Category: 1. Pakistan

The Aurat March Karachi has issued a powerful statement calling for justice for a 19-year-old woman who died after days of being in a coma at Karachi’s Civil Hospital on Wednesday. The young woman succumbed to her injuries after being subjected to brutal sexual violence, allegedly by her husband. Her husband is currently in police custody and is being investigated for her rape.

The young woman was admitted to the trauma centre in a “critical condition”, having undergone a surgical procedure at another hospital, police surgeon Dr Summaiya Syed had told Dawn.com earlier. “Her initial findings were positive for sexual violence,” she said.

Baghdadi SHO Majid Alvi said the girl was married on June 15. “Two days later, the husband subjected her to sodomy” and assaulted her with a metal pipe, leading to deterioration of her health condition. The FIR was registered by the woman’s brother under Sections 324 (attempted murder) and 376-B (punishment for rape) of the Pakistan Penal Code. In the FIR, the brother accused the victim’s husband of subjecting to her brutal sexual violence and “unnatural sex acts”.

In its statement, the Aurat March said, “We are devastated. We are angry. We are heartbroken.”

Highlighting the brutalities the young woman was subjected to, the statement said, “Another girl silenced by brutality. Another life stolen in the name of rape culture.”

They also said, “This is not a ‘private, marital issue’. This is sadistic, calculated torture.”

Their demands include the arrest of the husband’s family, the suspension of the private hospital’s licence until it has been held accountable, putting the doctor who treated her on trial for medical negligence and cover-up and the launching of an independent investigation into the hospital, the doctor and the in-laws.

“Her body is being taken to her ancestral village for burial. When her family returns, we will take to the streets. Aurat March and Minority Rights March will protest. Loud. Relentless. Angry.”

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Updated On: Thu, 24 Jul 2025

16:29:43 PKT

PESHAWAR (Dunya News) – Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Ali Amin Gandapur has stated that the province will no longer tolerate the presence of so-called “Good Taliban,” and a decision has been made to eliminate them entirely from the region.

Speaking at the provincial All Parties Conference (APC) held in Peshawar, Gandapur expressed strong concerns over the security situation and federal policies. He made it clear that no kind of military operation would be accepted in the province moving forward.

Gandapur said, “Today, I acknowledge that ‘Good Taliban’ do exist in the province. We have now decided to eradicate their presence. Anyone seen carrying weapons under the name of any institution will face immediate action—whether an individual or a group. The concept of ‘Good Taliban’ is now over and will no longer be tolerated.”

He criticised past military operations, saying they yielded no significant results and instead harmed the province and its people.

Strongly opposing drone strikes, he said such operations in civilian areas have resulted in the loss of innocent lives and will no longer be allowed.

Gandapur also alleged that some state institutions have been supporting extremist groups labeled as ‘Good Taliban’, but the province will no longer accept this. “They must be eliminated and removed from the province immediately,” he asserted.

Read also: Handful of terrorists cannot hinder Pakistan’s progress, DG ISPR tells students

The APC decided to recruit 300 locals into the police force in every tribal district to help maintain peace at the local level.

Sending a clear message to the federal government, the chief minister stated that border security is the responsibility of the centre, but if it fails to fulfill this duty, the provincial government will take charge of security with its own police force.

He further emphasised that Khyber Pakhtunkhwa has full rights over its mineral resources and will not hand over this authority to the federal government.

He also opposed the imposition of federal taxes on tribal areas, stating that the provincial government would not support the center on this issue.

Gandapur concluded by declaring that no federal force will be allowed to operate in the province without first taking the provincial government into confidence.

Safar, the second month in the Hijri Calendar, is expected to start on Saturday, July 26, according to astronomical calculations.

“On July 24, the moon cannot be seen anywhere in the world. On July 25, it can be seen from Middle East westward. On July 26, it would be visible in the whole world,” Moonsighting.com reported.

📚 Read Also: 9 Interesting Facts About the Hijri Calendar

Like all the other Hijri lunar months, the month of Safar spans over 29 or 30 days; and for that reason, we conduct the lunar astronomical observations and calculate the lunar months to know their exact dates every year.

Normally, a Hijri day starts at sunset. Thus, observing the crescent of a new Hijri month occurs during the sunset.

The Hijri Calendar is a lunar dating system, and its months begin when the lunar phase called First Crescent of a new moon is sighted.

The year of the Hijri lunar calendar is 11 to 12 days shorter than the solar year. Thus, Safar and all other lunar months migrate backward throughout the seasons, during a cycle of about 33 solar years.

BEIJING, (APP – UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News – 24th Jul, 2025) Gansu Academy of Agricultural Sciences (GAAS) and Islamia University of Bahawalpur (IUB) signed an agreement on establishing the Joint Laboratory on Modern Agriculture Science and Technology to strengthen collaborative research in high-yield and high-quality crop breeding, sustainable agricultural development technologies, efficient agricultural resource utilization, and agricultural ecological environment protection.

“The challenges facing Pakistan’s agricultural development, such as water scarcity and insufficient equipment, are highly similar to the difficulties Gansu once encountered. With the Joint Laboratory as a link, our academy will transform the Chinese experience accumulated over the years – including dryland farming technologies, crop cultivation models, and agricultural mechanization supporting schemes – into localized solutions suitable for Pakistan,” Chang Hong, GAAS President said.

Under the agreement, the two sides will set up research bases in Gansu and Bahawalpur respectively, with a focus on promoting the localization of advanced technologies of GAAS in Pakistan.

Key efforts will include introducing grain-legume intercropping and dryland water-saving technologies to arid areas in Pakistan to improve the stress resistance and yield of farmland, combining Gansu’s high-quality crop breeding experience with Pakistani germplasm resources to develop high-yield crop varieties, and strengthening personnel exchanges and technical training for Pakistani agricultural professionals, China Economic Net reported on Thursday.

“In Pakistan, where agriculture supports nearly 40% of the labor force, there is a pressing need for modernization and research-based solutions to ensure food security, climate resilience, and economic uplift. We envision this joint laboratory as a model of synergy – where Pakistani and Chinese scientists, researchers, and students will work hand in hand, benefitting from shared knowledge, cutting-edge facilities, and a spirit of co-creation,” Prof. Muhammad Kamran, IUB Vice Chancellor remarked.

Faisalabad Electric Supply Company (FESCO) has launched the “Apna Meter, Apni Reading” program which is a practical embodiment of the Prime Minister of Pakistan’s vision of “Digital Pakistan”, through which transparency, efficiency and accountability are being ensured.

FESCO spokesman said here on Wednesday that “Apna Meter, Apni Reading” is an innovative and revolutionary initiative of the Government of Pakistan.

He said that the main objective of this program is to empower electricity consumers to submit their own meter readings. Under this initiative, consumers can submit their electricity readings through the mobile application “Power Smart App”, which will not only increase transparency but also be helpful to eliminate the overbilling, he added.

He said that the Power Smart Mobile Application can be downloaded from the Google Play Store (Android) or the App Store (iOS).

After registering on the app by entering their consumer ID and other required information, users can use its feature “Apna Meter Apni Reading” to take a picture of their electricity meter on a specified date and upload it through the app.

The image of the customer’s meter reading submitted through this app will be given priority over the image of the reading taken in the same billing cycle by the concerned Distribution Company.

While the reading sent by the consumers will be considered as final and on the basis of this reading uploaded by the consumers, his monthly electricity bill will be prepared and “Apna Meter Apni Reading” will also be written on the bill along with a picture, he added.

He said that the practical implementation of “Apna Meter Apni Reading” is also helping to reduce overbilling, reading errors, and delay in billing.

He further added that this app is very useful for users who are in the protected category, as uploading a photo on their due date of reading will prevent them from being included in the non-protected category.

He appealed the electricity consumers to keep a proper distance from the meter and electricity wires while taking pictures of the meter readings for uploading on app and keep safety rules in mind because safety of consumers is FESCO’s top priority.

A bogie of a Quetta-bound Bolan Mail train was “partially damaged” on Thursday after an explosion struck a railway track in Balochistan’s Sibi district, officials said.

The 3Up train usually departs Karachi City Station in the day and arrives the next day in Quetta, with over 20 stops on its way, according to Pakistan Railways’ website.

“The railway track between Bakhtiarabad and Damboli areas was blown up with explosives, resulting in the Bolan Mail heading from Karachi to Quetta being hit,” station master Murtaza told reporters in Sibi.

He added that bogie No. 7 of the train was “partially damaged” in the incident. The train reached the Sibi railway station safely, he confirmed.

A statement by Muhammad Kashif, public relations officer of the Quetta Railway divisional superintendent, said: “We were informed that a blast occurred on the track at KM No. 200 between Damboli and Dangra while train 3UP was passing.

“However, the train passed safely and is now reaching Sibi. Train 40UP has been controlled at DMJJ (Dera Murad Jamali Station) as a precautionary measure.

With a rise in terrorist attacks over the past few years, Balochistan has seen a series of incidents when train tracks were blown up, targeting the province’s transport infrastructure.

Train services betw­een Quetta and the rest of the country were restored on March 27, after they were suspended due to the unprecedented hijacking of the Pesha­war-bound Jaffar Express earlier that month.

The train, travelling from Quetta to Peshawar and carrying 440 passengers, was hijacked near Balochistan’s Sibi area on March 11, resulting in the deaths of 21 passengers and four security personnel. “All 33 terrorists” were neutralised during the two-day clearance operation, the military said.

In June, a powerful explosion of a remotely controlled explosive device fitted to rail tracks caused four bogies of the Jaffer Express to derail in Jacobabad. No one was hurt in the incident.

In April, the 3UP train was stopped at Jacobabad railway station due to security reasons.

Senate Chairman Yousuf Raza Gilani on Thursday emphasized the urgent need to address the root causes of terrorism, asserting that lasting peace requires more than the absence of conflict—it demands justice and inclusive development.

Speaking to a tribal jirga from the merged districts, Gilani acknowledged the sacrifices made by the people of these areas in the fight against terrorism. He said their contributions were unforgettable and that development in the tribal belt remains a top priority.

Recalling his tenure as prime minister, Gilani said military operations in South Waziristan, Swat, and Malakand were launched in consultation with all stakeholders. These operations displaced 2.5 million people, he noted, but they were successfully rehabilitated within 90 days.

Gilani stressed that Pakistan has borne the brunt of terrorism, especially due to instability in Afghanistan, which triggered a large influx of refugees. He criticized the international community for failing to honor its commitments to support Pakistan in handling the refugee burden.

He also cited the example of Malala Yousafzai, to whom he awarded a peace prize during his premiership — an initiative that was later internationally recognized when she received the Nobel Peace Prize.

The Senate chairman further pointed out that many countries face law and order challenges, but Pakistan’s most urgent issues lie along its borders with Afghanistan and India. He reiterated the government’s responsibility to maintain peace and ensure justice for all, particularly in marginalized areas.

Gilani concluded by assuring the tribal representatives that their voices will not be silenced, and called for genuine efforts to address their legitimate concerns. He also highlighted similar challenges faced by his own region, South Punjab, underscoring the shared struggle against poverty and unemployment.