Daily Balochistan Times

Rawalpindi: Rawalpindi District Police have busted two bike lifting gangs and arrested their five members on recovery of 10 stolen motorcycles, said a police spokesman here on Monday.

He informed that Waris Khan police netted two accused namely Sheraz alias Sheri and Rameez, allegedly involved in bike lifting cases and recovered five stolen motorcycles.

Similarly, Dhamial police rounded up three bike lifters, Faizan, Khurram and Shabrat Khan with five stolen motorcycles and other items.

Divisional Superintendents of Police appreciated the police teams and directed to accelerate ongoing operation against bike and car lifters.

Multan: The police arrested a notorious drug dealer and recovered over 10-kilogram hashish from his possession in an operation in Shujabad on Monday.

Accused Israr was one of the main link of the narcotics network in Multan district and his arrest

was a major success in fight against narcotics trafficking, CPO Multan Sadiq Dogar said in a statement.

Shujabad Sadar police led by SHO Abdur Rauf, and his team worked under the supervision of SP Sadar Shamsuddin and DSP Shujabad Mahar Waseem. The CPO said that the operation caused a dent in

the narcotics network and improved police image among people, a police spokesman said.

Rawalpindi: The Wah Saddar Police on Monday claimed to have arrested a proclaimed offender wanted in a rape case.

The police had registered the case against the accused Zainul Abidin in 2023 and he had been absconding since then, a Rawalpindi Police spokesman said.

Multan: A joint team of the Customs Enforcement and police seized fifteen truckloads of smuggled items worth over Rs 400 million in an operation at the Main Foodgrain Market in the city on Monday.

A police spokesman said that the joint team also had assistance from the intelligence agencies and was able to overpower the resistance by the law violators through their professional capabilities.

The smuggled business goods taken into custody included imported cigarettes, flavored tobacco, tobacco, betelnuts and fifteen trucks.

CPO Sadiq Ali Dogar said the operation was led by SSP Operations Kamran Amir Khan and commended

the efforts of the joint team that comprised SP cantonment Javed Tahir Majeed, DSP Abdur Rauf, SHO Faizan Qayyum and others.

Kamran Amir Khan said the success in operation was the result of cooperation between different law enforcement agencies and highlighted their combined commitment to root out illegalities and crimes from the city of saints. Operations to eliminate crime and illegal business practices would continue, he added.

Peshawar: The Peshawar Education Board has announced an extension for the submission of admissions for the Matric Annual Examination 2025.

According to Alamzeb, spokesperson for the Peshawar Education Board, the extension has been granted to provide students with additional convenience. Students can now apply with a normal fee until January 27.

The decision allows students to complete their registration with a normal fee by the new deadline, he added.

'The extension aims to facilitate students further, ensuring they can register on time and focus on their exam preparations,' said Alamzeb, who also serves as Deputy Controller of Examinations.

Peshawar: The Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) Health Department has initiated groundwork to implement a comprehensive roadmap for preventing cervical cancer, a leading malignancy among women worldwide and the second most common cause of cancer-related deaths in females.

'Pakistan has developed a national roadmap to prevent cervical cancer by including the Human Papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine among the twelve essential vaccines administered to children to prevent various diseases,' shared Dr. Mehtab Khan, Deputy Director of the Expanded Programme for Immunization (EPI) KP.

Dr. Mehtab, who also serves as the focal person for HPV vaccination in KP, emphasized that the initiative aligns with the World Health Organization's (WHO) 2030 target for global cervical cancer elimination. One of the key strategies is achieving 90% vaccination coverage of girls with the HPV vaccine by the age of 15.

According to the national roadmap, Pakistan will introduce the HPV vaccine in 2025 in a phased manner. Vaccination efforts will begin in Sindh, Punjab, and Islamabad, followed by KP in 2026 and Balochistan in 2027. The vaccine will target adolescent girls aged 9 to 14 years.

To support this initiative, the EPI KP has established a Technical Working Group tasked with developing a strategy for cervical cancer prevention, creating a cancer registry focusing on women's cancers, including cervical cancer and reviving school health programs to incorporate HPV vaccination.

Efforts to raise awareness about cervical cancer and HPV vaccination have already begun. The department is hosting educational broadcasts on Radio Pakistan, featuring oncologists to discuss the risks and impact of cervical cancer.

Plans are underway to expand these activities to social media platforms and television channels to reach a wider audience.

Additionally, EPI is compiling records of cervical cancer patients from public and private hospitals to build a comprehensive database.

Recognizing cultural sensitivities, EPI plans to induct female vaccinators for administering the HPV vaccine.

This decision addresses societal norms where male vaccinators administering vaccines to girls aged 9 to 14 may not be culturally acceptable. Currently, EPI vaccinators are predominantly male and focus on administering routine immunizations.

To ensure the success of the HPV vaccination program, EPI is engaging various stakeholders, including female politicians, Members of Provincial Assembly (MPAs), religious scholars, and media professionals.

Awareness sessions will educate these groups on the importance of HPV vaccination in protecting women from cervical cancer.

The program is supported by international organizations such as WHO, GAVI, UNICEF, and Jhpiego, which will provide technical assistance in health worker training, community engagement, and outreach to target populations.

Through these combined efforts, the KP Health Department aims to meet international public health standards and contribute to the global fight against cervical cancer, Dr. Mehtab remarked.