ISLAMABAD   –   Water-testing equipment has been installed in 46 laboratories across Islamabad, Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, while nine mobile water-testing laboratories have been made operational under an initiative to strengthen water-quality monitoring and surveillance.

According to documents available, the project has strengthened water-quality monitoring, surveillance and management systems in line with Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 6, while also strengthening institutional and policy arrangements.

The initiative has focused on building the capacity of relevant stakeholders in water-quality monitoring and testing. Technical staff of concerned federal and provincial entities have been trained and equipped with the knowledge and skills required to conduct water-quality tests and surveys.

As part of the initiative, water-quality assessments have been conducted at all filtration plants in Islamabad in collaboration with the Capital Development Authority (CDA), while filters have been changed where required.

The project has also developed a country report containing recommendations for improving Pakistan’s legal and administrative systems related to SDG 6 and water resources management. An action plan has also been developed for smart water management in Islamabad’s water-supply system.

A federal-level water-quality surveillance mechanism is being established through comprehensive knowledge management, monitoring and evaluation, and periodic reporting arrangements. According to the document, such a mechanism did not exist before the intervention and will contribute towards achieving SDG 6, particularly target 6.1.

The initiative is also contributing to regular reporting on drinking-water quality to improve service delivery and help devise interventions required to improve water quality in target areas and ensure access to safe drinking water.

It will also support the establishment of a Centralized Quality Assessment and Monitoring System as part of efforts towards achieving SDG 6.

According to the document, the initiative will directly benefit marginalised sections of society across urban and peri-urban municipalities and local governments in Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, with a focus on improving drinking-water quality and access to safe drinking water.

The successful implementation of the project will pave the way for future collaboration with the Korea International Cooperation Agency and other national and international development partners for water, sanitation and hygiene-related projects and activities in other areas.

Dera ismail khan  –  A memorial commemorating the sacrifices of the martyrs of Derajat was formally inaugurated at GPO Chowk Dera Ismail Khan as part of Independence Day observances.

Member of the National Assembly Faisal Amin Gandapur inaugurated the memorial at a ceremony attended by Commissioner Dera Ismail Khan Division, Deputy Commissioner, officers of the district administration and prominent personalities.

Addressing the ceremony, Faisal Amin Gandapur said that peace and stability being witnessed in Dera Ismail Khan today were the result of the unparalleled sacrifices rendered by the martyrs.

He said that during the difficult period of terrorism, soldiers, civilians and personnel of law-enforcement agencies had laid down their lives to protect peace in the region and secure a better future for coming generations.

The MNA said the martyrs were not the pride of any particular family or institution but of the entire Derajat and Pakistan. He said the memorial would remind the younger generation that the prevailing peace had been achieved after immense sacrifices and that remembering the martyrs from generation to generation was a collective responsibility.

The Commissioner and Deputy Commissioner said the memorial was not merely a structure but a symbol of sacrifice, courage and patriotism. They said its establishment at a central location such as GPO Chowk would serve as a lasting reminder to citizens of the sacrifices made by the national heroes.

The participants paid rich tribute to the martyrs, describing them as a source of national pride and an enduring part of the history and identity of Derajat.

The ceremony concluded with prayers for the elevation of the ranks of the martyrs, patience and steadfastness for their bereaved families, and lasting peace, progress and prosperity in Dera Ismail Khan and across the country.

PESHAWAR  –  The Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government has formed a 12-member provincial Paigham-e-Aman Committee to promote peace, tolerance and interfaith harmony across the province.

According to a notification issued by the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Information and Public Relations Department on Sunday, the committee has been established with the approval of the Chief Minister, while Chief Khateeb Maulana Muhammad Tayyab Qureshi has been appointed as its coordinator.

The committee includes religious scholars representing different schools of thought, including Deobandi, Barelvi, Ahl-e-Hadith and Shia, as well as representatives of the Christian, Sikh and Hindu communities.

The committee will highlight the national narrative in the local and regional context of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and organise programmes and activities aimed at promoting peace, tolerance and social harmony.

Its activities will include Ulema conventions, youth dialogues, inter-sectarian engagements and peace campaigns reflecting the province’s local cultural and religious context. The committee will also identify emerging tensions, hate trends and threats to peace in the province and regularly inform the National Paigham-e-Aman Committee. Special attention will be given to peace and awareness campaigns among youth and vulnerable groups.

The Information and Public Relations Department will provide support for the committee’s media, communication and publicity activities to help promote a unified peace narrative at both the provincial and national levels. The move comes amid broader efforts by the National Paigham-e-Aman Committee to strengthen interfaith harmony, inter-sect unity and national cohesion in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.