Imran Khan’s eye improves, 84 meetings held with…

  The United Madaris Council has clarified that the recent statement made by Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam (JUI-F) chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman reflects only the political position of his party and should not be regarded as the stance of the council. In an official statement, the United Madaris Council emphasized that Maulana Fazlur Rehman’s remarks represent his personal and political viewpoint as the leader of his political party. The council stressed that it does not endorse or represent the views expressed in his statement and should not be associated with them. Council spokesperson Mir Asif Akbar Qadri stated that the United Madaris Council does not speak on behalf of any political party and remains an independent platform representing religious seminaries. He reiterated that the council’s primary focus is on educational, religious, and social matters concerning madaris rather than political affairs. The spokesperson further said that the sacrifices made by the martyrs and veterans of the Pakistan Armed Forces are a source of national pride and respect. He described the country’s martyrs and decorated military personnel as national heroes whose courage and dedication have played a vital role in safeguarding Pakistan’s sovereignty and security. Mir Asif Akbar Qadri added that any negative narrative against the sacrifices of the martyrs is unacceptable. He stressed that honoring those who laid down their lives in defense of the country is a collective national responsibility and that their services should always be acknowledged with dignity and respect. The United Madaris Council also rejected any attempts to associate religious seminaries, mosques, scholars, or students with activities that are considered anti-state. According to the spokesperson, madaris and religious institutions have no connection with actions that undermine the interests of the state or threaten national stability. He explained that religious seminaries across Pakistan are dedicated to providing Islamic education, promoting moral values, and serving society through peaceful means. The council believes that these institutions play an important role in educating students, strengthening ethical values, and fostering religious harmony. The spokesperson also expressed concern over the use of the names of madaris, mosques, religious scholars, and students in political campaigns or partisan debates. He stated that involving religious institutions in political controversies is unfair and creates unnecessary misunderstandings about their role in society. According to the council, religious seminaries should not be drawn into political disputes, as doing so can damage their reputation and distract them from their educational and religious responsibilities. The organization urged all political stakeholders to avoid using the names of religious institutions to advance political narratives. The statement reaffirmed that the United Madaris Council remains committed to promoting peace, unity, religious education, and national harmony. It also reiterated its support for the rule of law, constitutional values, and the stability of Pakistan. The council concluded by emphasizing that while individuals and political parties are free to express their own opinions, those views should not be attributed to religious institutions or the United Madaris Council unless officially endorsed. It called for responsible public discourse and urged all segments of society to work together for national unity, mutual respect, and the country’s continued peace and progress.

ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has welcomed a strong increase in remittances sent by overseas Pakistanis, with the country receiving $3.6 billion during July. Reacting to the latest figures, the prime minister described the inflow as encouraging, noting that remittances recorded a 13 per cent increase compared with the same month last year. He also highlighted a month-on-month rise, saying remittances grew by 4.5 per cent in July. The continued increase provides further support to Pakistan’s foreign exchange position and reflects the growing contribution of overseas Pakistanis to the national economy. Shehbaz praised the Pakistani diaspora for playing an important role in supporting economic stability. He said overseas Pakistanis remain an important part of the country’s economic strength and appreciated their continued support through financial transfers. The latest rise in remittances comes as Pakistan continues efforts to strengthen its external account, improve foreign exchange liquidity and maintain economic stability.

  Lahore: A deeply unfortunate, alarming, and unacceptable incident occurred today at Punjab University when the young daughter of a university professor was attacked by stray dogs roaming freely on the university campus. The brutal attack left the child with approximately fifteen deep bite wounds on different parts of her body, requiring immediate medical attention. The tragic incident has caused immense shock, grief, and concern among the victim’s family as well as the entire university community. The Academic Staff Association (ASA) and the Joint Action Committee stated that they have repeatedly raised concerns over the growing stray dog population on the campus through both written communications and verbal representations over the past several months. According to the associations, they had consistently warned the university administration that the increasing number of stray dogs posed a serious threat to the lives and safety of students, faculty members, university employees, and their families. Despite numerous complaints and repeated demands for action, the administration allegedly failed to address the issue with the seriousness it deserved, displaying what the associations described as criminal negligence, indifference, and a lack of responsibility. They maintained that today’s tragic incident is a direct consequence of this continued inaction. The Academic Staff Association and the Joint Action Committee expressed profound disappointment over what they described as the misplaced priorities of the current university administration. Instead of focusing on resolving the institution’s fundamental issues, ensuring campus security, and protecting the welfare of the university community, the administration has allegedly remained preoccupied with retaliatory actions, harassment of faculty and employees, and unnecessary administrative conflicts. The associations argued that when an administration neglects its basic legal and administrative responsibilities, such unfortunate incidents become inevitable, and responsibility for the consequences rests with the concerned authorities. Strongly condemning the incident, the Academic Staff Association (ASA) and the Joint Action Committee have put forward the following demands: An immediate, transparent, and impartial inquiry should be conducted to determine responsibility for the incident and hold those accountable. The injured child and her family should be provided with every possible medical, administrative, and financial assistance. A comprehensive, effective, and permanent operation should be launched on an emergency basis to make the entire Punjab University campus safe from stray dogs. A clear, practical, and sustainable campus safety policy should be developed and implemented to ensure the protection of students, faculty members, employees, and their families. The Academic Staff Association and the Joint Action Committee further warned that if the university administration fails to take immediate and effective measures to permanently resolve the stray dog issue, and if any similar incident occurs in the future, they will reserve the right to pursue all available legal remedies against those responsible. These measures may include the registration of a First Information Report (FIR) and other legal proceedings against the relevant authorities for negligence. The associations urged the university administration to set aside personal preferences, retaliatory attitudes, and unnecessary disputes, and instead devote its full attention to addressing the university’s core challenges. They stressed that ensuring campus security and safeguarding the lives and property of students, faculty members, employees, and their families must remain the administration’s highest priority. The statement concluded by emphasizing that the protection of human life is the foremost responsibility of any institution, and any further negligence in fulfilling this duty would be entirely unacceptable.