Day: July 15, 2026

Lahore: Punjab Minister for Labour and Human Resource Muhammad Manshaullah Butt on Tuesday assured labour representatives from Gujranwala that workers’ issues would be addressed on a priority basis, saying the government was committed to improving their welfare, healthcare, education and working conditions.

The assurance came during a meeting with a delegation of labour representatives from Gujranwala, who discussed workers’ welfare, residential and medical facilities, and other issues facing the labour community, here. The delegation also presented suggestions for improving services and facilities for workers.

The minister said that the prosperity of workers and resolution of their problems were among the Punjab government’s top priorities. He added that various welfare projects were being implemented at a fast pace under the vision of Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz Sharif.

Muhammad Manshaullah Butt said the government was taking concrete steps to provide better healthcare, education and other essential facilities to workers. He announced that the PESSI Nursing School at Manga Social Security Hospital would be launched soon, while a proposal to establish a PESSI Medical College was also under consideration.

He said Workers Welfare Schools were providing quality education in line with modern requirements to equip workers’ children for a better future. He added that the government was also working to ensure safe, improved and worker-friendly conditions at workplaces across the province.

The minister said that the Punjab government would continue taking practical measures to safeguard workers’ rights and provide them with maximum welfare facilities.

Lahore: A meeting chaired by Local Government Minister Zeeshan Rafique at the Program Management Unit, Garden Town reviewed the progress of development schemes in 49 cities under the Punjab Development Program (PDP). Special Secretary Local Government Shahid Zaman Lak and Additional Secretary Mehreen Faheem Abbasi also attended the meeting.

Minister Local Government Zeeshan Rafique expressed his satisfaction over the fact that 78 percent of water storage tanks have been completed under the ‘Maryum Nawaz’s Sohna Punjab’ program. He said that 51 tanks were built by June, while 31 more underground water storage tanks have been constructed by mid-July. “Thus, 100 percent work on 82 tanks have been completed so far, while 70 percent work on 22 tanks have been completed”, he noted.

Zeeshan Rafique said that in the first phase, approval was given to build 105 underground tanks to prevent urban flooding. He said that more than 51 percent of the work on 124 drains has also been completed. “By June, 27 drains were built and by mid-July, 63 had been completed. So far, 70 to 90 percent of the construction of 26 drains has been completed”, he observed.

The provincial minister directed the PMU to expedite the construction work on the remaining drains saying that due to deep excavation, the construction of underground water storage tanks and drains was a difficult task, which has been completed to a large extent. “After that, he went on, the pavement and repairing work of streets, sewerage and parks will not take much time”, he pledged. The minister stressed that the timeline of development schemes should be fully taken care of in the light of the instructions of Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz Sharif.

Lahore: The Parks and Horticulture Authority (PHA) Lahore has officially launched its Free Home Delivery of Saplings service under the Monsoon Plantation Drive 2026.

The initiative aims to promote tree plantation across Lahore during the monsoon season while encouraging active public participation in creating a greener and healthier city.

Managing Director PHA Lahore, Raja Mansoor Ahmed, said that under the Chief Minister’s Green Lahore Vision, citizens can obtain two free indigenous saplings by calling the PHA Helpline 1399. To ensure proper plantation and long-term survival of the saplings, trained PHA gardeners will visit the applicants’ homes and plant the saplings free of cost.Citizens can register their requests by calling Helpline 1399 from 8: 00 a.m. to 4: 00 p.m. Following registration, the saplings will be delivered and planted within nine days.Speaking on the occasion, Raja Mansoor Ahmed said that PHA Lahore is fully committed to transforming Lahore into a greener, cleaner and environmentally sustainable city in accordance with the vision of the Chief Minister of Punjab.

He urged citizens to take full advantage of the free plantation service by contacting Helpline 1399 and participating actively in the Monsoon Plantation Drive.He further appealed to the people of Lahore to plant trees at their homes, educational institutions, neighbourhoods and other available spaces, emphasizing that trees play a vital role in improving air quality, reducing urban temperatures, combating climate change and ensuring a healthier environment for future generations.The Managing Director reaffirmed that PHA Lahore will continue its plantation initiatives with the support of the public to make Lahore greener, more beautiful and environmentally resilient under the Green Lahore Vision.

Lahore: A delegation of probationary Assistant Superintendents of Police (ASPs) of the 52nd Common Training Programme (CTP) called on Punjab Inspector General of Police (IGP) Abdul Kareem at the Central Police Office (CPO) on Tuesday.

The delegation comprised 14 probationary ASPs, including two female officers, belonging to Punjab, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Balochistan and Sindh.

Speaking on the occasion, the IGP said the Punjab government, under Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz Sharif’s “Safe Punjab Vision”, had provided extensive resources to equip the Punjab Police with IT-based applications, modern community policing tools and advanced technologies.

He said a zero-tolerance policy was being strictly implemented against incidents of violence, sexual assault and harassment involving women and children, adding that the entire province had been brought under an Artificial Intelligence (AI)-enabled Safe City system extending to the tehsil level.

Abdul Kareem emphasised that on-ground policing, keen observation, timely decision-making and practical field experience were essential for probationary officers throughout their professional careers.

He directed the officers to resolve public issues on a priority basis within the ambit of the law and promote people-friendly policing to improve public service delivery.

The IGP also advised the probationary ASPs to acquire comprehensive knowledge of the modern infrastructure, surveillance systems and virtual technologies being used by the Punjab Safe Cities Authority.

He said field training in district police and other specialised branches would play a key role in their professional development, adding that officers should focus on community policing, effective public engagement and the welfare of subordinate police personnel.

During the meeting, the IGP sought feedback from the officers regarding their training experiences and responded to their queries.

According to a Punjab Police spokesperson, the probationary ASPs had been posted in various districts of Punjab for six months of field training. They were also briefed on police operations, investigation, the Crime Control Department (CCD), traffic management, public service delivery and crime prevention.

Additional Inspector General (Training) Asim Gulzar, Additional Inspector General (IAB) Imran Mehmood, Additional Inspector General (Operations) Punjab Muhammad Ali Nekokara, DIG Establishment-II Suleman Sultan Rana, DIG Headquarters Dr Muhammad Abid and other senior police officers were also present.

Lahore: The Office of the Ombudsman Punjab on Tuesday secured the release of more than Rs.5.6 million in pending group insurance dues to 17 citizens over the past three months after intervening in complaints against government departments.

According to an Ombudsman spokesperson,the complainants approached the institution after the departments concerned failed to release their group insurance payments despite repeated requests.

Taking notice of the complaints,the Ombudsman directed the relevant authorities to process and clear the outstanding claims without further delay.

Following the intervention,more than Rs.5.6 million was disbursed to the 17 complainants,providing long-awaited financial relief.

The beneficiaries appreciated the Ombudsman Punjab’s role in securing the release of their dues and acknowledged the institution’s efforts in ensuring the prompt resolution of public complaints.

Lahore: The Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) has launched an investigation into the alleged disappearance of 12 Pakistani youths in Iran after registering cases through its Anti-Human Trafficking Circle Lahore.

According to an FIA Lahore Zone spokesperson, special investigation teams have been constituted and raids are being conducted at various locations to arrest the suspects allegedly involved in sending the youths abroad on the pretext of facilitating their travel to Italy.

The spokesperson said all available resources are being utilised to arrest the accused and trace the missing youths.

He added that the FIA is also coordinating with the relevant authorities abroad to ascertain the whereabouts of the missing youths and ensure their safe recovery.