Category: 1. Pakistan

The National Database and Registration Authority (NADRA) has initiated a minority registration drive throughout Pakistan, aimed at promoting equal rights and citizenship for minority communities.

The campaign will run until August 11, coinciding with National Minorities Day, and will facilitate the issuance and renewal of identity documents for individuals from these communities.

An official statement from NADRA emphasizes, “You are allowed to have the same rights as every other citizen,” underscoring the organization’s commitment to ensuring equal rights for minorities.

The initiative aims to encourage minority members to register and access essential civic services such as education, healthcare, and voting.

To enhance convenience, NADRA will deploy Mobile Registration Vans (MRVs) in various regions, allowing citizens to apply for or renew their identity cards on-site. Alternatively, individuals can visit their nearest NADRA center to take advantage of the campaign.

This registration drive is part of NADRA’s strategic digital vision and commitment to inclusive service delivery.

By simplifying the registration process, NADRA aims to foster national unity and ensure that no citizen is left behind.

The campaign has been positively received as a significant step toward empowering marginalized communities and reinforcing Pakistan’s dedication to solidarity and equal opportunity.

ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif arrived in Pakistan’s northern Gilgit city on Monday to review the flood situation in the region and damages caused during the monsoon season, his office said as the death toll from rains in the country surged to 300.

Pakistani authorities last week declared 37 villages in the northern Gilgit-Baltistan (GB) region “calamity-affected” after cloud burst-induced floods disrupted life there. Ten people have lost their lives and five have been injured due to torrential monsoon rains in GB since June 26, as per the National Disaster Management Authority’s (NDMA) latest situation report. 

GB’s Diamer, Skardu, Gilgit and Ghizer were among the districts hit worst by rains and floods last week. The situation prompted authorities to launch immediate relief activities in these areas.

“Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has arrived on a one-day tour to Gilgit,” the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) said in a statement. 

GB Chief Minister Gulbar Khan and the region’s Governor Syed Mehdi Shah received Sharif upon his arrival to the city. The Pakistani prime minister is accompanied by senior ministers and officials, the PMO said. 

The prime minister will meet victims of the rains and floods in Gilgit and distribute relief funds during his day-long trip, his office said. It added that Sharif will chair a meeting to review the damages caused by the recent rains and meet GB’s governor and chief minister.

Pakistan, which ranks among the world’s most climate-vulnerable nations, has witnessed increasingly erratic weather events in recent years.

In May, at least 32 people were killed in severe storms, while a third of the country was submerged by devastating floods in 2022 that killed more than 1,700 people, affected over 30 million and caused an estimated $35 billion in damages.

Of the 300 killed since June 26 from rain-related incidents in Pakistan, 140 are children, 103 are men while 57 are females, as per the NDMA’s data. Punjab has reported the highest number of deaths, 162, followed by northwestern Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) province with 70 casualties, Sindh with 28 deaths, Balochistan with 20 casualties, GB with 10, Islamabad with eight and Azad Kashmir with five deaths. 

The Meteorological Department has warned of more rains in the country from Monday, saying that monsoon currents penetrating the country are expected to intensify from Aug. 4. The PMD had warned that heavy rains may generate flash floods in local nullahs/streams of Chitral, Dir, Swat, Shangla, Mansehra, Kohistan, Abbottabad, Buner, Charsadda, Nowshera, Swabi, Mardan, Murree, Galliyat, Islamabad/Rawalpindi, northeast Punjab and Kashmir from Aug. 5-7. 

“Landslides/mudslides may cause roads’ closure in the vulnerable hilly areas of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Gilgit-Baltistan, Murree, Galliyat and Kashmir during the forecast period,” the PMD’s report said. 

Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) Adviser for Information, Barrister Dr. Saif, has underscored the importance of cross-border coordination with Afghanistan to effectively combat terrorism and ensure lasting peace in the region.

In a statement on Monday, Dr. Saif said the provincial government, under the leadership of Chief Minister Ali Amin Gandapur, is taking concrete steps to maintain law and order, particularly in the sensitive tribal districts bordering Afghanistan.

Highlighting the government’s consultative approach, he noted that after holding tribal jirgas in Khyber and Orakzai, a key jirga was convened in Bajaur at the Chief Minister’s House. Tribal elders and key stakeholders participated in the meeting to discuss the prevailing security situation and propose viable solutions.

The adviser explained that these jirgas are part of a broader series initiated after the All Parties Conference (APC), with each step building towards a Grand Jirga. The final forum will consolidate recommendations for long-term peace and stability, which will then be submitted to the relevant authorities.

Dr. Saif reaffirmed that restoring peace remains the provincial government’s top priority, especially in the merged tribal districts. He stressed that public trust and active community participation are essential for the success of any law-and-order initiative.

He concluded by emphasizing that sustained cross-border cooperation with Afghanistan is crucial for effectively countering terrorism in the region.

The Jaffar Express service was suspended on Monday after unidentified people opened fire on a pilot engine dispatched to clear tracks near Kolpur, Balochistan.

As a precaution, authorities stopped the Jaffar Express at Dozan railway station in the Kachhi district of Balochistan.

The train was heading to Peshawar from Quetta. Railway officials confirmed that no casualties were reported in the incident.

According to the railway administration, a pilot engine is run from Quetta to Sibi to inspect the track before the Jaffar Express to avoid any possible sabotage.

According to Levies’ sources, the pilot engine was fired upon near Tunnel No. 16 near Dozan.

The engine was hit by five bullets, but the driver and other crew members remained unharmed.

After the shooting, the engine was safely transported to Dozan Station, while an investigation into the incident has been launched.

Meanwhile, the Indian-sponsored terrorist organisation Baloch Liberation Army (also known as Fitna Al Hindustan) has claimed responsibility for the attack.

The Jaffar Express has previously been the target of terrorist attacks.

On March 11, 2025, the nine-coach passenger train travelling from Quetta to Peshawar was attacked by terrorists. A total of 26 passengers were martyred in this tragic incident.

Later, in June 2025, the Jaffar Express was targeted in a bomb blast in the Jacobabad district of Sindh, causing four coaches to derail. Fortunately, all passengers remained safe in that incident.

Pakistan has officially added a new Chinese attack helicopter to its military arsenal — the Z-10ME — a similar model to the one China uses to patrol its border with India.

The Pakistan Army Aviation Corps held an induction ceremony on Saturday, calling the helicopters a “state-of-the-art, all-weather platform” capable of precision strikes both day and night. They didn’t disclose how many helicopters were acquired, but said the aircraft is equipped with advanced radar and electronic warfare systems.

ISLAMABAD (Dunya News) – The Islamabad High Court (IHC) has ordered Deputy Commissioner (DC) Irfan Nawaz Memon to hold talks with demonstrators protesting outside the National Press Club and ensure the peaceful conclusion of the sit-in.

The direction came during a hearing on a petition filed by the administration of a nearby F-6 petrol pump, which claimed that the ongoing protest by families of missing Baloch individuals had disrupted their business operations.

Chief Justice Sarfraz Dogar, who presided over the hearing, expressed concern over the prolonged roadblock caused by the protest. Addressing the deputy commissioner, he said, “Negotiate with the protesters and tell them they cannot sit here. Why is the road blocked? The businesses in the area are being affected.”

Advocate General Islamabad, Ayyaz Shaukat, informed the court that members of the Baloch Youth Council were leading the protest. When questioned by the chief justice about whether permission had been granted for the demonstration, the Advocate General admitted that no such permission existed. “We disperse them, but they return,” he added.

The court questioned the administration’s approach and emphasised the need for immediate and effective action. “The measures taken so far are inadequate. You are responsible for protecting the property rights of others as well,” CJ Dogar remarked.

The deputy commissioner told the court that an alternative location could be offered to the protesters. In response, the chief justice ordered him to engage with the demonstrators and ensure the site is cleared. “Submit a progress report in the next hearing, which is scheduled after two weeks, without failure,” he directed.

Clarifying the court’s stance, the chief justice said, “When we say fifteen days, it doesn’t mean you return after fifteen days.” The DC assured the court that action would be taken immediately.

The petitioner’s counsel urged the court to expedite its directives, stating that local businesses had come to a standstill. In response, the chief justice remarked, “The direction has been given.”

The next hearing will take place in two weeks, with the Islamabad administration expected to present a detailed report on the matter.