Category: District

Nawabshah: Deputy Commissioner Shaheed Benazirabad Shehryar Gul Memon held a meeting with the leaders of consumer organizations regarding provision of food items and beverage relief for the people of Shaheed Benazirabad district during the month of Ramadan.

DC said that strict action will be taken against the hoarders and profiteers under relevant law.

DC advised the business community to cooperate with the district administration to provide food, drinks and other items to the public at reasonable prices during the blessed month of Ramzan.

Deputy Commissioner said that the district administration is trying to establish ideal markets in the district during Ramadan with the support of traders, including milk, curd, fruit, vegetables, groceries and other common items sellers.

DC vowed that a big relief would be provided to the citizens during Ramzan.

DC said that the business community should fully cooperate with the district administration in this regard. In the meeting, the leaders of various business associations including Abdul Sattar Qureshi, Shafiur Rehman Jadoon, Abdul Wahid Memon, Zia-ul-Haq, and other businessmen, assured the Deputy Commissioner that they would cooperate with the district administration in all possible ways to provide relief in food and other grocery products.

Additional Director Agriculture Mohammad Ramzan Channa, Assistant Director Bureau of Supply Mazhar Shar along with officials of Price Control Committee and representatives of business organizations attended the meeting.

Faisalabad: The agriculture scientists have introduced 28 fodder varieties to boost milk and meat production, said Dr Qamar Shakeel, recently appointed Chief Scientist at the Biotechnology Department of the Ayub Agricultural Research Institute (AARI) Faisalabad. Addressing a meeting at AARI, he said that supply of nutritious fodder round the year was imperative for increasing milk and meat production. In this connection, the agri scientists were striving day and night to develop new fodder varieties, he said and added that Fodder Research Department had so far introduced 28 new fodder varieties, including Berseem, Alfalfa, Sorghum, Bajra and Maize, etc. which were playing a pivotal role to enhance livestock nutrition and productivity. He highlighted the importance of high-yielding fodder varieties and said that limited awareness among farmers about advanced fodder varieties and modern farming techniques was a major challenge in ensuring sufficient green fodder availability. He urged the officials of Punjab Agriculture Extension Department to actively promote the new fodder varieties such as Lucerne, Maize, Sorghum, Bajra, Guar, Mott Grass, Road Grass, Napier Grass and Jantar, etc. These varieties can significantly boost per-acre fodder yield if the farmers would ensure proper soil selection and fertilization according to expert recommendations, he added. Dr. Shakeel said the Punjab government provided subsidies for mechanical cutters and modern agricultural machinery. This initiative would help Pakistan increase its milk and meat production to compete with developed countries, he added. He advised the farmers to adopt modern production technology if they wanted to increase their crop production and mitigate their financial constraints. The abundant supply of nutrient-rich fodder would not only meet domestic dairy and meat demands but also enhance exports and contribute to Pakistan's economic growth, he added.

Peshawar: The issue of gender disparity in government jobs continues to be a major challenge, where women face significant barriers to equal opportunities in employment, pay, and career progression.

Despite a series of reforms and policies aimed at promoting gender equality, the representation of women in the public sector departments remains strikingly low, especially in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.

This persistent imbalance is not only a reflection of systemic inequalities but also a manifestation of broader societal issues such as illiteracy, population growth, and cultural norms that continue to restrict women's full participation in the workforce.

Government jobs, which offer stable and prestigious career opportunities in Pakistan, span a wide range of sectors, from administration to public health, law enforcement, education, and the social sector. However, despite making up almost half of the country's population, women account for only 5% of the federal government's civilian workforce - a figure that falls far below international standards.

According to a report by the Pakistan Public Administration Research Centre (PPARC) from the Establishment Division, out of over 1.2 million employees in the federal government, only 49,508 are women, including those in autonomous bodies and corporations.

This figure represents a modest 6.09% increase from the previous year, indicating slow progress in narrowing the gender gap. Moreover, a 10% employment quota for women in federal government jobs, including the Civil Superior Services (CSS), has yet to yield substantial improvements.

While some provinces, notably Punjab and Sindh, have made incremental gains, the gender gap persists, particularly in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan, where societal and cultural barriers are deeply entrenched.

The distribution of female employees across Pakistan shows a clear regional disparity, with Punjab contributing the largest share of female government employees. These statistics highlighted the uneven progress made in different parts, where traditional gender roles, especially in regions like KP and former FATA, continue to discourage women from pursuing professional careers especially in police, forests, irrigation, mines and minerals, excise and taxation.

Professor Dr. Muhammad Naeem Khattak, a former economics department chairman at the University of Peshawar, emphasized that social, cultural, and institutional factors continue to drive gender disparity in government jobs in KP. He pointed out that in areas like KP's former FATA, societal norms dictate that women prioritize family over professional aspirations. These expectations have not only limited educational opportunities for women but also restricted their career choices, including those that could lead to government employment.

In addition, he said the lack of market-oriented education and limited technical training for women further compounds the challenge in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. Despite policies aimed at increasing female participation in government, such as the employment quota, women often find themselves hard to get promotions or career advancement due to red-tapism. Furthermore, unfavorable treatment at workplace, lack of mentorship and support networks discourage long-term female participation in government jobs, especially in tribal and conservative areas of KP.

'Efforts to address gender inequality in government jobs must begin with promotion of girls education especially in tribal societies of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa,' said Ikhtair Wali Khan, the PML-N spokesman while talking to reporter.

He argued that the root cause of the gender gap in government employment lied in the lack of access to higher education for girls, particularly in rural and tribal areas that needed to be countered through online education.

Despite the government efforts to improve education, he claimed that millions of students in KP remain out of school, and educational institutions are often understaffed, particularly in terms of female teachers in the province.

Senior lawyer Malik Ashfaq Khan stressed that the 1973 constitution guaranteed the right of every citizen to pursue any profession, including those traditionally dominated by men, such as defense, law enforcement, police and politics.

He said reserved seats for women in national and provincial assemblies are a step toward ensuring female representation, but more needs to be done to ensure equal opportunities for women in government jobs.

Dr. Riffat Sardar, Chairperson of the Khyber Pakhtunkwha Commission on the Status of Women, acknowledged the pace of progress to remove general disparity in government jobs in the country, highlighting ongoing efforts to improve women's participation in both the public and private sectors as government reforms has brought fruits.

She referred to various policies introduced by the government to address gender inequality, including the National Gender Policy (2002) and Women's Empowerment Package (2017), increase women quota in Federal government jobs including CSS and Parliament besides increasing BISP stipend to Rs13500 this year to facilitate nearly one million BISP beneficiaries to educate their loved ones.

She said these initiatives aim to increase female representation in government jobs through quotas and leadership development programs besides ensuring gradual increase in female participation in the judiciary, police, and other administrative roles. She underlined the need for promotion of online education to encourage girls to pursue higher studies imperative to create jobs for the educated women.

Khaliqur Rehman, KP Minister noted that the government is actively encouraging women to compete with men through various competitive exams like KPPSC and ETEA. He said family-friendly policies such as flexible working hours, paid parental leave, and child care facilities are ensured to facilitate working women in KP.

Despite significant progress, the experts said a multifaceted approach was required to achieve gender equality in government employment after tackling systemic barriers, changing societal attitudes toward women's work, and implementing policies that ensure women not only have equal access to government jobs but also opportunities to thrive in leadership positions.

Kohat: A massive cleaning operation is currently underway at the New Sabzi Mandi and Bus Stand in Kohat Division, under the directives of Commissioner Syed Mutasim Billah Shah since Saturday.

The operation aims to provide a clean environment to citizens, with a focus on public convenience.

TMO Muhammad Shoaib was present on-site, overseeing the efforts of tractors, shovels, rickshaws, and sanitary workers.

He urged workers to dispose of dirt and garbage at designated areas, ensuring a smooth cleaning process.

Special attention is being given to cleaning public washrooms, with Chief Officer Muhammad Waqas supervising the entire operation.

The cleaning campaign is a testament to the administration's commitment to providing a clean and healthy environment for the citizens of Kohat Division.

Chiniot: The food safety teams of Punjab Food Authority, on the orders of the DG Food Authority, on Sunday conducted marathon operations against food adulteration and counterfeiters in the vegetable market and Jhang Road and fined Rs 70,000 a marriage hall and 4 stores.

According to the details, 30 kg of substandard spices and a large quantity of prohibited Chinese salt was destroyed. Heavy fines were imposed on food points for poor cleaning arrangements. Open drains and broken floors were found in the processing area. Dirty freezers, presence of insects, absence of expiry and cancellation dates on items were found. Medical and training certificates of employees were found missing. Strict action was taken on the failure of the samples of the medicines. A large number of insects and evidence of smoking were found.

Indiscriminate action is being taken against those who are playing with the health of the citizens. The clampdown on adulteration and counterfeiting has been intensified in Chiniot,

Bahawalpur: Last year's champion Zain Mahmood, who belongs to Bahawalpur, has once again clinched first position in the final round of the prepared category of the 20th International Cholistan Desert Jeep Rally 2025.

Zain Mahmood covered a distance of a 216 kilometers long track within two hours and fifty-six minutes while Meer Nadir Magsi covered the distance of the track within two hours and fifty-eight minutes. Therefore, Zain once gain has become the champion of the International Cholistan Desrert Jeep Rally 2025. He also won the title in 2024. Another racer, Meer Jaffar Magsi, got third position as he covered the 216 kilometers long track over three hours. Sahibzada Sultan got fourth position.

The prepared category race was held in two phases in Cholistan desert. The first phase was held on Friday, in which Zain Mahmood clinched first position while Meer Nadir Magsi, who has won the International Cholistan Desert Jeep Rally for several times, won second position. The final phase of the internationally known motor race event was held in the Cholistan desert on Sunday.

Thirty-two vehicles participated in the final phase of the rally. Two female drivers also took part in the final phase. Earlier, the administration of the jeep rally told media persons that the second phase would be kicked off from Dilwash Stadium, Derawar Fort but later, the starting point was changed and the second phase was started from Shikarwala Toba.

The center of the motor race event was Dilwash Stadium, Derawar Fort, while sports vehicles which participated in the race passed through several historical areas of Cholistan desert.