Author: Syed Tauqeer Zaidi

By Syed Tauqeer Zaidi PESHAWAR: The Excise, Taxation and Narcotics Control Department of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa held a high-profile auction of personalized “choice” number plates at Nishtar Hall on Tuesday, attracting strong public interest and competitive bidding. The top bid was recorded for the plate “Wazir 1”, sold for Rs15 million. The second-highest, “Afridi 1”, fetched Rs1.4 crore and was acquired by Javed Afridi, owner of Peshawar Zalmi. “Khan 1” was sold for Rs1.11 crore to MPA Naik Muhammad Khan. Other notable sales included “Peshawar 1” for Rs10 million, “Haripur 1” for Rs8 million, and “Yousafzai 1” for Rs49.2 lakh. Smaller…

By Syed Tauqeer Zaidi DERA ISMAIL KHAN: The District Education Officer (Male) has issued a final warning to all principals, headmasters, and SDEOs of high, higher secondary, and middle schools across Dera Ismail Khan district over the non-implementation of Siraiki, Pashto, and other regional languages as compulsory subjects. The notification highlighted that, despite clear directives from the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government and the Education Department, many government schools have yet to introduce these regional languages in their curriculum. Authorities expressed serious concern, describing the delay as negligence and incompetence on the part of school heads and officers. The District Education Officer…

By Syed Tauqeer Zaidi PESHAWAR: A representative jirga of the Utmankhel Qaumi Ittehad Khyber Pakhtunkhwa met Governor Faisal Karim Kundi at the Governor House in Peshawar to present long-standing demands for the tribe’s social and economic development. Led by senior leader Parvez Akhtar, the delegation included Malik Bahadur Shah, Malik Muhammadi Shoh, Malik Mukammal Shah, Malik Malook Khan, and other notable figures. The jirga urged the establishment of a separate district for the Utmankhel population in Malakand, Mohmand, and Bajaur, and requested that Koh-e-Mor Park in Bajaur be declared a national park. They also sought royalty, employment opportunities, and electricity…

By Syed Tauqeer Zaidi PESHAWAR: The National Accountability Bureau (NAB) Khyber Pakhtunkhwa has arrested Bilal Hassan, CEO of Star Land Marketing (Pvt.) Limited, and its Regional Director Iftikhar Ahmed in connection with a Rs3.73 billion financial scam. According to NAB, the accused allegedly defrauded the public through fake real estate investment schemes, promoting them as “Shariah-compliant” or “halal” profit opportunities. Instead of investing the funds in advertised housing projects, the money was reportedly embezzled for personal use. Investigations have confirmed substantial financial losses to investors, and NAB has urged affected individuals to submit claims with relevant documents to its Khyber…

By Syed Tauqeer Zaidi DERA ISMAIL KHAN: A high-level meeting was held under the chairmanship of the commissioner of Dera Division, Dawood Khan, to review security arrangements and overall preparations for the upcoming anti-polio campaign. The meeting reviewed the progress of the previous polio campaign, the performance of field teams and planning for the next phase. It was attended by the regional police officer, Syed Ashfaq Anwar, the deputy commissioner, Abdul Nasir Khan, the district police officer, Sajjad Ahmed Sahibzada, the assistant to the commissioner for political and development affairs, Sajjad Baloch, and representatives of the health department, EPI, WHO,…

By Syed Tauqeer Zaidi DERA ISMAIL KHAN: Gomal Medical College (GMC) held its White Coat Ceremony 2026 for newly admitted first-year MBBS students at the Fida Memorial Auditorium, formally inducting them into the medical profession. The ceremony was attended by faculty, students, and their parents. During the event, students wore the white coat for the first time and took an oath to uphold the ethical values of the profession, maintain professional integrity, respect patients, show compassion, and commit to lifelong learning. The presence of parents added an emotional dimension, reflecting their support and sacrifices. Addressing the students, Dean Dr Naseem…

By Syed Tauqeer Zaidi PESHAWAR: The Chairperson of the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Commission on the Status of Women (KPCSW) concluded participation in the Pakistan–Indonesia Exposure and Learning Visit on Women, Peace and Security (WPS) held from 19–24 January 2026, supported by UN Women. Representing Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, the Chairperson joined a high-level Pakistani delegation that included Federal Secretary Human Rights Khalique Sadique, Chairperson of the National Commission on the Status of Women Ume Laila, Chairperson of the Balochistan Commission on the Status of Women Kiran Baloch, and representatives from civil society organizations. During the visit, the delegation engaged with Indonesian government institutions,…

By Syed Tauqeer Zaidi PESHAWAR: A representative delegation from the Grand Jirga Circle Kundian, led by Qayyum Khan Kundi, called on the governor of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Faisal Karim Kundi, at the Governor House in Peshawar. The delegation included President of Grand Jirga Circle Kundian Rafi Kundi, retired principal Saleem Khan, Rehmatullah Kundi, Shah Nawaz Khan, Malik Azeem Khan and other local notables. During the meeting, the delegation briefed the governor on various issues facing Circle Kundian. They demanded the timely completion of the Tank-Pezu Road, construction of a shortcut road from CPEC Yarik to Darki, utilisation of gas royalty funds…

By Syed Tauqeer Zaidi DERA ISMAIL KHAN: Gomal University Dera Ismail Khan successfully conducted entry tests for its MPhil and PhD programmes for the Spring Semester at Wensam College, following the special instructions of Vice Chancellor Professor Dr. Muhammad Zafar Iqbal. The tests were efficiently organised under the supervision of Director Admissions Riaz Ahmed Bettani and his team. According to Bettani, 394 candidates appeared for the MPhil entry test, while 97 candidates participated in the PhD test. A special quota was reserved for children of martyrs of the Pakistan Army, security forces and police to ensure equal opportunities for higher…

By Syed Tauqeer Zaidi DERA ISMAIL KHAN: The volleyball team of Agricultural University Dera Ismail Khan made a remarkable return to the Inter-University Sports Championship after a seven-year gap, reaching the semi-finals with an impressive display of skill and determination. Although the team did not advance to the final, their discipline, dedication and high standard of play received widespread appreciation. The achievement was credited to the special guidance and continuous encouragement of the Vice Chancellor of Agricultural University D.I. Khan, Professor Dr. Shakeeb Ullah, who has actively promoted sports activities across the university. Following the match, team members and officials…