London: Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-) Khyber Pakhtunkhwa President Amir Maqam called on party Supremo Nawaz Sharif at his residence in London on Wednesday.

Both leaders discussed a wide range of topics, including in-depth discussions on political matters and party affairs concerning the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa region.

 Nawaz Sharif, expressed his appreciation for the unwavering commitment of Amir Maqam, his family, and associates who stood steadfastly by the party, emphasizing that their dedication would forever be remembered.

Engineer Amir Maqam, during the discussions, conveyed the sentiment that the entire nation was closely observing Nawaz Sharif's leadership and believed that his guidance could lead the country out of the current challenges. He also mentioned the strong support from the people of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, stating that they would journey to Lahore to extend a warm welcome.

In addition to his meeting with Nawaz Sharif, Engineer Amir Maqam held discussions with other prominent leaders, including former Finance Minister Ishaq Dar. The meeting in London underscores the continuing engagement and dialogue within the political landscape of Pakistan.

Lahore: Interim Punjab Health Minister Dr. Javed Akram disclosed on Wednesday that two individuals were apprehended in connection with the Avastin injection scandal.

Dr. Javed Akram emphasized that there would be no leniency shown towards any suspects involved in the case.

The Avastin injection issue came to light when numerous diabetic patients in Lahore, Kasur, and Jhang districts were administered these injections to treat retinal damage, but instead, they developed severe infections. This alarming situation initially emerged with reported cases of adverse reactions to the drug in Kasur district.

The medical professionals revealed that the affected patients suffered from endophthalmitis, a potentially life-threatening inflammation of the inner eye coatings, leading to vision loss.

The authorities reported that approximately 68 patients in the province experienced significant vision impairment since the scam came to light. In response, the Punjab government placed an indefinite ban on the use of the eye drug across the province and also launched a data collection portal to gather information on affected patients and provide them with necessary treatment.

A comprehensive investigation was currently underway to determine the key factors contributing to vision loss among patients who received the injection in Punjab.

During a media briefing on Wednesday, the provincial health minister informed journalists about the arrest of two suspects linked to the injection scam. He assured the public that the incident was being thoroughly investigated from all angles, with a commitment to bringing all those involved in the scam to justice.

Dr. Akram asserted that the Punjab government was not under any external pressure during this investigation. He further revealed that surgeries were performed on 15 out of the 68 affected patients, and authorities were dedicated to restoring the vision of these individuals. Besides it, all outlets selling the adulterated eye drug were sealed.

In a previous development, the Board of Commissioners of the Punjab Healthcare Commission (PHC) instructed senior management to conduct special inspections of hospitals where cases of eye infections resulted from the administration of Avastin injections to patients.

These directives were issued during an emergency meeting of the PHC Board of Commissioners chaired by retired Justice Muhammad Bilal Khan. A representative of the PHC also provided an update on the meeting convened by both interim provincial health ministers, Prof. Javed Akram and Dr. Jamal Nasir.

Karachi: The National Electric Power Regulatory Authority (NEPRA) has hiked power tariff for K-Electric consumers on monthly fuel adjustment charges on Wednesday.

According to details, after the federal government granted NEPRA's request for a rise in power rate, the price of energy has increased by Rs 1.48 to Rs 4.45.

The higher power cost will be paid by K-electric customers in the months of October and November 2023.

In addition, the price of electricity increased by Rs. 1.48 for users of 300 units, by Rs. 3.21 for customers of more than 300 units, and by Rs. 4.45 for consumers of 5 kilowatts and e-vehicle charging stations.

The National Electric Power Regulatory Authority (NEPRA) has already authorized the rise in power users' unit prices by Rs 0.46.

The power regulatory body authorized the increase in the power tariff under fuel adjustment charges (FAC) for the month of July in accordance with the notification that was published.

The notification stated that the surge in power tariff would be applied to the bills of September, meanwhile, the hike will not be applicable to Lifeline and K Electric customers.

It is important to note that distribution companies (DISCOs) power invoices had inconsistencies when the National Electric Power Regulatory Authority (NEPRA) noticed them.

A high-level committee was established, according to the official announcement, to investigate the effectiveness of DISCOs.

The NEPRA communique stated that the committee was constituted because of the recent irregularities in the electricity billing and will present a comprehensive report within one month.