Peshawar  –  On the directives of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister, Sohail Afridi, Advisor to the Chief Minister on Social Welfare, Special Education, Ushr, Zakat and Women Empowerment, Malik Liaqat Ali Khan, on Wednesday paid a detailed visit to Mardan, where he inspected the Special Education Complex, Dar-ul-Aman, and the Drug Rehabilitation Centre.

Secretary Social Welfare Sharif Hussain accompanied him during the visit. During the visit, the Advisor reviewed the medical, rehabilitation and welfare services being provided to patients undergoing treatment at the Drug Rehabilitation Centre. He met with the patients, inquired about their well-being, and obtained first-hand information regarding the quality of treatment, accommodation, food and other facilities being provided.

Expressing serious dissatisfaction over the poor performance of the Drug Rehabilitation Centre, administrative irregularities Malik Liaqat Ali directed immediate suspension of the officer Incharge of the facility. He also directed a comprehensive inquiry into the alleged violations of rules and regulations and instructed the Secretary Social Welfare to submit a detailed investigation report at the earliest so that legal action could be taken against those found responsible.

Speaking on the occasion, the Advisor said that effective rehabilitation of drug-dependent individuals is among the government’s key priorities. He said that transforming recovering addicts into healthy, dignified and productive members of society is a fundamental responsibility of the Social Welfare Department. He made it clear that negligence, maladministration or incompetence in public welfare institutions would not be tolerated under any circumstances.

Later, the Advisor visited Dar-ul-Aman Mardan, where he reviewed the residential, food, healthcare, protection, legal aid, psychological counselling and rehabilitation services being provided to women residing at the facility. He inspected various residential and administrative sections, met with the residents and inquired about their well-being.

During the inspection, he also examined the staff attendance register and took notice of the prolonged absence of a vocational teacher, ordering an inquiry into the matter. He directed the relevant authorities to ensure that all necessary measures are taken to provide a safe, dignified and supportive environment for women residing at Dar-ul-Aman.

Malik Liaqat also visited the Special Education Complex Mardan, where he was briefed in detail about the educational, vocational, rehabilitation and support services being provided to children with special needs.

The Advisor was informed that the Special Education Complex Mardan is currently providing free quality education to 430 students with special needs, while a total of 3,839 children have benefited from the institution since its establishment. It was further stated that the Vocational Training Centre for Persons with Disabilities is currently imparting vocational skills to 85 special students, whereas 719 individuals have completed technical training at the centre since its inception.

The Advisor was also informed that children with visual and hearing impairments are being provided free educational facilities in line with modern educational standards.

Officials further informed the Advisor that Dar-ul-Aman Mardan currently houses 28 women, while a total of 5,142 women have received shelter, protection and rehabilitation services since the establishment of the institution.

Addressing the officials, Malik Liaqat Ali said that providing quality education, rehabilitation, vocational training and other essential facilities to persons with disabilities is among the top priorities of the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government. He directed the concerned authorities to further simplify, streamline and make the registration process for persons with disabilities more transparent and citizen-friendly so that the maximum number of deserving individuals could benefit from government services.

LAHORE: Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz and Punjab Assembly Speaker Malik Muhammad Ahmad Khan had a second one-on-one meeting in a week over the matters concerning the provincial legislature.

In Wednesday’s meeting, CM Maryam was particular about “inclusive legislation.”

She said it should be ensured that both treasury and opposition members be consulted in the legislative process.

Khan said the CM’s direction would be followed and the proceedings of the Punjab Assembly would be held through mutual coordination.

Both also discussed legislative matters related to prison reforms and the controversial bill – the Punjab Control of Habitual Offenders and Anti-Social Behaviour Bill, 2026.

Speaker Khan praised the chief minister for presenting what he termed an outstanding policy at the National Paigham-i-Aman Committee. He also lauded the launch of the “Apna Khet, Apna Rozgar” scheme and congratulated the chief minister on the balloting held under the initiative.

The chief minister described the “Apna Khet, Apna Rozgar” scheme as the achievement of the entire team and said the Punjab government was introducing new public welfare projects every day.

She said the government’s focus was now on underdeveloped areas, where electric buses were being introduced on roads and modern agricultural machinery was being brought to improve the farming sector.

Published in Dawn, July 9th, 2026

LOS ANGELES – Pop singer Justin ​Bieber will co-headline ‌a star-studded halftime show at the ​World Cup soccer ​final on July 19, ⁠FIFA announced ​on Wednesday.

Bieber will join ​previously announced performers Madonna, Shakira and BTS ​at the 11-minute ​show, the first halftime ‌musical ⁠performance at the World Cup, a statement from the ​soccer ​federation ⁠said.

The World Cup final will ​take place ​in ⁠East Rutherford, New Jersey, just outside ⁠of ​New York ​City.

ATTOCK – In one of the largest public health data initiatives in the province, the Attock district administration has also launched a comprehensive digital health demographic profiling and mapping campaign aimed at covering the district’s entire population of 2,274,521 people.

The project will assign a unique digital identification number to every family and create a centralized, verified health database to deliver medical services directly at people’s doorsteps.

A source of Health Department Attock told this journalist that so far 1,551,442 residents have been registered under the program. Field teams are working across the district to complete profiling for the remaining population in the coming weeks. To ensure 100 percent coverage, the Health Department has deputed 697 Lady Health Workers, 142 Community Health Inspectors, and 14 Family Welfare Workers for door-to-door data collection. Trained teams are visiting homes to record detailed demographic and health information. The data being collected includes socio-economic status, family size, prevalent diseases, specific disabilities, and the exact geographic dispersion of health issues across towns and villages.

“This is not just a survey. It is a complete health mapping of Attock,” the source said. “The goal is to move from a reactive system to a preventive and targeted one.”

A key feature of the program is the issuance of a unique 13-digit digital identification number linked to each family’s CNIC. This number will serve as the primary key in a centralized database. Once linked, health staff will be able to instantly access and update a person’s medical history during visits. The system is designed to eliminate duplicate records and ensure that every citizen has a traceable health profile. Officials say this digital ID will streamline service delivery and reduce the need for patients to carry paper records between facilities. The data collected will directly feed into service delivery.

Under the program, residents will be able to access antenatal and postnatal care, hemoglobin and diabetes testing, insulin facilities, routine vaccinations, hepatitis screening and testing, and essential medicines at their homes. The focus is on taking primary healthcare out of crowded hospitals and into communities, especially for women, children, the elderly, and patients with chronic illnesses. “Instead of waiting for people to come to BHUs with complications, we will reach them first,” the source said. “This will reduce the burden on DHQ and THQ hospitals and ensure timely intervention.” Health officials say the verified data will allow the administration to allocate resources with precision. Areas with high rates of malnutrition, diabetes, or specific disabilities can be identified immediately and provided additional support.

The database will also help in planning emergency vaccination drives, ensuring proactive follow-ups for patients with chronic diseases, and monitoring maternal and child health indicators in real time.

Because the data is being verified at the household level, the district expects to have one of the most accurate health maps in Punjab once the project is complete. The program aligns with the Punjab Government’s broader vision of preventive healthcare and universal health coverage. By linking every family to a primary care center through their digital ID, the system aims to catch health problems early and manage them at the local level.

The source added that the initiative will also help in policy planning. “When you know exactly where a disease is clustered or which community lacks access, you can design programs that actually work.”

With more than 1.5 million people already registered, the district administration is hopeful that the remaining households will be profiled soon. Officials say the complete database will become the foundation for all future health planning and service delivery in Attock. The administration has appealed to citizens to cooperate with field teams and provide accurate information to ensure the success of the campaign.

ATTOCK   –   An 18-year-old girl was shot dead in Pindigheb allegedly after refusing a marriage proposal from a married man. Police have registered a case and launched raids to arrest the suspect.

According to the FIR registered at Pindigheb Police Station, the victim, Misbah Javed, was staying at her maternal uncle’s house.

Complainant Ghulam Hussain resident of Dhok Sar  told police that on the day of the incident, accused Muhammad Shoaib Akhtar, a resident of Dhok Chakrali, forcibly entered the house and opened fire on Misbah.

The FIR states that the accused was enraged because Misbah had refused his proposal for marriage. The suspect, who is already married, allegedly fired 4 to 5 shots at her. 

Misbah sustained critical gunshot wounds and died on the way to hospital.  Following the incident, Pindigheb police reached the scene and registered a case against Muhammad Shoaib Akhtar. Police officials said multiple raids are being conducted at different locations to arrest the accused. District police have said that the suspect will be brought to justice and that further investigation is underway. Meanwhile, Hazro police arrested four accused namely Bilal, Ehtisham, Sajjad, and Shakil for allegedly molesting a teenage boy and filming him.