Indian student protest to continue after clashes in Delhi leave nearly 180 injured

PESHAWAR: Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Sohail Afridi and Chief Secretary Shahab Ali Shah contacted the provincial Health Secretary and directed him to conduct a comprehensive review of security and safety arrangements at hospitals across the province. During the discussion, it was also decided to establish monitoring teams to inspect and assess safety measures at hospitals. The teams will be tasked with checking whether hospitals are adequately prepared to deal with emergencies and whether the required safety protocols are being properly implemented. According to sources in Peshawar, the monitoring teams will include officials from several departments, including Civil Defence, the Health Department, Rescue services, the Provincial Disaster Management Authority (PDMA), and other relevant departments. The involvement of multiple departments is aimed at ensuring a coordinated assessment of hospital safety arrangements. Sources said the monitoring teams will particularly examine fire safety arrangements and other precautionary measures at hospitals. The teams will assess whether hospitals have adequate arrangements to prevent and respond to fire incidents and other emergencies. The move comes as the provincial government focuses on strengthening safety standards in healthcare facilities and ensuring that hospitals are properly equipped to deal with any untoward incident. The Health Department has also called a meeting to discuss safety arrangements at hospitals across Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. According to sources, the meeting will review the preparations in place to deal with any untoward incident or emergency situation at healthcare facilities. Officials will also examine existing safety procedures and identify areas where improvements may be required. The meeting is expected to focus on ensuring that hospitals follow appropriate safety protocols and that relevant departments are prepared to respond quickly in case of an emergency. Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Health Secretary Fayyaz Ali Shah said that standard operating procedures (SOPs) would be developed for all hospitals across the province. He stressed the importance of ensuring proper safety arrangements at healthcare facilities and said that negligence regarding fire safety measures would not be tolerated. The Health Secretary further made it clear that hospital administrations would be expected to comply with the safety requirements and take all necessary precautions to protect patients, attendants, doctors, nurses and other hospital staff. The provincial government’s decision to establish monitoring teams is expected to provide a mechanism for regularly assessing safety arrangements and identifying shortcomings at hospitals. The teams will inspect facilities and report on the condition of fire safety systems and other emergency preparedness measures. The inclusion of Civil Defence, Rescue, PDMA and other departments in the monitoring process is also intended to improve coordination between institutions responsible for emergency response and disaster management. The government has directed the Health Department to ensure that safety standards are implemented effectively across all hospitals in the province. The development of province-wide SOPs is expected to provide hospitals with clear guidelines regarding fire prevention, emergency preparedness and response procedures. Officials have reiterated that no negligence will be tolerated when it comes to fire safety arrangements in hospitals. The upcoming inspections and departmental meeting will help determine whether existing measures are sufficient and what additional steps may be required to improve safety. The initiative reflects the provincial government’s efforts to strengthen emergency preparedness and ensure safer healthcare facilities throughout Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.

GILGIT: The Parks and Wildlife Department of Gilgit-Baltistan is set to auction hunting permits for three Astore markhors, 14 blue sheep and 100 Himalayan ibexes under the region’s Trophy Hunting Programme for the 2026-27 season. The base price for an Astore markhor permit has been fixed at $200,000, making it the most expensive permit on offer. The minimum price for a blue sheep permit has been set at $25,000, while permits for Himalayan ibex will start at $11,000. According to the auction notice, four Astore markhors are included in the exportable quota. However, one permit from the previous hunting season has been carried forward, leaving three fresh permits to be auctioned this year. The open auction will take place on September 10 at the Forest Complex in Jutial, Gilgit. The trophy hunting season will begin on October 15, 2026, and continue until April 10, 2027, in accordance with the GB Trophy Hunting Guidelines 2019. Hunting will be permitted only within officially designated conservation areas. The department said the annual hunting quota has been determined following wildlife population surveys conducted by experts. GB Chief Conservator Parks and Wildlife Zakir Hussain said that the department collected approximately Rs350 million through permit auctions last year against a target of Rs550 million. He said several permits remained unused during the 2025-26 season, including those for two Astore markhors, five blue sheep and 10 exportable Himalayan ibexes. The unused permits resulted in an estimated revenue loss of around Rs200 million. According to officials, the cancellation of hunting plans by American and other international hunters was linked to the law-and-order situation following violent protests in Gilgit and Skardu. Local business owners and tourism operators have expressed concern over repeated increases in trophy hunting permit prices. They argue that higher baseline rates have discouraged foreign hunters and negatively affected businesses connected with hunting tourism. Ikram Beg, a local business owner who sells hunting equipment, said the trophy hunting programme was facing significant challenges. He claimed that the Wildlife Department had increased baseline prices by more than 300 per cent over the past two years without adequately incorporating recommendations from major stakeholders. According to Beg, excessive price increases could make Gilgit-Baltistan less competitive in the international trophy hunting market. He warned that declining international participation could reduce government and community revenues while weakening incentives for local residents to participate in wildlife conservation. Beg stressed that trophy hunting should primarily serve as a conservation mechanism rather than simply becoming a source of increased government revenue. He said the programme’s long-term success depends on reasonable pricing, international participation, transparent administration and meaningful financial benefits for local communities. Local stakeholders have called for a review of the permit rates and greater consultation with communities, conservation specialists and industry representatives. They have also demanded transparency and strict adherence to applicable rules and regulations. Although trophy hunting remains controversial internationally, its supporters argue that regulated hunting can generate funds for conservation, discourage illegal hunting and provide financial benefits to communities living near wildlife habitats. In Gilgit-Baltistan, the programme began with community participation in Bar Valley, Nagar, in 1990. Under the existing revenue-sharing model, approximately 80 per cent of licence revenue goes to local communitiesfor wildlife protection and conservation activities. The region’s challenging terrain and harsh weather also make trophy hunting highly demanding. Hunters must navigate steep and rugged mountain slopes while dealing with extremely cold conditions. Gilgit-Baltistan is home to diverse wildlife because of its varied ecosystems and climate. Species found in the region include Marco Polo sheep, ibex, markhor, urial, blue sheep, lynx, snow leopards, brown and black bears, wolves, foxes and golden eagles. However, wildlife experts and conservationists continue to face concerns over illegal hunting, inadequate wildlife management and the effects of climate change, all of which pose long-term threats to the region’s biodiversity.