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PESHAWAR: The Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government on Friday unveiled the “KP Good Governance Roadmap” with a two-year-implementation plan to improve public service delivery and institutional efficiency through an in-built reward and accountability system.

“There is always room for improvement and learning,” Chief Minister Ali Amin Khan Gandapur said during the launching ceremony at his official residence here.

The event was attended by international donors, bureaucrats and cabinet members.

Chief secretary Shahab Ali Shah presented the roadmap and said it was anchored around three priority pillars, good governance, robust security and smart development encompassing interventions in twelve governance, one security and three development domains.

CM says new system of governance will be introduced if current doesn’t deliver

He said the high impact domain included health, education, social protection, economic uplift, infrastructure development, agriculture, energy, tourism and digitisation.

“In the health sector, the roadmap will seek to upgrade 250 basic health units and rural health centres into 24/7 maternal care facilities with provision of essential medicines at hospitals, while 54 Category-D hospitals will be outsourced through public-private partnership to enhance management and improve services,” he said.

Mr Shah said the education reform featured the reduction of out-of-school children by 50 per cent and upgradation of learning outcomes in public schools.

He said 1,500 schools would be outsourced to improve quality of education, while higher education would be re-aligned with market needs via launch of industry-relevant degree programs and internships.

“Appointments and postings will be performance-based subject to monthly reviews,” he said.

The chief secretary said that mega development projects would be completed on priority basis for quick public impact including Peshawar-Dera Ismail Khan Motorway, Peshawar New General Bus Stand and Northern Bypass, while in the tourism sector, 50 new tourist destinations and 25 sites would be developed.

“We are committed to delivery. With defined Key Performance Indicators, continuous oversight and an inclusive feedback mechanism, we are determined to ensure that every rupee spent translates into meaningful outcomes for the people of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa,” he said.

Additional chief secretary (planning and development) Ikramullah Khan gave a quick overview of the reform roadmap to ensure immediate and quick public impact projects.

Chief Minister Gandapur said the government would have to come up with a new system of governance if the current system didn’t deliver.

He said he had ensured that all schools in his constituency had furniture, and yet, when prodded to submit demand for new furniture, the schools sought Rs400 million.

“This means that the furniture was either stolen or never delivered,” he said.

The chief minister said that reforms were necessary to bring transparency and accountability.

He said that it was important to fix responsibility and punish those responsible. He said that he would personally review the performance of officers and would reward the best performers with better posting and punish those who failed to deliver.

“Bureaucrats and politicians are equally responsible for bad governance and corruption,”he said.

The roadmap seeks to ensure timely implementation and accountability, a comprehensive monitoring and evaluation system.

Its working paper says that the roadmap is based on detailed action plans prepared by the department themselves which will be reviewed on the weekly and monthly basis by the office of the chief secretary and quarterly at the Chief Minister’s Secretariat.

The chief secretary will directly oversee administrative and institutional reform, while the Performance Management and Reform Unit will utilize dashboard and geo-tagging evidence to track and verify progress.

“We are offering ourselves for scrutiny,” he said.

The chief secretary said that an effective communication strategy had also been prepared to augment the reform roadmap through a mix of traditional and digital media and social media platforms integrated with the CM’s Complaint Cell.

He responded to questions from participants and urged them to study the “living document” to study improvements.

Published in Dawn, July 5th, 2025

PESHAWAR: The Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Provincial Disaster Management Authority (PDMA) on Friday warned the administrations of five districts about the high risk of glacial lake outburst floods due to a significant rise in temperatures and upcoming weather system.

In an advisory issued to the deputy commissioners of Upper and Lower Chitral, Upper Dir, Swat and Upper Kohistan, the PDMA said that Pakistan Meteorological Department had formally informed it that as there was a significant rise in temperatures and upcoming weather system in northern parts of the country, the risk of Glofs was very likely to increase in glaciated areas of the province.

“The persistent high temperatures may accelerate snow and glacier melt and subsequent weather events, potentially triggering Glofs and flash floods in vulnerable valleys and surrounding regions in the current and upcoming week,” it said.

The PDMA said that in view of the above weather conditions, you are requested to kindly take all necessary precautionary measures to avoid any loss of human and animal life and damage to infrastructure and crops.

It urged authorities to undertake proactive monitoring and surveillance of vulnerable Glof sites to ensure timely early warning and response, conduct evacuation drills in at-risk communities to ensure full preparedness and ensure that safe evacuation sites are fully stocked and ready for utilisation in case of any eventuality.

The PDMA also called for the availability of necessary emergency equipment for rapid response in case of any eventuality, launch of mass awareness campaign about Glofs in at-risk areas, risk of the washing away of vehicles in water channels, and introduction of a community-based alert system for the people in low-lying areas.

It asked authorities to prepare evacuation plans for at-risk communities and its timely execution and issuance of warning to visitors to at-risk and vulnerable areas about travel risks.

The PDMA saidthe district administrations should coordinate with National Highway Authority, Frontier Works Organisation and the communication and works department for the timely restoration of roads in case of blockage, obstruction and damage.

It said that in case of heightened risk, controlled breaching of vulnerable Glof sites could be coordinated with the relevant departments to prevent sudden outburst events.

Last Wednesday, the PDMA alerted the district administrations across the province to the possibility of a new rain spell across the province from July 5 to 11.

In an advisory issued to the deputy commissioners across the province, it quoted the PMD as informing that moist currents were penetrating into most parts of the region and likely to become intensified in the next couple of days.

“A westerly wave is also expected to approach on July 5 evening or night. Under the influence of these weather system and rain showers with thunderstorm, lightning and gusty winds with isolated/scattered heavy falls (at times very heavy) are expected in Haripur, Abbottabad, Mansehra, Chitral, Dir, Swat, Buner, Malakand, Battagram, Shangla, Kohistan, Kolai Pallas Kohistan, Torghar, Peshawar, Mardan, Swabi, Nowshera, Charsadda, Bajaur, Mohmand, Khyber, Orakzai, Kurram, Kohat, Hangu, Bannu, Karak, Lakki Marwat, Dera Ismail Khan, Tank, and North and South Waziristan from July 5 to July 11 with occasional gaps,” it said.

Published in Dawn, July 5th, 2025

• Officials say five-storey complex in Lyari housed around 100 people, had already been declared ‘dangerous’
• Rescue efforts hampered by suspension of cellular services
• Karachi mayor stresses need to evacuate hundreds of dilapidated buildings across the metropolis

KARACHI: At least 10 people lost their lives after a high-rise building collapsed in Lyari on Friday, with many more feared to be buried under the rubble, acco­rding to officials and witnesses.

The five-storey building on Fida Husain Shaikha Road in Lea Market had already been declared uninhabitable by authorities due to its dilapidated structure, which was further weakened by recent rains, DIG South Syed Asad Raza told Dawn.

Nine bodies and eight injured were brought to the Civil Hospital, the executive director of the hospital’s trauma centre told Dawn.

There were three women among the deceased, Dr Sabir Memon added.

The deceased were identified as Fatima Babu, 55; Prem, 32; Waseem Babu, 35; Hoor Bai Kishan, 55; Prantic Arsi, 21; Sunita Daya, 35; Daya Lal, 40; Wanda Kelash, 13; Arshna Vishal, 24; and Kishan Daya Lal, 72.

The injured were identified as Yusuf Subhan, 50; Rashid Aziz, 25; Chanda Lal, 30; Sanita Chaitan, 30; Kishna Das, 17; Mujeeb Ali, 29; Roshan Islam, 32; and three-month-old Bhabna Rohit.

Police surgeon Dr Summaiya Syed told Dawn the victims sustained crush injuries to the chest and head.

The death toll is expected to rise further, as rescue teams were clearing the debris in search of people late into the night.

Heavy machinery faced difficulty in reaching the site amid the narrow alleys of Lyari, a low-income neighbourhood.

Police even had to baton-charge a crowd that had gathered around the site to make way for machinery, officials added.

The rescue operation was also hampered by the suspension of cellular services for security reasons during the Muharram procession.

Rescue 1122 spokesperson Hassaanul Haseeb Khan told Dawn the incident had reportedly occurred between 9 and 9:30am. However, they said they received the information late due to the suspension of communication networks, he added.

According to DIG Raza, the building named Gada Palace was constructed on a 200-square-yard plot, with four apartments on each floor.

Mr Khan, the Rescue 1122 spokesperson, said there were shops on the ground floor of the building.

Two pillars of the building collapsed early in the morning, around 4am, but the building was still standing, he added.

Although residents evacuated at the time, they later returned to their homes. A few hours later, the entire building collapsed.

A police official told AFP that up to 100 people had been living in the building.

The head of Rescue 1122, DG Dr Abid Jalaluddin Shaikh, said that over 100 personnel, five disaster resp­onse vehicles, two snorkels and cranes, took part in the rescue operation. DIG Raza said there were reports that at least 20 to 25 people were still buried under the debris.

Meanwhile, relatives whose loved ones are still missing were clinging to hope for their survival.

All six members of 70-year-old Jumho Maheshwari’s family were at his flat on the first floor when he left for work early in the morning. “Nothing is left for me now — my family is all trapped and all I can do is pray for their safe recovery,” he told AFP.

Another resident, Maya Sham Jee, said her brother’s family was also trapped under the rubble. “We are helpless and just looking at the rescue workers to bring our loved ones back safely,” she said.

Multiple notices

Speaking to reporters at the site of the incident, Karachi Mayor Murtaza Wahab said the government needed to “take action” as there were around 434 buildings in the Old City area that had been declared “dangerous” by the Sindh Building Control Authority (SBCA).

In a statement, the authority put the number of such buildings across Karachi at 588, Dawn.com reported. It added the building was declared dangerous after a thorough inspection in October 2022.

The first ejectment notice was issued to residents on June 2, 2023, followed by a second notice on February 28, 2024, and a third notice with a three-day warning to evacuate the building. Public utilities were asked to disconnect services to the building in June 2024, but they didn’t follow the directives, SBCA claimed.

A reminder for ejectment was issued on June 2 with copies sent to the South deputy and assistant comm­issioners and the Kalari station house officer, requesting their intervention to evacuate the premises and prevent any potential incident.

On June 29, the residents were warned via megaphones to evacuate the building immediately.

“Regrettably, the residents were reluctant to vacate the building unless alternate accommodation was provided.”

SBCA officials suspended

Sindh Local Govern­m­ent Minister Saeed Ghani, who visited the site, has formed a committee to in­­vestigate the incident and report within three days.

The minister also suspended officials of the SBCA over their alleged negligence. Sindh Chief Minister Murad Ali Shah has soug­­ht a report about the incident.

He directed the SBCA to identify dilapidated buildings in the metropolis and evacuate them.

With input from AFP

Published in Dawn, July 5th, 2025

WASHINGTON: With less than a week to go before the July 9 deadline, Pakistan and the United States have concluded a critical round of trade negotiations, reaching an understanding on a deal that could shape the future of the country’s key export sectors.

The Pakistani delegation, led by Commerce Secretary Jawad Paal, was scheduled to return on Friday after completing four days of talks in Washington.

While both sides have reached an understanding, a formal announcement is expected only after the US concludes similar ongoing negotiations with other trade partners.

The delegation arrived in Washington on Monday with the aim of finalising a long-term reciprocal tariff agreement that would prevent the re-imposition of a 29 per cent tariff on Pakistani exports — primarily textiles and agricultural products.

Formal announcement expected once Washington wraps up talks with other nations

The tariff relief, temporarily paused earlier this year, was at risk of expiring if no progress had been made by the July 9 deadline.

Officials familiar with the negotiations say the talks were successful, with both sides agreeing to a broad framework.

The agreement, when signed, could lead to incre­ased Pakistani imports of US goods — notably crude oil — and potential Ameri­can investment in Pakistan’s mining, energy, and infrastructure sectors.

Projects like the Reko Diq copper and gold mine and related energy infrastructure were a focus of the discussions. The deal could also pave the way for expanded engagement through the US Export-Import Bank.

Although US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent had earlier indicated that Washington might allow limited flexibility on the deadline if meaningful pro­g­ress was evident, Pakistani officials say they pushed for early completion to remove uncertainty for exporters and investors.

Officials remain optimistic that the agreement will sustain Pakistan’s access to the US market and help reset bilateral economic ties, which had been under strain since the high tariffs were introduced during the Trump administration.

Published in Dawn, July 5th, 2025

• ISPR says several attackers belonging to ‘Indian proxy’ TTP gunned down over two nights
• Hassan Khel area witnessed similar action in April, when around 54 militants were killed while trying to cross into Pakistan
• Army calls on Kabul govt to check use of Afghan soil against Pakistan; ISPR’s official X account ‘reactivated’

PESHAWAR: Security forces on Friday foiled another infiltration attempt from Afghanistan by an ‘Indian proxy’, killing at least 30 terrorists in North Waziristan district, Inter Services Public Relations (ISPR) said.

In a statement, the military’s media wing said troops detected a large group of terrorists from Fitna al Khwarij — the state’s terminology for the outlawed Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) — attempting to infiltrate the Pak-Afghan border in the Hassan Khel area.

“The security forces effectively engaged and thwarted the militants’ attempt to infiltrate,” the statement read, adding that as a result of a precise and skillful engagement, all the 30 terrorists were gunned down on the nights between July 1-2 and July 2-3 .

A large quantity of weapons, ammunition and explosives was reportedly recovered from the killed terrorists.

“The security forces demonstrated exceptional professionalism, vigilance and preparedness, and prevented a potential catastrophe,” the ISPR said.

The statement called on Afghanistan’s government to control its side of the border.

“Interim Afghan government also needs to check and prevent the use of Afghan soil by ‘foreign proxies’ for orchestrating militant activities against Pakis­tan,” the ISPR said, adding that security forces remained unwavering in their commitment to defend the nation’s frontiers.

The encounter was the second major incident in the area in the past couple of months.

On April 27, security forces killed 54 militants in what the military billed as the single-biggest blow to the TTP and its affiliates.

That engagement also occurred in Hassan Khel, when a group was neutralised while trying to breach the Pak-Afghan border.

At the time, the ISPR said intelligence reports indicated that group was infiltrating at the behest of their “foreign masters” to conduct high-profile terrorist attacks in Pakistan.

The ISPR also claimed that it was the highest number of militants killed by the security forces in a single engagement during the entire campaign against terrorism.

The persistent infiltration attempts highlight ongoing security concerns that prompted a high-level meeting in January.

On Jan 13, political leaders met with the Army Chief Field Marshal Syed Asim Munir, expressing concerns over the law and order situation in the province.

According to sources privy to the meeting, the political leadership asked the military to engage with Afghanistan to address Pakistan’s internal security problems and urged the full implementation of the country’s National Action Plan against terrorism.

Separately, the ISPR’s verified X (formerly Twitter) account became active once again. The account, which last posted in 2023, was updated on Friday with the official statement regarding the N. Waziristan incident.

Published in Dawn, July 5th, 2025

ISLAMABAD: The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) on Friday finally announced the schedule for the long-overdue Senate elections in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, setting July 21 as the polling date.

The much-delayed but suspenseful exercise will see elections on 11 seats — seven general and two each reserved for women, ulema and technocrats.

Experts believe the outcome will hinge on how PTI-backed and JUI-F members vote. If the opposition remains united and PTI-backed members strictly follow party discipline — with JUI-F support — the ruling coalition may win only one general seat.

However, the scenario would shift dramatically if some PTI members break ranks and JUI-F strikes a deal with the ruling coalition. In that case, the coalition might bag around five seats, potentially gaining a two-thirds majority in the upper house of parliament. JUI-F already holds five seats in the Senate.

Currently, the ruling coalition has 54 members in the 96-member Senate — 10 short of the two-thirds majority (64 seats).

Polling for the 11 KP Senate seats will be held on July 21, while a separate election for the seat vacated by Senator Sania Nishtar is scheduled for July 31.

According to an ECP statement, the Senate elections in KP were delayed due to an incomplete electoral college. The schedule was announced two days after 25 reserved seats — originally allocated to the Sunni Ittehad Council (SIC) — were redistributed among parties, including PML-N, PPP, JUI-F, PTI-P and ANP.

The elections were earlier postponed in April 2024, exacerbating political uncertainty in the province. Polling for another Senate seat — vacated after the death of Professor Sajid Mir — will also take place on July 21.

An ECP spokesperson said letters have been sent to the speakers of national and provincial assemblies, requesting the oath-taking of members elected on reserved seats and notified on July 2, 2025. This is to ensure they can assume office and vote in the Senate elections in KP and Punjab.

It may be recalled that Senate elections in KP were previously postponed on April 2, 2024, due to the speaker’s refusal to administer oath to newly elected members on reserved seats.

A fresh notification reads: “In continuation of the earlier notification dated April 2, 2024, whereby the poll date for Senate elections from Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province against seven general seats, two women seats, and two technocrats including ulema seats was postponed, the Election Commission of Pakistan hereby appoints July 21, 2025, as the poll date for the said Senate election.”

The ECP has also issued a detailed schedule for the seat vacated by Dr Sania Nishtar. The public notice will be issued on July 9, nomination papers can be submitted on July 10 and 11, scrutiny will be held on July 16, and polling will take place on July 31. The former PTI lawmaker had resigned in October last year, but her seat was declared vacant on March 10 this year.

Furthermore, a notification has been issued for the election to the seat left vacant by the demise of PML-N Senator Professor Sajid Mir. The revised list of candidates will be issued on July 15, nomination withdrawals are allowed until July 16, and polling will be held on July 21 at the Punjab Assembly building.

In addition, an election schedule has been issued for two vacant seats reserved for PML-N women from KP in the National Assembly. The returning officer will issue a public notice on July 8; nomination papers can be submitted on July 9 and 10; scrutiny will take place on July 14; and the final list of candidates will be released on July 24. The PML-N’s previous priority list has been exhausted, and a new one must be submitted to the priority list counting officer by July 10.

Published in Dawn, July 5th, 2025