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PM orders nationwide Monsoon eMergency Plan as flood risks looM Thursday, 2 July, 2026 | 16 Muharram, 1448
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PREMIER SHEHBAZ FORMS EMERGENCY RESPONSE COMMITTEE TO COORDINATE FEDERAL AND PROVINCIAL PREPAREDNESS
ORDERS CLIMATE, NDMA CHIEFS TO ASSESS READINESS THROUGH VISITS TO PROVINCES, AJK AND GB
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HIGHLIGHTS RS330B WATER INFRASTRUCTURE ALLOCATION TO STRENGTHEN CLIMATE RESILIENCE AND WATER SECURITY
DIRECTS ADVANCE ARRANGEMENTS FOR EMERGENCY RELIEF FUND AHEAD OF MONSOON
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NDMA WARNS OF PROLONGED HEATWAVES, ABOVE-NORMAL JULY RAINFALL, HEIGHTENED FLOOD THREAT
PM fast-tracks nationwide danish schools, terMs education initiatives investMent in Pakistan’s future
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ISLAMABAD
RIME MINISTER Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif on Wednesday directed federal and provincial authorities to step up preparations for the upcoming monsoon season by establishing a national emergency response mechanism, warning that Pakistan's growing vulnerability to climate change demands coordinated action at all levels to minimise the risk of floods and other weather-related disasters.
Chairing a high-level meeting to review monsoon preparedness and climate resilience, the prime minister said Pakistan remained among the countries most vulnerable to the adverse impacts of climate change and stressed that effective and comprehensive cooperation between the federation and the provinces was essential to tackle climate-related disasters. The prime minister also approved the formation of an Emergency Response Committee, which will be headed by the minister for Planning and Development.
cashless payments launched at passport offices nationwide: naqvi
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release. The prime minister also instructed that the architectural design of each school should reflect the cultural heritage and identity of its respective region. The meeting was attended by Ministers Azam Nazeer Tarar, Ahsan Iqbal, Attaullah Tarar, Khalid Maqbool Siddiqui and senior officials of the relevant departments. Emphasising transparency, the prime minister said appointments of teaching faculty and other staff at both Danish Schools and Danish University must be made strictly on merit. He also appreciated the Federal Ministry of Federal Education and Professional Training for the pace of construction work on the Danish Schools project. During the meeting, officials briefed the prime minister on the progress of 27 Danish Schools under construction in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Sindh, Balochistan, Gilgit-Baltistan, Azad Jammu and Kashmir and Islamabad, as well as on the construction of Danish University in the federal capital.
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Pakistan, China enter new phase of CPEC cooperation: Dar ISLAMABAD
Staff CorreSpondent
ISLAMABAD
Staff report
Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi said on Wednesday that cashless transactions had become operational at all passport offices across Pakistan, describing the move as part of efforts to make services easier for the public. In a post on X, Naqvi said applicants would no longer have to wait in long lines or spend hours making payments at passport offices. Applicants no longer need to stand in long queues or wait for hours to make payments. The interior minister said the reform was introduced on the instructions of Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and added that his team had implemented it successfully. He said the initiative was another step towards improving the speed, transparency and convenience of public services for citizens. Naqvi also praised the passport department staff for their work.
PART OF WIDER PASSPORT DIGITISATION DRIVE: The announcement follows recent remarks by Director General of Immigration and Passports Muhammad Ali Randhawa, who outlined a broader digital transformation plan for passport services. According to the DG, the initiative includes a passport mobile application, home delivery, and QR code-based payments aimed at making the process quicker, more transparent and free of illegal practices. Speaking to a media outlet on Friday, Randhawa said the mobile app would allow citizens to apply for and renew passports online, monitor the status of their applications and use key services through their mobile phones. He also said the department was working on a home delivery service so that applicants could receive passports at their homes, reducing the need for repeated visits to passport offices.
ISLAMABAD
Staff CorreSpondent
Highlighting the enduring friendship between Islamabad and Beijing, Dar said Pakistan-China relations had grown stronger over successive generations and continued to enjoy broad political consensus in both countries. He said the two countries have consistently supported each other's sovereignty, territorial integrity and core national interests, making their partnership a source of regional stability and economic cooperation. The deputy prime minister described the launch of CPEC in 2015 as a watershed moment in bilateral relations, saying the multi-billion-dollar initiative had transformed Pakistan's economic landscape by addressing chronic energy shortages, modernising transport infrastructure and creating thousands of employment opportunities, particularly in less-developed regions.
Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif on Wednesday directed authorities to expedite the completion of Danish Schools across the country and announced the establishment of a technology (Tech) campus of Danish University in Muzaffarabad, describing the flagship education initiatives as a longterm investment in Pakistan's future and among the nation's most valuable assets. Chairing a review meeting on the progress of Danish Schools and Danish University, the prime minister termed the institutions among the country's most important national assets and stressed the need to complete projects on schedule to provide quality education to students across Pakistan. He directed the relevant authorities to ensure the early completion of Danish Schools in all four provinces, Gilgit-Baltistan, Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK) and Islamabad, the Prime Minister's Office Media Wing said in a press
Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar on Wednesday said Pakistan and China were entering a new phase of strategic economic cooperation under the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) 2.0, with the next stage of the flagship initiative focusing on industrialisation, agriculture, information technology, mining, minerals and human resource development. Addressing a reception hosted by the Chinese Embassy to mark the 105th anniversary of the founding of the Communist Party of China (CPC), Dar congratulated the Chinese leadership and people on the occasion and paid tribute to the CPC's role in transforming China into a global economic powerhouse. He reaffirmed that the Pakistan-China AllWeather Strategic Cooperative Partnership remains the cornerstone of Pakistan's foreign policy and national development agenda, describing bilateral ties as a model of mutual trust, respect and win-win cooperation. He said China's extraordinary economic achievements and its success in lifting hundreds of millions of people out of poverty stand among the greatest development accomplishments in modern history, benefiting not only the Chinese people but also contributing significantly to global prosperity through the principles of shared development and building a community with a shared future for mankind.
terrorism declines in June despite high profile attacks: Picss Pakistan witnessed a notable decline in terrorist violence and anti-state security incidents during June despite several high-profile attacks, including multiple suicide bombings, according to the latest monthly security assessment released by the Pakistan Institute for Conflict and Security Studies (PICSS). The Islamabad-based think tank reported that both terrorist attacks and overall casualties decreased compared with the previous month, reflecting sustained counterterrorism operations by security forces. However, it cautioned that militant groups continue to retain the capability to carry out complex, high-impact attacks, underscoring the persistent security challenges facing the country. According to the report, 262 people were killed in violence-related incidents during June. Of these, 184 terrorists were killed in intelligence-based operations and security engagements, accounting for the largest share of fatalities. The remaining deaths included 52 civilians and 26 security personnel, highlighting the continued human cost of militancy despite the overall improvement in the security situation. The report also recorded 134 injuries during the month, including 63 civilians, 50 security personnel, 18 members of progovernment peace committees and three militants. Compared with May, casualties among security forces declined by 62 per cent, while civilian deaths fell by 27 per cent. Fatalities among terrorists also dropped by 32 per cent, indicating the effectiveness of ongoing counterterrorism operations. Similarly, injuries among security personnel declined by 43 per cent, civilian injuries by 57 per cent, and militant injuries by 67 per cent over the previous month. PICSS further reported a substantial reduction in kidnappings, with 27 abduction cases recorded in June compared with 54 in May, representing a 50 per cent decline. Security agencies also arrested at least 27 suspected terrorists during various operations across the country. The report noted that the number of terrorist attacks fell from 128 in May to 108 in June, marking an overall reduction of approximately 16 per cent. Despite the downward trend, the think tank warned that militant organisations continue to demonstrate their ability to launch sophisticated attacks. June witnessed four suicide attacks, including three vehicle-borne suicide bombings. Among the most significant was the June 27 attack targeting Sindh Rangers personnel in Karachi, which claimed the lives of three security officials. By comparison, six suicide attacks—including four vehicle-borne bombings—were recorded during May. The provincial analysis showed Balochistan registering the most significant improvement in the security situation. The province recorded 49 militant attacks during June compared with 71 in May, reflecting a 31 per cent decline. The former Federally Administered Tribal Areas (FATA), now merged tribal districts of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, also experienced a decrease in militant activity, with attacks falling from 22 to 17, a reduction of 23 per cent. However, the settled districts of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa recorded a modest deterioration, with attacks increasing from 32 in May to 37 in June, representing a 16 per cent rise. One of the month's deadliest incidents occurred on June 9, when terrorists attempted to overrun a Federal Constabulary post in Hassan Khel near Peshawar. Six security personnel embraced martyrdom and four others sustained injuries before security forces repulsed the assault, killing eight militants.
ISLAMABAD
Staff report
SaleeM Jadoon
Rs 20.00 | Vol XVII No 97 | 8 Pages | Islamabad Edition
Pakistan rejects India's 'baseless' criticism of counterterrorism strikes along Afghan border ISLAMABAD
Staff CorreSpondent
Pakistan on Wednesday strongly rejected India's criticism of its recent counterterrorism operations along the Pakistan-Afghanistan border, describing New Delhi's remarks as "preposterous", "baseless" and devoid of credibility. Foreign Office spokesperson Tahir Andrabi said Pakistan's actions were legitimate, targeted and proportionate measures undertaken to eliminate terrorist infrastructure threatening the country's security. In a statement posted on X, Andrabi dismissed India's allegations and accused New Delhi of attempt-
ing to divert attention from its own record of regional interference. "Pakistan categorically rejects the baseless statement made by India regarding Pakistan's legitimate, targeted and proportionate actions against terrorist infrastructure in Afghanistan," the spokesperson said. He said India's criticism was particularly ironic given what he described as New Delhi's longstanding record of violating the sovereignty and territorial integrity of neighbouring countries. "This preposterous statement has been made by a country that has historically interfered in and undermined the sovereignty and territorial integrity of its
neighbouring states, in contravention of the United Nations Charter, while continuing to suppress the right to self-determination of the Kashmiri people in Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir in violation of relevant United Nations resolutions," Andrabi said. The spokesperson further alleged that India had been actively supporting and financing terrorist groups operating from Afghan territory against Pakistan. He said such actions were in violation of the relevant United Nations Security Council sanctions regime and reflected India's role as "a regional spoiler".
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CPC's 105-year journey demonstrates strength of China's development: Jiang ISLAMABAD: Mian abrar
Chinese Ambassador to Pakistan Jiang Zaidong on Tuesday said the 105-year journey of the Communist Party of China (CPC) stands as a testament to the country's remarkable transformation from poverty to prosperity, describing the Party as the driving force behind China's modernization, economic rise and expanding role in promoting global peace and development. Addressing a ceremony marking the 105th anniversary of the founding of the Communist Party of China, Ambassador Jiang said the CPC's century-long leadership had en-
abled China to achieve historic economic and social progress while providing new opportunities for global development through initiatives such as the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI). The ambassador said the anniversary was being commemorated across China following a grand gathering in Beijing where Chinese President and CPC General Secretary Xi Jinping delivered a keynote address outlining the Party's historic achievements and future direction. He said Xi's speech comprehensively reviewed the CPC's 105-year struggle, highlighting its mission of pursuing national rejuvenation, improving people's livelihoods and advancing modernization with Chinese characteristics. "The entire
Party and the Chinese people are studying and implementing the guiding principles of President Xi Jinping's speech with the determination to build China into a great modern socialist country in all respects and realise the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation," Ambassador Jiang said. Tracing the Party's evolution since its founding on July 1, 1921, Jiang noted that the CPC had grown from a small political movement of just over 50 members into the world's largest governing political party with more than 101 million members, leading what he described as one of history's most remarkable development transformations.
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