SIALKOT
SIALKOT
Doctors examine patients’ eyes during a free surgical eye camp organized by Al-Shifa Trust Eye Hospital at the National Press Club
ISLAMABAD
ISLAMABAD
ISLAMABAD
ISLAMABAD
Governor KP expresses grief over deaths of Umrah Pilgrims from Buner
PESHAWAR, Jul 26 (APP):Governor Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Faisal Karim Kundi on Saturday expressed deep sorrow over the tragic road accident in Saudi Arabia that claimed the lives of seven Umrah pilgrims from Buner district.
In a heartfelt message, the Governor extended his condolences to the bereaved families, saying, “This is a deeply saddening incident. We stand shoulder to shoulder with the families in their time of grief.”
Governor Kundi also conveyed his best wishes for the speedy recovery of the injured pilgrims and prayed for their health and well-being.
He said the people of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa share the pain of the affected families and expressed his heartfelt sympathy with the relatives of those who lost their lives.
Pakistan wins first-ever Gold Medal in International Biology Olympiad
ISLAMABAD, Jul 26 (APP):Pakistan has secured its first-ever Gold Medal in the prestigious International Science Olympiad, marking a historic achievement for the country.
Mr. Abdul Raffay Paracha of Siddique Public School won the Gold Medal for Pakistan at the 35th International Biology Olympiad (IBO) held in Philippines from July 20 to 27.
The Pakistan team participated under the sponsorship of the STEM Careers Programme, a joint venture of the Higher Education Commission (HEC) and the Pakistan Institute of Engineering and Applied Sciences (PIEAS).
The team was led by Dr. Asma Imran and Dr. Asma Rehman from the National Institute of Biotechnology and Genetic Engineering (NIBGE), a constituent institution of PIEAS and Pakistan Atomic Energy Commission.
Ms. Ayyan Aslam from Government College University, Lahore, received an Honorable Mention, while Ms. Sadia Zulfiqar (Siddique Public School, Rawalpindi) and Mr. Arooj Fatima (Fusion College, Shakargarh, Narowal) also represented Pakistan in the competition.
PIEAS, working under the auspices of the Pakistan Atomic Energy Commission (PAEC), conducts the National Science Talent Contest (NSTC) annually in four disciplines: Physics, Chemistry, Biology, and Mathematics. NSTC evolved from the National Physics Talent Contest (NPTC), which began in 1995 and has been held regularly since 2003.
Pakistan has participated in the International Physics Olympiad since 2001, the International Mathematics Olympiad since 2005, and the Biology and Chemistry Olympiads since 2006.
To date, more than 380 students have represented Pakistan in International Science Olympiads, securing 140 medals, while over 4,500 students have received training through more than 240 training camps held at HEC Institutes across the country.
RWMC and Pakistan Railways collaborate for cleaner train journeys
RAWALPINDI, Jul 26 (APP):For improving passenger experience through train journeys, the Rawalpindi Waste Management Company (RWMC) and Pakistan Railways have inked a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) focused on cleaning and pest control services for railway coaches and stations.
The agreement was formalized during a ceremony at RWMC’s head office, where RWMC CEO Rana Sajid Safdar and Pakistan Railways Rawalpindi Division Superintendent, Nooruddin Dawood signed the document.
Key officials including RWMC’s Chief Financial Officer Bilal Khawar, Metro Manager Sohail Imtiaz, and Pakistan Railways’ Divisional Mechanical Engineer, Jawad Shah attended the signing ceremony.
Under this collaboration, RWMC will expand its responsibilities beyond maintaining clean platforms and station premises to include thorough cleaning of train coaches and applying pest control measures.
The initiative aims to provide passengers with a safer, cleaner, and more pleasant travel environment.
Journalists reaffirm commitment of supporting fight against polio by demystifying myths
PESHAWAR, Jul 26 (APP):Media professionals have reaffirmed their commitment of supporting Pakistan’s fight against polio by raising public awareness and dispelling harmful misconceptions hampering immunization of vulnerable population.
This pledge from media persons came during a two days engagement session with health beat reporters on polio eradication organized by Emergency Operation Centre (EOC) Khyber Pakhtunkhwa at scenic Natiagali valley of Abbotabad.
The session was attended by around 50 journalists from Peshawar along with Chairman Peshawar Press Club, M. Riaz and General Secretary, Tayyab Usman.
Unicef Polio Team Lead KP, Inuwa Yau was also present on the occasion along with other officials of EOC, WHO and Health Department.
Welcoming the participants, Coordinator EOC KP, Shafiullah Khan said media has very crucial role in highlighting importance of vaccination among people especially parents.
Terming polio eradication as `national emergency’, Coordinator ECO KP urged media persons to fully take part in this national cause of making our country free of the crippling disease and for saving millions of minors from permanent disability.
Shafiullah Khan said achieving the goal of Polio Free Pakistan is not possible without cooperation from all segments of society and in this connection EOC garner supports from health professionals, media persons, religious scholars, teachers, social media influencers and security forces.
“Through collective effort this war can be won as Pakistan and Afghanistan forms the only polio disease epidemiological block in the world”, he commented.
The engagement session is also aimed at obtaining suggestions from media persons as how the awareness campaigns can be made more effective and impactful, he continued.
Communication Officer Unicef, Shadab Younas said media role is very important in sensitization of masses about importance of administering polio drops to their children.
She said media can serve as a catalyst in convincing people about importance of immunization and in demystifying the myths that are causing refusals in some areas.
Shadab also made a presentation on effective and impactful reporting on polio eradication by focusing on data driven authentic motivational stories and avoiding misleading and damaging reports.
Provincial Polio Officer WHO, Dr. Sardar Alam apprised journalists about the measures being taken under Polio Eradication Initiative (PEI), its achievement and hurdles in some area due to misconceptions.
In Pakistan, he continued, this year (2025) a total of 14 cases of polio infection are reported, out of which maximum number of eight cases are reported in KP.
While in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, he continued, the number of zero dose children who missed immunization are registered as around 58,319 till mid May 2025.
This figure of missing children needs continued and more effective efforts not only by Health officials but all the stakeholders to bring them in the immunization data, he Dr. Alam stressed.
An extensive group exercise session was also held engaging media persons in different groups to hold threadbare discussion and suggest measures for improving initiatives for amplifying public awareness.
President Peshawar Press Club, M. Riaz termed the interaction very fruitful and expressed the hope that participants will realize the importance of media role in saving our children from polio infection which is not only crippling but in some cases causes mortality.
Riaz held out assurance of full cooperation of community members and Peshawar Press Club will the relevant departments taking part in this fight against polio.
Eradicating polio is a national cause in which media men are already taking part and will increase their input in future, he added.
Unicef Polio Team Lead KP, Inunea Yau thanked media persons for their participation in the engagement session and urged them to fully cooperate in polio eradication initiative.
He said misconceptions that are causing hindrances in achieving 100 percent immunization can only be removed through educating people and in this regard media has to play a key role.
He also supported suggestion of holding interactive session between EOC and media on quarterly basis.
CDA steps up anti-encroachment drive amid of monsoon rains
ISLAMABAD, Jul 26 (APP):The Capital Development Authority (CDA), under the direction of Chairman CDA and Chief Commissioner Islamabad Muhammad Ali Randhawa, is ramping up efforts to remove illegal encroachments across the federal capital, particularly those obstructing stormwater drains, in a bid to avert flooding during the monsoon season.
An important review meeting was held at CDA headquarters on Saturday, where senior officials from the CDA, Islamabad administration, and Directorate of Municipal Administration (DMA) assessed the progress of the ongoing anti-encroachment campaign.
The meeting followed instructions from Federal Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi to intensify action against unauthorized constructions on public land.
The officials reaffirmed that illegal structures built over natural drains and water channels pose serious safety risks. “Encroachments on drains are not just illegal—they are a disaster waiting to happen during the monsoon,” Randhawa said. “We are taking strict legal action and have begun sealing and demolishing such structures.”
The meeting was informed that authorities had already issued 24-hour notices for the voluntary removal of illegal constructions on stormwater drains. If owners fail to comply, the encroachments will be sealed and removed forcibly. These measures, officials say, are essential to prevent emergency situations like urban flooding, which has increasingly plagued the city in recent years.
To ensure coordinated action, the CDA, district administration, and DMA are jointly identifying and clearing illegal encroachments across all sectors of Islamabad. State land reclaimed from illegal occupants will be protected through long-term enforcement strategies.
In a warning to the public, the CDA urged residents and commercial property owners to voluntarily dismantle any illegal structures.
“Those responsible for such encroachments will be held fully accountable for legal consequences and any damages resulting from floods,” Randhawa stated.
In addition to enforcement, the CDA plans to launch a comprehensive hydrological study of Islamabad’s drainage system. The aim is to improve water management and mitigate future flood risks.
Randhawa directed that preparations for the study be completed on a priority basis.
To prevent re-encroachment, the CDA is also developing a permanent monitoring system.
This will include regular drone surveillance and the use of satellite imagery via Google Earth to track cleared areas.
The anti-encroachment campaign has taken on renewed urgency in recent weeks, as heavy rains continue to batter parts of the country. Islamabad, with its expanding urban footprint and aging drainage infrastructure, is especially vulnerable.
Officials hope that a mix of enforcement, planning, and modern monitoring will help safeguard the capital’s environment and infrastructure.
“We will continue this operation across the board,” Randhawa emphasized, “to ensure Islamabad remains safe and livable for all its residents.”