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A group of dissidents this week were each sentenced to 37 years in prison for a peaceful protest against an election widely derided as a sham.
KP Assembly panel seeks report on sports policy and projects
Peshawar – The Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Assembly’s Standing Committee on Sports and Youth Affairs on Thursday reviewed the performance of the provincial Sports and Youth Affairs Department and directed officials to submit a comprehensive report on the provincial sports policy, facilities and development schemes at its next meeting.
The meeting, held at the Provincial Assembly Secretariat, was chaired by committee chairman and Member of the Provincial Assembly Zahir Shah.
Committee members and MPAs Farzana Shireen and Aiman Jalil Jan attended the meeting, along with the Secretary for Sports and Youth Affairs, the Director General Sports, directors of sports, and representatives of the Law Department, the Advocate General’s Office and the Provincial Assembly Secretariat.
The Secretary for Sports and Youth Affairs briefed the committee on the department’s performance, ongoing initiatives and development projects.
He said the department was undertaking a range of measures to promote sports across the province, improve youth welfare and expand access to modern sporting facilities.
These initiatives included the construction and development of playgrounds, sports complexes and youth centres, as well as programmes aimed at identifying and nurturing young talent, encouraging constructive youth engagement and supporting their social and economic empowerment.
The committee was informed that during the 2025-26 financial year, the department had focused on development schemes, sports infrastructure, the promotion of sporting activities in the merged districts, youth complexes and the Ehsaas Naujawan Programme.
The programme focused on employment generation, entrepreneurship and the provision of modern facilities for young people.
The department also organised district-level and inter-district sporting competitions, marathons, traditional games, activities at educational institutions and a range of national-level sporting events.
The Secretary said the department remained committed to promoting sports, supporting positive character development among young people and expanding opportunities for emerging athletes.
He said efforts would continue to ensure equal access to sporting opportunities for women and persons with disabilities, while improving the availability of modern facilities across the province.
These initiatives, he added, would help the youth of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa contribute more effectively to national development and play a constructive role in the country’s future.
During the meeting, committee member Farzana Shireen sought an explanation for the absence of furniture at the Directorate of Sports office in Bannu.
The Secretary informed the committee that the required furniture and other essential equipment would be provided after the completion of the building.
Concluding the meeting, Chairman Zahir Shah directed the Secretary for Sports and Youth Affairs and other relevant officials to submit a detailed report at the next meeting on the provincial sports policy, existing sports facilities and complexes, and ongoing and completed development schemes in Mardan, Mingora and Abbottabad.
Princess Anne, Prince Edward reunite in Scotland
GLASGOW, Scotland – In a rare shared public appearance Princess Anne and Prince Edward stood alongside Sophie, the Duchess of Edinburgh to represent Team England on the stands of Scotstoun Stadium on day seven of the 2026 Commonwealth Games in Glasgow on July 30.
Wearing a nonchalant khaki trench coat and a pair of trademark blue denim jeans, Princess Anne donned a pair of Adidas wrap-around sunglasses for a humid Scottish day as she watched sport alongside Prince Edward and the Duchess.
He is an involved Vice-Patron of the organization and watched the events with deep interest whilst the Duchess engaged in light conversation with him from the neighboring rows.
Because Princess Anne and her youngest brother are both extremely busy working members of The Royal Family (the princess works as patron for over 300 organizations on a yearly basis) you are not often lucky enough to see a royal work duty at the level you can expect this weekend with the pair both working.
This occasion represents a natural joint pursuit for both Princess Anne, who has an exceptionally high sporting profile; in addition to Prince Edward who has proudly played the role as Vice-Patron for the Commonwealth Sport since 1986.
2026 Royal engagements where this will likely be seeing some collaboration – Palace of Holyrood house garden party on 30 July, with other members of the Royal Family in Edinburgh. -Royal Ascot with other members of the royal party, including Zara Tindall and Sophie on 18 June. – Balmoral. We expect King Charles to be joined by members of the Royal Family later in summer at their Scottish private retreat in Aberdeen hire.
Search underway to locate 10 climbers missing after Broad Peak avalanche
A search operation was underway on Friday to locate 10 climbers, including renowned Nepali mountaineer Nirmal Purja and Pakistani climber Sohail Sakhi, who went missing on Broad Peak a day earlier after an avalanche struck around midday.
The Alpine Club of Pakistan (ACP) said that the missing climbers included six Nepalese climbers, a Pakistani, an Omani, an American and a climber from China.
The climbers from Nepal were identified as Purja, Pur Bahadur Gurung, Kili Pemba Sherpa, Nima Sherpa, Nawang Thindu Sherpa and Gyalu Sherpa. It identified the remaining climbers as Nadhira Ahmed Abdullah Al Harthy from Oman, Sakhi from Pakistan, Wang Zhong from China and Mallory Geis from the United States.
In a statement issued on Friday, ACP Senior Vice President Karrar Haidri said two Pakistan Army Aviation rescue helicopters, carrying rescue personnel and additional specialised equipment, had been dispatched to support the ongoing search and rescue operation.
The statement said ACP’s Major General Irfan Arshad, HI(M), along with the club’s senior leadership, remained in constant contact with the highest government authorities and relevant agencies to facilitate the rescue operation.
“Every possible effort is being made to ensure that helicopter support and all available rescue resources are mobilised at the earliest opportunity, subject to weather and operational conditions,” it added.
The club said it was closely monitoring the situation and coordinating with all relevant stakeholders while expressing solidarity with the climbers’ families and the international mountaineering community.
ACP’s General Secretary Ayaz Shigri told Dawn that several expedition teams had jointly begun their summit push before the incident.
He said GPS locations received from some of the missing climbers indicated that the avalanche had swept the group about 1,000 metres downhill, leaving them trapped.
Shigri said helicopter-assisted rescue operations were expected to begin on Friday morning. He said there were also fears that some local high-altitude porters might have been affected by the avalanche.
“We pray for the safety of all the climbers. It is a big incident,” he said.
Purja, 43, who served with Britain’s Brigade of Gurkhas before joining the Special Boat Squadron of the Royal Marines, has broken multiple climbing records since becoming a full-time mountaineer and tour guide.
He climbed all 14 “eight-thousanders” (peaks above 8,000 metres, or 26,000 feet) in six months and six days between April and October 2019 — then a record. In 2021, Purja completed the first winter ascent of K2 along with a team of nine other Nepalese climbers.
Sakhi, who hails from Hunza, had successfully summited Kanchenjunga (8,586m), the world’s 3rd highest mountain, in Nepal earlier in May. He had previously scaled K2, Nanga Parbat, Gasherbrum I and Gasherbrum II without supplemental oxygen, establishing himself among the country’s strongest high-altitude climbers.
Additional input from AFP
10 Climbers, Including Nims Purja, Missing After Avalanche on Broad Peak in Pakistan
Nirmal Purja, an influential mountaineer, was part of a group struck by an avalanche on Broad Peak, an alpine organization said. A search effort was being mobilized.
Minister lauds ACT AI Programme as 6,000 students complete training through HEC smart classroom
ISLAMABAD – Federal Minister for Information Technology and Telecommunication, Shaza Fatima Khawaja witnessed the concluding class of ACT AI Cycle-1, an eight-week Artificial Intelligence (AI) training programme conducted through the HEC Smart Classroom.
The initiative was implemented through a collaborative partnership of the Prime Minister’s Youth Programme, Higher Education Commission (HEC) Pakistan, National Vocational and Technical Training Commission (NAVTTC), and AISkillBridge to equip Pakistani youth with cutting-edge AI knowledge and practical skills.
Congratulating the participants, the Minister interacted with the graduating students, who shared their inspiring success stories, including the development and launch of innovative AI tools during the course. She observed that Artificial Intelligence is no longer confined to the information technology sector but is transforming every field of knowledge and profession. She urged the students to continuously upgrade their skills to remain relevant in the future job market.
Expressing her appreciation for the participation of students from remote areas of the country, the Minister said their passion for learning reflects the immense potential of Pakistan’s youth. She remarked that long-term economic sustainability increasingly depends on technological skills and effective utilisation of AI. Reaffirming the Government’s commitment to promoting digital skills, she assured the graduates of continued support in their professional journey.
The first cycle of ACT AI attracted an overwhelming response, with over 82,000 applicants competing for inclusion. Following a merit-based assessment, 6,000 students were selected for the programme. Of these, 200 participants will serve as master trainers, while the remaining 5,800 graduates now constitute a skilled AI-ready workforce prepared to contribute to Pakistan’s digital economy and innovation ecosystem.
During the ceremony, Executive Director HEC Dr. Zia Ul Haq, senior HEC officials, and representatives of the partner organisations presented an overview of the ACT AI programme and highlighted its successful implementation and impact. The presentation emphasised that Pakistan’s digital future depends on empowering its youth with Artificial Intelligence capabilities, digital literacy, and the responsible use of technology.
It underscored that ACT AI has been designed to address emerging national challenges while preparing the next generation to drive innovation, economic growth, and national resilience. The presenters also highlighted the programme’s potential to strengthen Pakistan’s capacity to address the evolving digital threat landscape while enabling the country to capitalize on emerging opportunities in the global digital economy.
Trump Says Peace Board Has Plan for Gaza Disarmament
There was no immediate comment from Hamas or Israel, though the Board of Peace said Hamas had agreed to a “road map” to give up its weapons.
