Day: July 12, 2026

Lahore: Punjab Assembly (PA) Speaker Malik Muhammad Ahmad Khan on Saturday visited the residence of senior anchorperson Iftikhar Ahmad to offer condolences on the demise of his younger brother, Agha Iqbal Ahmad Khan. The speaker offered Fateha for the departed soul and prayed for his forgiveness, elevation in ranks and a high place in Jannat-ul-Firdous. He also expressed his heartfelt sympathies to the bereaved family, particularly Iftikhar Ahmad, and prayed that Allah grant the family patience and fortitude in bearing this irreparable loss.

Lahore: Punjab Minister for Local Government and Community Development (LGandCD) Zeeshan Rafique has said that development work in 40 model villages across different tehsils would be completed during the current month, while 485 villages would be transformed under the first phase of the Model Village Programme by December 31 under the supervision of Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz Sharif.

Chairing a review meeting of the Model Village Programme at the Civil Secretariat, here on Saturday, the minister said the Punjab Rural Municipal Services Company (PRMSC) was ensuring implementation of the project according to the prescribed timeline. The meeting was attended by Secretary Local Government Shakeel Ahmed Mian, Secretary Implementation Chief Minister’s Office, Special Secretary Shahid Zaman Lak, Additional Secretary Mehreen Faheem Abbasi, PRMSC Chief Executive Officer Khurram Parvez and other officials.

Minister Zeeshan Rafique said the Punjab government was providing all possible resources for the successful implementation of the flagship rural development initiative. He appreciated PRMSC for utilizing almost 100 per cent of the allocated funds during the previous financial year.

The minister said every model village would be equipped with essential municipal services, including paved streets, streetlights and children’s parks with recreational facilities. He added that public feedback from villages where work was underway had been highly encouraging.

He said the initiative aimed at providing urban-standard civic amenities to rural communities, describing it as a unique project of the Punjab government. He further announced that the scope of the programme would be expanded gradually, with 7,500 villages proposed to be included in the next phase.

Lahore: Punjab University has formally announced the admissions for MS, MPhil and PhD programs for the academic year.

According to sources, admissions are being made for both regular and self-supporting programmes.

According to the university administration, all applications are being received online only, while candidates can submit applications for admission to 123 different degree programmes.

The administration has made it clear that candidates who have third division in their academic records at any stage will not be eligible for admission.

According to Punjab University, the written examinations for admissions will be conducted from July 20 to July 27 in different phases, while the successful candidates will be called for the subsequent phases.

Lahore: Driving licenses of 68 drivers involved in traffic accidents have been suspended on the orders of CTO Lahore. The initiative aims to ensure strict enforcement of traffic rules in the city and promote safe driving on the roads. According to the traffic police spokesperson, in case of every fatal and non-fatal traffic accident, the driving license of the concerned driver will be suspended immediately. Officials said anyone with a suspended license found driving again will be prosecuted. CTO Lahore Syed Abdul Rahim said that the license of the driver for irresponsible driving will be suspended for at least one year, while those responsible for fatal accidents will face legal action along with license suspension. He made it clear that irresponsible driving will not be tolerated in order to protect the life and property of citizens and indiscriminate action will be taken against those who violate traffic rules.

Lahore: The Punjab Food Authority (PFA) on Saturday sealed two food businesses and imposed fines of Rs.470,000 on 27 others during a crackdown against food safety violations across Lahore.

According to a PFA statement, food safety teams inspected 29 food outlets and production units on the directions of Director General(DG) PFA Syed Musa Raza to ensure compliance with food safety regulations.

The authority said a bakery was sealed for allegedly using prohibited ingredients while a pickle manufacturing unit on Ravi Road was closed for failing to comply with previous official directives.

During the inspections,officials found several hygiene violations,including food items placed directly on the floor, dirty covering material,lack of employees’ medical fitness and training records and poor sanitation conditions.

The PFA said inspectors also found garbage near food items,insects and cockroaches at the premises, fungus in washing areas,peeling paint,dirty freezers and the alleged use of prohibited food colors.

Syed Musa Raza said strict action would continue against those violating food safety laws,adding that the authority was pursuing a zero-tolerance policy against adulteration and practices posing risks to public health.

Lahore: Punjab Home Secretary Dr Ahmed Javed Qazi inaugurated the headquarters of the Punjab Charities Commission, here on Saturday.

Following the inauguration, the Home Secretary toured various sections of the newly established office, equipped with modern facilities, and met members of the commission’s newly recruited team.

Chief Executive Officer Colonel Shehzad Ameer briefed him on the commission’s performance, future plans and regulatory framework.

The meeting was informed that the commission was providing guidance and advisory services to charitable organisations, their trustees and staff, while establishing an effective system for oversight and accountability of charities, their administrators and beneficiaries. Officials said an efficient audit management system had been developed for NGOs, enabling the commission to conduct inquiries and audits in cases of suspicious activities. They added that fundraising permissions of organisations violating the law could also be revoked.

Addressing the officials, Dr Ahmed Javed Qazi said establishing a peaceful and harmonious society remained the Punjab government’s top priority, adding that strong relations between the government and civil society based on trust, transparency and cooperation were essential. He said the Punjab Charities Commission was working to maintain public confidence in charitable institutions.

The Home Secretary said registration with the Punjab Charities Commission was mandatory for all charitable organisations operating in the province and stressed that the commission’s capacity was being enhanced to improve regulatory oversight.

He urged officials to safeguard the rights and interests of charitable organisations and deserving beneficiaries, describing public service as an act of worship. He also directed all charitable organisations to ensure strict compliance with laws governing the utilisation of charity funds and instructed the commission to launch weekly webinar sessions to guide NGOs on legal procedures related to establishing and operating charitable organisations.