on additional land.

The Director of the Agricultural Research Farm in Sargodha visited the site to review the progress and directed the staff to ensure proper crop care, irrigation, and other agronomic practices to achieve better-quality production.

Deputy Commissioner Sargodha Hussain Ahmad Raza Chaudhry said the initiative aims to provide fresh, free vegetables to local residents, particularly low-income families. He said the district administration, in collaboration with the Agriculture Department, was expanding the project to benefit a larger number of people.

He said the vegetables would be harvested and distributed free of charge among deserving families through a transparent mechanism. In the next phase, more government land would be brought under cultivation as part of the initiative.

The deputy commissioner also encouraged citizens to grow seasonal vegetables in their homes, streets, and other vacant spaces to meet household needs and ensure access to fresh, healthy produce. He added that the Agriculture Department would provide technical guidance to residents, while vegetable seeds would also be made available through the prescribed procedure.

Peshawar: Torrential monsoon rains continued to batter several districts of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) on Tuesday, triggering flash floods, inundating low-lying areas, and disrupting daily life in several areas.

According to PDMA authorities, heavy rainfall caused seasonal streams and rivers to swell rapidly, sweeping away roads, damaging homes, and affecting transportation in several vulnerable districts.

Flash floods in several areas of Swat, Khyber, Mardan, Mansehra and Mardan were reported. Flash floods have also swept away household items of several people in Landi Kotal in Khyber, Naran-Kaghan in Mansehra and Kalam in Swat

Rescue teams have been deployed to flood-hit areas, while local administrations remain on high alert.

The Provincial Disaster Management Authority (PDMA) has advised residents living near rivers, streams, and mountainous regions to exercise extreme caution, warning that further rainfall could intensify the risk of flash floods and landslides.

Emergency officials said rescue operations were underway in affected areas, with efforts focused on evacuating stranded residents and restoring access to damaged communities. Authorities have urged the public to avoid unnecessary travel, particularly through flood-prone areas and mountain passes.

The heavy rainfall has disrupted electricity supply to 148 feeders across the Peshawar Electric Supply Company (PESCO) region. According to PESCO spokesperson, the torrential rain has continued over the past 12 hours in Peshawar, Khyber, Mardan, Swabi, and Swat, affecting the power distribution network.

The spokesperson said that 71 feeders in the Peshawar Circle, 22 in Mardan, 33 in Khyber, 12 in Swabi, and 10 in the Swat affected.

In Peshawar, power outages have been reported in Gulberg, University Town, Cantt, Warsak, and Shabqadar areas. The continuous rainfall has made restoration work difficult. However, PESCO teams worked throughout the night and successfully restored electricity to 42 affected feeders.

Power restoration efforts are being monitored directly from the PESCO Control Room, the spokesperson added. PESCO Chief Akhtar Hameed Khan has directed all operational teams to remain on high alert and ensure the earliest possible restoration of electricity.

On the chief’s instructions, all necessary equipment has been provided to operational teams to expedite restoration work, and field staff has been directed to exercise special caution while working in the rain and strictly follow all safety protocols.

The Pakistan Meteorological Department has forecast more rain in parts of the province over the coming days, prompting officials to maintain emergency preparedness and closely monitor the evolving weather situation.

Multan: Punjab Auqaf Secretary Ehsan Bhatta on Tuesday visited Multan to review arrangements for the 787th annual Urs of Sheikh-ul-Islam Hazrat Bahauddin Zakariya Multani, accompanied by Deputy Commissioner Dr Faisal Saleem.

The secretary visited the shrine and inspected langar khana, guidance camps, service camps set up by various district departments, and facility centers established for pilgrims. He interacted with devotees, inquired about the facilities and arrangements provided to them, and directed officials concerned to ensure the provision of best possible services.

Ehsan Bhatta said Hazrat Bahauddin Zakariya had lit the candle of knowledge, spirituality and Islam in the region, and his spiritual services had illuminated thousands of hearts with the light of faith.

He said the Punjab government had made comprehensive arrangements to ensure exemplary facilities for pilgrims, including accommodation, security, transport and sanitation, during the Urs.

Amid the intense heat, cold water points, shaded areas and quality accommodation facilities had also been provided, he said, adding that the Walled City Authority’s modern langar khana would be made operational soon. Briefing the secretary, Deputy Commissioner Dr Faisal Saleem said the district administration had ensured effective arrangements for pilgrims’ guidance, transport, facility centers, special cleanliness measures and disinfectant spray.

He said security would remain on high alert during the Urs and all concerned institutions would remain active round the clock to provide every possible facility to the devotees.

Dera ismail khan: The district administration has intensified monitoring of the under-construction road project in Barakhel to ensure quality workmanship and timely completion.

According to the administration, acting on the special directives of Deputy Commissioner Tank, Jamshed Khan, Additional Assistant Commissioner Malik Sajid Ali Khan, accompanied by Civil Defence In-charge Muhammad Shoaib Khan, visited the project site to inspect the ongoing development work.

During the visit, the officials reviewed the quality of construction, pace of work, and overall progress of the project.

The inspection covered various sections of the road, and the concerned authorities and contractor were directed to complete the project within the stipulated timeframe while strictly adhering to approved quality standards.

The district administration says that the timely and high-quality completion of public welfare development projects remains a top government priority.

It added that continuous monitoring of ongoing schemes is being carried out to ensure transparency in the use of public funds and to provide citizens with safe, durable, and improved road infrastructure at the earliest.