Drinking water need to be assessed

Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz Sharif chairs video link meeting to finalise cleanliness arrangements across province for Eidul Azha, May 23, 2026. SCREENGRAB LAHORE: Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz Sharif directed deputy commissioners across the province on Tuesday to identify areas lacking access to safe drinking water and immediately submit reports in this regard. Chairing…

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Crisis deepens as waste mismanagement exposed

A lab assistant holds test tube filled with HIV positive blood sample. Photo: APP/file KARACHI: Fresh concerns have emerged over infection control and regulatory oversight at Valika Hospital after hazardous medical waste was found lying in the open, even as 81 children have been confirmed HIV-positive in a growing health crisis. During a visit, used…

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Trump backs down from Hormuz transit fee

US begins blockade on Iranian shipping, continues strikes Iran widens missile and drone attacks across Gulf region WASHINGTON/TEHRAN: In a dramatic policy reversal, US President Donald Trump abandoned plans to impose a 20% transit fee on vessels using the Strait of Hormuz as the renewed confrontation between the United States and Iran intensified sharply on…

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Parliamentary privileges and democratic conventions

. The writer is a former Secretary to Government, Home & Tribal Affairs Department and a retired IG. He can be reached at syed_shah94@yahoo.com​​​​​​​ The enactment of the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Provincial Assembly (Powers, Immunities and Privileges) Act, 2026, granting lawmakers expanded benefits, has sparked intense public backlash and a subsequent government review. Undoubtedly within the…

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After the oath, G-B waits for governance

. The writer is a graduate in Philosophy of Humanities from IIS London and a development practitioner in Pakistan. Email: shakeelahmedshah@yahoo.com Gilgit-Baltistan has a new government, and for a few hours Gilgit looked like a region entering a great democratic transition: roads closed, traffic diverted, ordinary people trapped in narrow lanes, and protocol moving with…

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Global AI summit set to open in Shanghai

World leaders, tech giants to gather for 2026 conference focused on innovation and AI governance Shanghai to host 2026 World AI Conference from July 17-20, focusing on global AI cooperation, innovation and governance. PHOTO: PEXELS The 2026 World Artificial Intelligence Conference (WAIC) and High-Level Meeting on Global AI Governance is set to be held in…

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Iran reports new explosions on Qeshm, Kish islands while Kuwait says air defences engaging ‘hostile aerial targets’

Says American projectile explodes near water and power facility on Kish Island, Bahrain intercepts Iranian attacks As the more than three-month conflict nears an end, US-Iran are expected to sign a memorandum on Friday in Geneva. PHOTO: REUTERS Iranian media reported several explosions on Qeshm Island in southern Iran on Tuesday, as military escalation with…

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AJK govt says Rawalakot attack leaves no option but action against banned JAAC

AJK Home Secretary Chaudhry Guftar Hussain addresses a press conference alongside Elementary and Secondary Education Secretary Qazi Inayat in Mirpur on Tuesday. SCREENGRAB The Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK) government insisted on Tuesday that an operation against the banned Jammu and Kashmir Awami Action Committee (JAAC) had become unavoidable after an attack on security forces…

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Younis Khan Appointed League Commissioner of KCL

Former Pakistan captain will lead the league’s cricket operations and technical affairs After Shahid Afridi, Younis Khan joins KCL to oversee cricket operations, rules and regulations Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Champions League set to make a grand impact, official launch ceremony to be held on July 18 in Peshawar Legendary former Pakistan captain Younis Khan has officially…

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