Day: July 11, 2026

Lahore: The National Cyber Crime Investigation Agency (NCCIA),Lahore arrested three suspects allegedly involved in an organised network engaged in the illegal acquisition and sale of citizens’ sensitive telecommunications data, including Call Detail Records (CDRs),SIM ownership information,family registration records,location data and other confidential information.

According to officials,the suspects had allegedly been obtaining citizens’ confidential data through unlawful means and selling it for commercial purposes,posing a serious threat to individuals’ privacy,digital security and national interests.

The action was taken after the Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) Lahore lodged a complaint,following which the NCCIA registered FIR No.146/2026 and launched an investigation.

During the investigation,the agency arrested three suspects identified as Muhammad Saghir,Muhammad Ashfaq and Malik Saddham.

Preliminary findings revealed that they were allegedly operating an organised network to illegally obtain and sell citizens’ CDRs,SIM registration and other sensitive information.

During the operation,the NCCIA recovered 14 mobile phones,a laptop,a tablet,38 SIM cards,10 internet devices, nine Biometric Verification System (BVS) devices,seven fingerprint scanners,three Bluetooth fingerprint scanners,three card readers,11 memory cards,nine USB drives,eight hard disks and RAM modules, and hard copies of 60 fingerprints from the suspects’ possession.

Punjab NCCIA Director Operations Muhammad Ali Wasim said indiscriminate action against individuals involved in the illegal trade of citizens’ personal and sensitive data would continue, adding that all those involved in organized cybercrime would be brought to justice in accordance with the law.

he National Cyber Crime Investigation Agency (NCCIA) on Friday arrested three suspects allegedly running an organized network involved in the illegal acquisition and sale of citizens’ sensitive telecommunications data.

According to agency officials, the suspects had been obtaining confidential data through unlawful means and selling it for commercial purposes, posing a serious threat to individual privacy, digital security, and national interests. The compromised data included Call Detail Records (CDRs), SIM ownership information, family registration records, and location data.

The action was taken after the Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) Lahore lodged a formal complaint, prompting the NCCIA to register FIR No. 146/2026 and launch a thorough investigation.

During the operation, the agency apprehended three key suspects identified as Muhammad Saghir,Muhammad Ashfaq and Malik Saddham. Preliminary findings revealed that the trio was actively operating an organized network to illicitly trade citizens’ private records.

The NCCIA team also recovered a large cache of digital and biometric equipment from the possession of the suspects. The seized items included 14 mobile phones, a laptop, a tablet, 38 SIM cards, 10 internet devices, nine Biometric Verification System (BVS) devices, seven fingerprint scanners, three Bluetooth fingerprint scanners, three card readers, 11 memory cards, nine USB drives, eight hard disks and RAM modules, alongside hard copies of 60 fingerprints.

Punjab NCCIA Director Operations Muhammad Ali Wasim said that indiscriminate action against individuals involved in the illegal trade of citizens’ personal and sensitive data would continue. He reiterated that all those involved in organized cybercrime would be brought to justice in strict accordance with the law.

Lahore: As part of the Election Commission of Pakistan’s (ECP) quarterly training programme, 42 newly-appointed Assistant Election Commissioners (AECs) and Research Associates (RAs) participated in a one-day orientation and a study visit at the Office of the Provincial Election Commissioner, Punjab.

Director General Training Nighat Siddique, along with other senior officials from the ECP headquarters in Islamabad, also attended the programme.

Provincial Election Commissioner Punjab Sharif Ullah welcomed the participants and delivered a comprehensive briefing on the organisational structure of the ECP in Punjab, preparation and revision of electoral rolls, delimitation for local government elections, voter awareness programmes, the complaint redressal mechanism, and the responsibilities of various wings of the provincial office.

The participants also visited the Central Police Office (CPO), Lahore, where Additional Inspector General (Operations) Sarfraz Virk briefed them on law and order and security arrangements during elections. They were also given a tour of the modern Election Control Room established at the CPO.

Later, the officers visited the Pakistan Institute of Legislative Development and Transparency (PILDAT), where its founder, Ahmed Bilal Mehboob, briefed the participants on the organisation’s role in promoting and strengthening democracy in Pakistan.

At the conclusion of the programme, ECP Director General Training Nighat Siddique thanked Provincial Election Commissioner Sharif Ullah, the Punjab Police and Ahmed Bilal Mehboob for facilitating the orientation and study visits.

Lahore: The Lahore High Court (LHC) on Friday ordered for release of 10 brick-kiln workers, who were allegedly being held in illegal confinement.

Those released included two women, four children and four men.

Justice Jawad Zafar heard a petition filed by Mazhar Iqbal, who alleged that several brick kiln workers had been unlawfully confined by a kiln owner and were not being allowed to move freely.

During the hearing, brick kiln workers’ leaders Muhammad Hussain Wattoo, Riffat Raja and women labour representatives were also present in court. All 10 workers were produced before the court.

Counsel for the petitioner argued that the kiln owner had been illegally detaining the workers for a considerable period.

The kiln owner’s counsel, however, submitted that the workers had received advance payments from the owner and were working voluntarily under an agreement between the parties.

After hearing arguments from both sides, recording the workers’ statements and examining the available record, Justice Jawad Zafar ordered the immediate release of all 10 workers. The court ruled that the rescued individuals were free to go wherever they wished.

Lahore: Postgraduate Medical Institute (PGMI) Principal Prof. Dr. Muhammad Farooq Afzal said on Friday strong managerial and leadership capabilities are an added qualification for healthcare providers, stressing that the real transformation in medical education and healthcare institutions depends on visionary leadership rather than modern infrastructure alone.

He expressed these views while addressing a one-day workshop titled ‘Leadership in Healthcare,’ organised by the Department of Medical Education at Amiruddin Medical College (AMC) and Lahore General Hospital (LGH) under the Faculty Development Program 2026.

Prof. Farooq Afzal said the biggest challenge facing hospitals was not merely managing daily operations but developing faculty members and clinicians with leadership qualities who could inspire and guide the next generation of medical professionals. He added that the workshop aimed to prepare faculty members as effective leaders capable of contributing to institutional development, medical education, research and quality patient care.

He said leadership in healthcare was not confined to administrative responsibilities but involved motivating teams, encouraging innovation and creating an environment where education, research and patient care received equal attention. He stressed that world-class healthcare systems could only be built by producing doctors who were not only skilled clinicians but also effective leaders.

The workshop was conducted by medical education experts Prof. Dr. Samir Riaz Qazi and Prof. Mahwish Arooj, who trained participants in modern healthcare leadership strategies, effective communication, teamwork, conflict resolution and timely decision-making in high-pressure hospital settings.

Speakers at the workshop said leadership was not a position but a way of thinking and acting, requiring vision, integrity and empathy. They highlighted transformational leadership as the key to addressing contemporary healthcare challenges and achieving sustainable improvements.

Chief Organizer Prof. Amina Ahsan Cheema said the Faculty Development Program was designed to empower teachers and strengthen the future of medical education.

At the end of the workshop, participants pledged to implement the knowledge and leadership principles learned during the session in their respective departments to enhance teaching standards and improve patient care. The event was also attended by Medical Superintendent Prof. Faryad Hussain, Dr. Saira Zeeshan, faculty members and other senior doctors.

Lahore: A new and easy system of tax deduction on digital payments has been implemented across Punjab.

According to official sources, the Punjab Revenue Authority (PRA) will deduct tax through e-payment or card that will now be transferred directly to the government.

The tax rate on services of beauty parlors, salons and fashion designers will be only 5 percent, tax on cosmetic surgery, plastic surgery, skin and laser treatment centers will be only five percent, in addition, eight percent tax will be paid on event management, tour operators, gymnasiums and laundry services.

According to the spokesperson, there will be a 16 percent deduction on hotel and restaurant services on cash payments, while eight percent on digital payments, and 50 percent less tax will be paid on credit card and digital payments for the hotels and restaurant sector.

The Punjab Revenue Authority officials say that the timely completion of the government’s welfare and development projects will be possible only with the taxes paid by the public.

They requested public to pay digital payments and collect a receipt for the safe transfer of the taxes paid. Complaints should be filed with the Punjab Revenue Authority against food operators who do not provide a receipt.

The PRA officials further said that transparent payment of taxes is a guarantee of development and prosperity in the province.

Lahore: Punjab Police, continued its province-wide crackdown against electricity theft, registering more than 32,181 cases and arresting over 23,000 suspects so far this year.

According to a Punjab Police spokesperson, 23,439 accused had been arrested in connection with electricity theft cases during the ongoing campaign.

The spokesperson said challans had been completed in 20,268 cases, while courts had convicted 2,521 accused involved in electricity theft, awarding them imprisonment and fines.

In Lahore alone, Punjab Police registered 8,880 electricity theft cases and arrested 9,922 accused during the period.

Punjab Inspector General of Police (IGP) Abdul Kareem directed officers to continue the crackdown with full momentum, stressing that priority should be given to taking action against those causing financial losses to the national exchequer.