Author: Syed Tauqeer Zaidi

By Syed Tauqeer Zaidi PESHAWAR: Relief goods for families affected in Tirah Valley and Kurram have arrived at the Governor House in Peshawar, officials said, following special instructions from the governor of Punjab. The items were handed over by the Punjab Red Crescent Society to the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Merged Districts branch of the Red Crescent during a ceremony at the Governor House. The event was attended by Principal Secretary to the Governor Zubair Arshad, PRCS Merged Districts representative Imran Wazir, Secretary Shahid Malik, PRCS Punjab general secretary Mehboob Qadir Shah, and Zeeshan Ashfaq. The relief consignment includes 500 food packages,…

By Syed Tauqeer Zaidi PESHAWAR: Women Ombudsperson Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Rubab Mehdi, on Friday met with Chief Secretary Shahab Ali Shah to review measures aimed at preventing workplace harassment and safeguarding women’s property rights. The meeting, attended online by Divisional Commissioners, included a detailed presentation on the performance of the Ombudsperson’s office, covering case status, key achievements, and the roadmap for ensuring women’s dignity and protection of their legal rights. Officials reported that the Ombudsperson’s office has been providing speedy justice free of cost, while maintaining transparency in proceedings. Between July and December 2025, the office disposed of 509 cases and…

By Syed Tauqeer Zaidi DERA ISMAIL KHAN: A meeting to review ongoing projects of the Public Health Engineering Department was held under the chairmanship of Commissioner Dera Division, Daud Khan, officials said.According to details, the meeting was attended by Superintending Engineer Public Health Engineering (PHE) Dera Engineer Junaid Hafeez, Assistant to Commissioner Political and Development Sajjad Baloch, along with other officers and representatives of the department.During the meeting, participants were given a detailed briefing on ongoing water supply and sewerage line projects in Dera Ismail Khan district.Superintending Engineer Junaid Hafeez informed the Commissioner that the Public Health Engineering Department was…

By Syed Tauqeer Zaidi PESHAWAR: The Provincial Disaster Management Authority (PDMA) of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa has issued a second weather alert, warning of a Western weather system set to affect most districts of the province from Sunday, 25 January, to Tuesday, 27 January, according to the Pakistan Meteorological Department (PMD). The PMD forecast predicts heavy rainfall, strong winds, and snowfall in upper districts, including Chitral, Dir, Swat, Shangla, Kohistan, Mansehra, Abbottabad, Galiyat, Malakand, Bannu, and Bajaur. Meanwhile, other districts such as Peshawar, Mardan, Nowshera, Charsadda, Kohat, Dera Ismail Khan, Kurram, Khyber, and Waziristan are expected to experience general rain, thunderstorms, and…

By Syed Tauqeer Zaidi PESHAWAR: Khyber Pakhtunkhwa is currently confronting extraordinary challenges, including terrorism and climate-related disasters, Special Assistant to the Chief Minister for Information and Public Relations, Shafi Jan, said on Friday. Responding to remarks made by the opposition leader, Shafi Jan highlighted the severe difficulties faced by residents of Tirah Maidan in Khyber District following heavy snowfall. Acting on the directions of Chief Minister Sohail Afridi, Provincial Minister for Local Government and Higher Education Meena Khan Afridi, along with MPA Abdul Ghani, visited the affected areas to assess ongoing relief operations. Shafi Jan said that the Chief Minister…

By Syed Tauqeer Zaidi DERA ISMAIL KHAN: A thought-provoking debate on countering violent extremism was recently held at Government Girls Degree College No. 1 in Dera Ismail Khan. The session, titled “Countering Violent Extremism through Multiple Strategies,” brought students together to discuss one of the most pressing challenges facing Pakistan and the wider region. The event was organized under the guidance of Principal Afia Saadat Qaisrani, whose leadership ensured the smooth conduct of the debate. It followed the Asian Parliamentary style, with participants assigned roles as Speaker, Ruling Party, and Opposition, allowing for structured discussion and dynamic engagement. Students demonstrated…

Syed Tauqeer Zaidi DERA ISMAIL KHAN:A deadly suicide attack claimed the lives of five people and injured ten others during a wedding ceremony at the residence of Aman Committee chief Noor Alam Mehsud near Qureshi Mor on Friday. The explosion occurred while guests were attending the ceremony, with some youths performing the traditional Attan dance. The powerful blast caused one room to collapse, spreading panic and chaos. Among the martyrs were prominent Aman Committee leader Abdul Waheed (Commander Jagri) and MZI leader Abdul Majeed (Laghari Advocate). Police confirmed the attack was likely carried out by a suicide bomber, with the…

By Syed Tauqeer Zaidi PESHAWAR: Khyber Pakhtunkhwa’s Minister for Excise, Taxation, and Narcotics Control, Syed Fakhar Jehan, chaired the department’s first-ever E-Open Court (Kuli Kachehri) on 22 January 2026, directly addressing public complaints and ensuring their swift resolution. The session, attended by Secretary Excise Khalid Ilyas and senior departmental officers, received 46 phone calls from across the province and beyond, while 280 public comments were submitted via Facebook Live. Taking serious notice of reports about officials checking citizens’ mobile phones at checkpoints, the minister declared such acts illegal and warned that strict legal action would be taken against offenders. He…

By Syed Tauqeer Zaidi PESHAWAR: Chief Minister Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Muhammad Sohail Afridi chaired a high-level meeting on 22 January 2026 to review ongoing healthcare reforms, key challenges, and the future strategy of the provincial Health Department, officials said. The Chief Minister urged authorities to move away from a “firefighting” approach and adopt a comprehensive and sustainable strategy to ensure the long-term provision of quality healthcare facilities to the public. He emphasized the need to strengthen primary and secondary hospitals to reduce pressure on major medical centers, discouraging unnecessary referrals. While ensuring that unavoidable referrals were properly justified. Officials were also…

By Syed Tauqeer Zaidi KOHAT: Security forces and police successfully foiled a major terrorist plot in Kohat, preventing what could have been widespread destruction across the city. Authorities said verified intelligence had indicated that a group of terrorists was hiding in a farmhouse within the city and planning coordinated attacks in Kohat and surrounding areas. Acting on this information, police and counter-terrorism personnel launched an immediate operation at the farmhouse under the jurisdiction of MRS Police Station. District Police Officer Shahbaz Elahi stated that the area had been fully cordoned off, with advanced surveillance equipment deployed to monitor the site.…