Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Province

Swat | ReNews Pakistan
The Swat District Administration, in coordination with the Swat Development Authority (SDA), has sealed several illegally operated zipline facilities at some of the district's most visited tourist destinations after inspections revealed that the operators were functioning without the mandatory No Objection Certificates (NoCs).
The enforcement action was carried out during a joint inspection campaign across key tourist locations, including Mahodand Lake, Saifullah Lake, Chashma Shafa Aabshar and other recreational sites known for attracting large numbers of domestic and international visitors during the peak tourism season.
According to officials, the inspection teams found that multiple zipline operators had established and were operating adventure tourism facilities without obtaining the legally required approvals from the relevant authorities. The absence of valid NoCs and regulatory clearances prompted officials to immediately seal the installations to prevent further public use.
The district administration stated that the move forms part of a wider initiative to strengthen oversight of adventure tourism activities and ensure that all recreational facilities operating in Swat comply with applicable legal, technical and public safety requirements.
Authorities have instructed the affected operators not to resume operations until they obtain all mandatory permissions and demonstrate full compliance with the prescribed safety, security and operational standards. Officials emphasized that protecting the lives of tourists remains the government's foremost priority and that no commercial adventure activity will be permitted to operate without meeting regulatory requirements.
The administration further noted that inspections of tourism-related facilities will continue across the district to identify unauthorized operations and ensure that adventure tourism develops in a safe, regulated and sustainable manner. Officials warned that strict legal action will be taken against operators found violating government regulations or compromising public safety.

Peshawar: [ReNews Pakistan]
The Peshawar Safe City Project has formally integrated the surveillance camera network of the city's Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) system into its central monitoring platform following the signing of a cooperation agreement with TransPeshawar. The move is aimed at strengthening public safety, improving urban surveillance and enabling a quicker response to security incidents across the provincial capital.
The agreement was signed at the headquarters of the Peshawar Safe City Project, establishing a framework for technical collaboration between the two organizations. Under the arrangement, live video feeds from surveillance cameras installed at BRT stations have been connected to the Safe City command and control system, significantly expanding the reach of the city's security infrastructure.
Officials described the integration as a major step towards creating a more coordinated and technology driven public safety network. By allowing real time access to camera footage from BRT stations, authorities expect to improve monitoring of public transport facilities, enhance situational awareness and enable law enforcement agencies to respond more rapidly to emergencies, criminal activity and other public safety incidents.
The expanded surveillance network is expected to support more effective traffic management, crowd monitoring and incident investigation while improving the security of thousands of passengers who use the BRT system every day. Officials said the collaboration demonstrates the government's commitment to using modern technology to enhance urban security and public service delivery.
Authorities added that closer coordination between the Safe City Project and TransPeshawar will facilitate more efficient information sharing and operational planning, contributing to a safer and more secure environment for commuters and residents throughout Peshawar.

Peshawar | ReNews Pakistan
Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Sohail Afridi has directed all relevant departments to ensure visible progress on the Karak Salt and Gypsum City project within the next three months, describing the initiative as one of the province's most strategically significant industrial development projects.
The directive was issued during a high level meeting held to review development priorities, governance, law and order, and public service delivery across the Kohat Division. The meeting focused on accelerating key infrastructure projects, improving administrative performance and ensuring that development initiatives deliver tangible benefits to local communities.
According to an official statement, the chief minister expressed concern over delays in the implementation of the Karak Salt and Gypsum City project and instructed authorities to remove administrative bottlenecks and speed up execution. He emphasised that the project has the potential to significantly increase provincial revenues, promote industrial investment, add value to Khyber Pakhtunkhwa's abundant mineral resources and create substantial employment opportunities for residents of the region.
Afridi said the province must fully utilise its natural resource potential through timely development of industrial zones and value added industries, adding that measurable progress on the Karak project should be visible within the next quarter.
During the meeting, the chief minister also formally launched a new system of divisional performance review meetings following the approval of the provincial budget. He said the initiative is intended to strengthen monitoring of government departments, improve accountability and ensure that development projects are completed on schedule.
He directed all departments to prioritise projects with the greatest public impact and instructed officials to make development schemes that are nearing completion operational without unnecessary delays so that citizens can begin benefiting from public investment.
Reviewing the health sector, Afridi ordered authorities to accelerate implementation of the District Headquarters Hospitals Revamping Programme to improve healthcare infrastructure and service quality across the province. He also directed immediate disciplinary action against staff found absent from duty during inspections at a district hospital in Hangu, reiterating that negligence and absenteeism in public health institutions would not be tolerated.
The chief minister further instructed officials to prepare a comprehensive inventory of major pending public sector development projects across Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. He said the list would help the provincial government identify priority schemes, allocate resources more effectively and ensure their timely completion.
The meeting reflects the provincial government's renewed focus on accelerating industrial development, strengthening governance, improving healthcare services and enhancing the overall efficiency of public sector project implementation following the approval of the 2026 27 provincial budget.