ITP deploys 350 officers, restricts heavy traffic on New Year’s Night

Wed, 31 Dec 2025, 11:27 AM

ISLAMABAD, Dec 31 (APP):Islamabad Traffic Police (ITP) has finalised a comprehensive traffic plan for New Year’s Night, deploying more than 350 traffic officers across the federal capital to ensure smooth traffic flow and public safety during celebrations.

An ITP spokesperson told APP on Wednesday that all kinds of heavy traffic will be barred from entering Islamabad from 7:00 pm on December 31 until 3:00 am on New Year’s Day.

ITP deploys 350 officers, restricts heavy traffic on New Year’s Night

He said that due to New Year’s events and gatherings, heavy traffic pressure is expected on Expressway, Jinnah Avenue, Srinagar Highway, Club Road, Murree Road and Park Road.

Similarly, Jinnah Avenue Flyover, Zero Point, Khanna and PWD Underpass are also likely to witness congestion.

To prevent violations and ensure safety, the spokesperson said that eight special traffic squads have been constituted to curb one-wheeling, reckless driving and rash driving. Strict legal action will be taken against car skating and dangerous driving.

He urged parents to prevent minors from underage driving and one-wheeling, warning that violators will face strict enforcement.

The spokesperson added that special traffic squads will remain deployed at recreational spots, while citizens are advised to use alternative routes between 7:00 pm and 3:00 am to avoid inconvenience.

Parking on roads will not be allowed under any circumstances, and enforcement teams will remain active throughout the night to ensure compliance.

He said Islamabad Traffic Police will take all possible measures to maintain traffic flow and facilitate citizens, urging the public to celebrate responsibly while strictly observing traffic laws.

For further updates and guidance, citizens may contact the Traffic Helpline 1915 or Pucar-15.

Humanitarian workers continue to rush aid to Gazans impacted by heavy rains: UN

NNPS Desk

Wed, 31 Dec 2025, 10:50 AM

UNITED NATIONS, Dec 31 (APP): Severe weather conditions have led to further casualties and heightened health risks in war-shattered Gaza over the past 24 hours, according to the UN aid coordination office (OCHA).

Heavy seasonal downpours are compounding an already dire humanitarian situation, as rainstorms cause war-damaged buildings to collapse, flood tents and soak people’s belongings, OCHA said.

To respond swiftly to flood alerts, a coordinated system bringing together UN agencies and non-governmental organizations is distributing tents, tarpaulins, warm clothes, blankets and dignity kits across Gaza.

The UN and its partners are also mobilizing heavy equipment to pump overflowing sewage – which poses serious health risks – away from residential areas. OCHA warned that the conditions have increased the risk of hypothermia, particularly among babies, as well as illnesses linked to sewage flooding.

Separately, humanitarian teams are assisting hundreds of people newly displaced from the At Tufah neighbourhood in Gaza City, where ongoing military operations have forced many residents to flee.

People who remain in, or have returned to, the As Sanafour area of At Tufah – often due to a lack of space elsewhere – report significant challenges in accessing water, food and basic services.

Other relief operations under the UN-coordinated humanitarian plan for the ceasefire are continuing.

Partners working on water, sanitation and hygiene dispatched tens of thousands of dignity kits, hygiene kits and bottles of shampoo across Gaza, reaching some 150,000 people in need, according to OCHA.

As of Monday, partners addressing food insecurity had reached more than one million people – about half of Gaza’s population — through 60 distribution points with December’s monthly general food assistance.

In parallel, humanitarian partners distributed veterinary kits and animal feed to more than 2,000 families with livestock between 9 and 26 December, helping support local production and reduce aid dependency, OCHA said.

Kirdar | Dr. Musadik Malik | Minister for Climate Change | APP Exclusive

Amir Jamil

Wed, 31 Dec 2025, 10:39 AM

Outlaw arrested as city police intensify anti-narcotics operation

Zaka Ullah Ch

Wed, 31 Dec 2025, 9:58 AM

PESHAWAR, Dec 31 (APP):City police on Wednesday arrested an outlaw during anti narcotics operation.

Inqilab Police Station carried out anti-narcotics operations, arresting a suspect and recovering drugs.

According to the spokesperson for Capital City Police Peshawar, SHO Inqilab Police Station Rizwan Barki, along with other police personnel, conducted an operation and arrested a suspect involved in the illicit drug trade.

The arrested suspect was identified as Hameedullah, son of Muhammad Qasim, a resident of Bazid Khel, Budh Bair, who was involved in supplying drugs to his specific customers in various areas.

A total of 1,500 grams of ice (crystal meth) was recovered from the suspect’s possession. A case has been registered against him, and further investigation has been initiated.

Foreign exchange rates

Zaka Ullah Ch

Wed, 31 Dec 2025, 9:56 AM

KARACHI, Dec 31 (APP):The Exchange Rates Committee of Financial Markets Association of Pakistan issued the following exchange rates bulletin, here on Wednesday.

CONVERSION RATES FOR DECEMBER 31, 2025 FOR FOREIGN CURRENCY FOR FORWARD COVER FOR DEPOSITS (EXCLUDING FE-25 DEPOSITS)

SBP SETTLEMENT VALUE DATE JANUARY 05, 2026

USD 280.1030

GBP 378.2791

EUR 329.5692

JPY 1.7965

UN seeks $1.7 billion as humanitarian needs soar in Afghanistan

Zaka Ullah Ch

Wed, 31 Dec 2025, 9:24 AM

UNITED NATIONS, Dec 31 (APP):Afghanistan is expected to remain one of the world’s largest humanitarian crises in 2026, UN agencies and humanitarian partners warned Tuesday, launching a $1.7 billion appeal to assist nearly 18 million people in urgent need.

Years of conflict, compounded by worsening food insecurity, recurrent natural disasters, climate change impacts and large-scale returns of displaced people, have left an estimated 45 per cent of the population – some 21.9 million people – in need of humanitarian assistance next year, according to the UN.

Of those, 17.5 million people – more than three-quarters of them women and children – have been prioritised for support under the coordinated response.

Food security and sanitation remain among the most urgent needs, it was pointed out.

The Afghanistan Humanitarian Needs and Response Plan projects that during the 2025-2026 lean season, more than one-third of Afghanistan’s population will face crisis-level or worse food insecurity, as defined by the Integrated Food Security Phase Classification (IPC).

This means many households will meet minimum food needs only by depleting essential livelihood assets – a sharp deterioration compared with the previous year, it said.

The ongoing drought has also led to the failure of nearly 80 per cent of rainfed wheat crops in several regions, leaving many families without food stocks for the winter.

Sanitation conditions are equally dire: an estimated 25 per cent of households relied on unimproved water sources this year, while 37 per cent lacked soap for basic hygiene.

The response will prioritize water, sanitation and hygiene needs in areas most affected by drought, cholera outbreaks, disasters and large-scale returns.

Afghanistan is facing one of the world’s largest and fastest-growing returnee-related displacement crises, with around five million people returning to the country this year.

More than 2.6 million Afghans returned from Iran and Pakistan, driven largely by tightened migration policies and deteriorating protection conditions.

Many have returned to districts already grappling with poverty, food insecurity, drought and limited access to basic services, further straining local capacities.

In 2026, humanitarian partners aim to reach more people with fewer resources.

The $1.71 billion required represents a 29 per cent reduction compared to the resources needed in 2025. Yet it aims to reach about 4 per more than the target last year.

These changes have been “driven by sharper prioritization, notable efficiency gains, and a strategic shift away from high-cost, less sustainable interventions,” the response plan noted.

Resolution of public issues expedited: Commissioner

Asif Jalal

Tue, 30 Dec 2025, 10:20 PM

FAISALABAD, Dec 30 (APP): Divisional Commissioner Raja Jahangir Anwar said that resolution of public issues has been expedited at tehsil level in line with the vision of Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz.

He visited the Monitoring Cell at Commissioner Office and reviewed the mechanism under which issues identified by two designated monitors from each tehsil are received through the central dashboard, transferred to the relevant forums and pursued until their resolution.

He said that the divisional administration has stepped up efforts to resolve public issues at the tehsil level while the Monitoring Cell were established at the Commissioner Office further intensifying measures for prompt identification and redressal of citizens’ complaints.

He said that there should be no delay in identifying and forwarding public issues, particularly those related to municipal services to the Monitoring Cell. He directed that the Monitoring Cell must simultaneously share complete data with the focal persons of concerned Assistant Commissioners to ensure timely resolution of complaints.

He further instructed that tehsil monitors should be fully integrated with the central dashboard.

He said that resolving public complaints on a daily basis should remain a top priority as the administration is committed for proactive governance. The main objective behind these efforts is to provide prompt relief to the citizens through effective monitoring, coordination and accountability mechanisms, he added.

PM reiterates resolve to elevate ties with UAE

NNPS Desk

Tue, 30 Dec 2025, 9:08 PM

RAHIM YAR KHAN, Dec 30 (APP): Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif met with Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, President of the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and Ruler of Abu Dhabi, at Sheikh Zayed Palace, Rahim Yar Khan Tuesday afternoon and discussed matters of mutual interest.

The Prime Minister was accompanied by Deputy Prime Minister Senator Mohammad Ishaq Dar, Information Minister Attaullah Tarar, SAPM Tariq Fatemi and other senior officials.

During their warm and cordial meeting, the two leaders carried forward discussions from their recent meeting in Islamabad on 26 December, 2025, when His Highness paid his first official visit to Pakistan as President of UAE.

The Prime Minister reiterated his firm resolve to elevate the longstanding, brotherly ties between Pakistan and the UAE into a strategic, mutually beneficial, economic partnership.

He stressed upon the need for both sides to actively pursue enhancement in bilateral trade through a quantum jump which will bring it to the desired level. The two leaders also discussed ways to enhance cooperation in a wide range of areas including IT, energy, mining & minerals, as well as defence cooperation.

While expressing his great admiration for the UAE’s remarkable progress under His Highness’ dynamic and visionary leadership, the Prime Minister thanked the UAE President for his patronage and commitment to foster stronger ties between the two countries.

He also appreciated the UAE for hosting 2.1 million Pakistanis, who were playing an important role in strengthening ties between both countries.

In addition to bilateral cooperation, the two leaders also exchanged views on a variety of subjects.

The meeting capped off a year of extensive leadership-level engagements between Pakistan and the UAE.