National

The Sindh Cabinet has approved a five-year partnership between the Department of Empowerment of Persons with Disabilities (DEPD) and the Aga Khan University’s Institute for Educational Development (AKU-IED). The Memorandum of Understanding was signed today at Chief Minister House, Karachi. Chief Minister Sindh Syed Murad Ali Shah, who witnessed the signing, called it “not merely an agreement” but “a solemn commitment to every child with disabilities in Sindh that their dreams matter, their potential is recognised, and their future will no longer be limited by barriers.” The partnership will establish an Inclusion and Special Educational Needs (SEN) Unit at AKU-IED, for training, research, and innovation that will house sensory rooms, therapy spaces and dedicated resource centres. The initiative aims to train more than 2,000 educators and, through them, reach an estimated half a million school children over the next five years. According to UNICEF, an estimated 96% of children with disabilities in Pakistan are out of school, with Sindh bearing a large proportion of this burden due to poverty, gender disparities, and limited functional accessibility. Overall, Sindh has 7.4 million out-of-school children, where disability acts as a major compounding barrier to attendance. “For too long, children with disabilities have been invisible in our education system,” said Mr Tuaha Ahmed Faruqui, Secretary of DEPD. “Today, we are making a promise to every family in Sindh that their children matter.” The initiative’s most ambitious commitment is workforce transformation. AKU-IED will deliver modular courses, Training-of-Trainers programmes, and certification pathways to more than 2,000 educators. Its Bachelor of Education degree will offer specialisation in inclusive education with monthly stipends. Beyond training, the collaboration establishes a province-wide research and advocacy agenda: baseline assessments, implementation evaluations, and annual policy commissions to inform government decisions. Biennial SEN conferences and policy seminars will convene experts and advocates, while public education campaigns will produce multimedia resources, toolkits, and community sensitisation initiatives to shift mindsets about disability inclusion. “This is not just an institutional milestone,” said Professor Farid Panjwani, Dean, AKU-IED. “It is a commitment to every child in Sindh who has been waiting for an education system that sees them, hears them, and empowers them.” The Government of Sindh will provide grant funding, while AKU-IED contributes expertise and institutional resources. The SEN Unit will develop a strategic roadmap designed to sustain impact well beyond the five-year term. President of the Aga Khan University, Dr Sulaiman Shahabuddin, saidid, “The true measure of an education system is whether it reaches those who have historically been left furthest behind. By preparing teachers and schools to educate children with special needs, this partnership will help to ensure that all our children have the opportunity to fulfill their potential.”

LAHORE: The Secretary/Chief Administrator Auqaf Punjab, Dr. Ehsan Bhutta, has announced that the three-day celebrations marking the 983rd annual Urs Mubarak of Hazrat Ali Hajveri (RA), popularly known as Hazrat Data Ganj Bakhsh (RA), are commencing today (August 2–4) with profound reverence, bringing together hundreds of thousands of devotees from Lahore, across the country, and abroad. Speaking after personally visiting and conducting detailed inspections of the Milk Sabeel (Dhood Sabeel), the specially set up Marquee for pilgrims’ Langar, overall Langar distribution logistics, and the Smaa event arrangements, Dr. Bhutta stated that under the special directives of Chief Minister Punjab Maryam Nawaz Sharif and the continuous monitoring of Chief Secretary Punjab, the Auqaf Department, alongside DG Religious Affairs Punjab Hafiz Anees-ur-Rehman, district administration, and security agencies, has finalized foolproof security, traffic management, dedicated parking, clean drinking water sabeels, medical camps, ambulance services, control rooms, help desks, and separate facilities for women, senior citizens, and persons with disabilities to provide a peaceful spiritual environment. He highlighted that the three-day event will feature Quran recitations, Khatam-e-Khwajgan, Naat assemblies, spiritual Smaa sessions, Qawwali, Dhikr, academic conferences, and Qirat competitions attended by prominent scholars, Mashaikhs, and Qaris. Emphasizing that the saint’s timeless teachings preach divine love, peace, tolerance, and service to humanity, Dr. Bhutta reiterated the Punjab Government’s vision to transform Data Darbar into an exemplary model shrine equipped with modern amenities, strictly warning that no negligence will be tolerated in public facilities as facilitating millions of pilgrims is both a sacred honor and a primary duty for the Auqaf Department.

LAHORE: Punjab University has strongly denied allegations recently levelled by two former female athletes, describing the claims as part of a coordinated campaign aimed at damaging the institution’s reputation during its ongoing admissions season. According to university spokesperson Dr. Khurram Shehzad, Punjab University has witnessed an unprecedented response to admissions this year, with more than 85,000 applications received for various academic programmes by July 31. The university also recorded its highest-ever participation in the entry test, while the application deadline remains August 4. He claimed that the institution’s success had prompted certain groups to launch what he termed a deliberate propaganda campaign. The spokesperson said the controversy involving the two former sports students stemmed from disciplinary issues rather than the serious allegations circulated on social media. He maintained that the matter originated after a dispute between members of the girls’ sports hostel and disagreements related to team selection. According to the university, the students were involved in repeated altercations with fellow athletes, prompting the hostel administration to initiate an inquiry. Pending the outcome of the investigation, the students concerned were instructed to vacate the hostel. However, the university alleged that they refused to comply and later became involved in another confrontation, after which police were called following an emergency complaint. The incidents led the hostel inquiry committee to hold emergency meetings and ultimately order the closure of the girls’ sports hostel. The university further stated that one of the former athletes was not selected for the baseball team because of disciplinary concerns rather than sporting performance. It alleged that she later threatened to leave the university if she was not included in the squad and voluntarily applied to withdraw her original academic documents. During the document collection process, the university claims she, along with another former student and several others, attempted to pressure the administration by threatening to release a video portraying an alleged suicide attempt if their demands were not met. Punjab University said both students voluntarily collected their academic documents and left the institution. It also claimed that one of them subsequently joined another university’s sports team while Punjab University went on to win the championship without her. The university said it possesses evidence supporting its position and confirmed that faculty members, staff, and female students from the Department of Sports have submitted a formal complaint to the cybercrime authorities against the two former athletes and individuals allegedly involved in what it described as an organised campaign against the institution. The administration condemned attempts to use former students for what it called vested interests and reaffirmed its commitment to protecting the university’s reputation through legal channels

Justice Sardar Ali Akbar Dogar has emerged as the highest-performing judge of the Lahore High Court during the judic ial summer vacations, disposing of the largest number of cases among all judges, according to the court’s weekly disposal report. The report, released on July 31, 2026, states that a total of 425 cases were decided at the Principal Seat of the Lahore High Court in Lahore between July 27 and July 31, 2026. According to the report, a Division Bench comprising Justice Mirza Waqas Rauf and Justice Sardar Ali Akbar Dogar disposed of 44 cases during the reporting period. Meanwhile, Justice Dogar, sitting as a Single Bench judge, disposed of an impressive 381 cases, making him the highest case-disposing judge during the vacation week. The report further reveals that the Single Bench disposed of 57 habeas corpus petitions, 33 pre-arrest bail applications, 27 post-arrest bail petitions, and 12 petitions seeking cancellation of bail. Justice Dogar also decided 32 petitions seeking the quashment of FIRs, 53 petitions relating to the registration of criminal cases, 63 petitions alleging police harassment, and 74 petitions concerning unlawful detention and illegal confinement. In addition, the court disposed of five petitions involving national identity cards and citizenship issues, while 14 cases of a religious nature were also decided during the same period. The Lahore High Court’s weekly report notes that the disposal statistics cover the period from July 27 to July 31, 2026. However, it also clarifies that the figures remain subject to official verification before being treated as final.

LAHORE: Lahore Police have finalized an extensive security plan for the Chehlum of Hazrat Imam Hussain (AS) and the annual Urs of Hazrat Data Ganj Bakhsh (RA), deploying more than 12,000 officers and personnel across the provincial capital to ensure the safety of mourners and devotees. The arrangements were reviewed during a high-level meeting chaired by Capital City Police Officer (CCPO) Bilal Siddique Kamyana at the Capital City Police Headquarters. Senior police officials briefed the meeting on operational strategies and deployment plans for the two major religious events. According to the security plan, police will provide protection for 73 majalis and 34 mourning processions being held across Lahore to mark the Chehlum of Hazrat Imam Hussain (AS). Security measures have also been strengthened around the shrine of Hazrat Data Ganj Bakhsh (RA), where thousands of devotees are expected to participate in the annual Urs celebrations. CCPO Kamyana directed officers to implement strict security protocols at all entry and exit points, including the installation of walk-through gates, metal detectors, and barbed-wire barricades. He also instructed police personnel to maintain close coordination with procession organisers and the administration of Data Darbar to ensure smooth management of the events. He ordered supervisory officers to personally inspect security arrangements along procession routes, at imambargahs, and around the shrine, while emphasizing that all activities would be monitored in real time through the Punjab Safe Cities Authority surveillance network and central control rooms. The CCPO further instructed the traffic police to introduce a comprehensive traffic management plan with alternative routes to reduce inconvenience for commuters and facilitate the movement of mourners and visitors during the religious gatherings. The meeting was attended by senior police officers, including DIG (Administration) Imran Kishwar, Chief Traffic Officer Abdul Rahim Shirazi, SSP Investigation Muhammad Naveed, SP Security, and divisional SPs, who reviewed the operational readiness for the upcoming events.