Pakistan to tour England for five-match ODI series ahead of 2027 World Cup

LAHORE: The growing impact of water insecurity and climate change on women took center stage at a dialogue titled “Women and Water,” jointly organized by Women in Struggle for Empowerment (WISE) and the University of Home Economics, Lahore. The event brought together academics, development professionals, and civil society representatives to advocate for inclusive and gender-responsive water governance in Pakistan. Addressing the gathering, Vice Chancellor of the University of Home Economics, Prof. Dr. Zaib-un-Nisa, underscored the urgent need to tackle water pollution, plastic waste, and inadequate water treatment systems. She stressed that sustainable solutions require greater investment in scientific water management, wider adoption of rainwater harvesting, improved household water storage, advanced recycling technologies, and university-led awareness campaigns to encourage responsible water use. Executive Director of WISE, Bushra Khaliq, said that Pakistan’s water challenges cannot be effectively addressed without recognizing their disproportionate impact on women and girls, who often bear the greatest burden of water scarcity. She emphasized the importance of drawing lessons from organizations working directly in urban water management and called for stronger collaboration among government institutions, academia, civil society, and local communities. She also urged policymakers to ensure women’s voices, experiences, and leadership are fully integrated into water governance at every level. Speaking on the occasion, Dr. Iram Rubab, Head of the Sociology Department at the University of Home Economics, described water as a multidimensional issue linked to health, agriculture, family welfare, livelihoods, sociology, and environmental sustainability. She encouraged interdisciplinary dialogue and collaborative research, noting that adopting a gender perspective in water management leads to more effective identification of challenges and practical solutions, particularly as women remain the primary managers of household water resources. The participants agreed that addressing Pakistan’s growing water crisis requires policies that not only strengthen water management but also recognize the vital role of women in ensuring sustainable and equitable access to this essential resource.

KARACHI: The father of slain businessman Mir Raza Ali has called for the suspension of Karachi East DIG Dr Farrukh Ali and other police officials, accusing them of delaying the investigation and allegedly concealing crucial evidence in his son’s murder case. Speaking to reporters, Mir Hussain said the police had mishandled the investigation and urged authorities to take action against the Ferozabad SHO and other officers allegedly involved in the case. He claimed that officials had “played a game” with the grieving family. Twenty-five-year-old Mir Raza Ali, an IBA graduate and businessman, went missing on July 28 and was found dead in Gulistan-e-Jauhar the following day. While the initial investigation considered suicide as a possibility, his family consistently maintained that he had been abducted, tortured and murdered. The case took a new turn after a fresh post-mortem reportedly identified a gunshot wound to Ali’s back along with other injuries. A chemical examination also detected acid particles and gunshot-residue elements on his shirt, while police said sedatives were found in his blood and DNA testing matched his parents. Meanwhile, the family has requested that Ali’s smartwatch be examined by the Punjab Forensic Science Agency (PFSA), rather than the National Cyber Crime Investigation Agency (NCCIA). Family lawyer Jibran Nasir expressed concern that the device had remained with a former investigation committee head for several days before being handed to the NCCIA, raising fears of possible tampering. The newly formed investigation team, headed by DIG Amir Farooqi, has written to the NCCIA seeking forensic analysis of the smartwatch as well as information concerning Ali’s social media and other digital accounts. Investigators have also revisited the crime scene, interviewed nursery staff and collected additional evidence. The team has been tasked with examining outstanding aspects of the case, including geofencing, mobile-data records and digital evidence. Authorities have set August 15 as the deadline for submission of the investigation report. Meanwhile, a medico-legal officer who conducted the initial post-mortem was removed following an inquiry that identified serious lapses in the examination.