Day: July 16, 2026

Lahore: The Pakistan Sugar Mills Association (PSMA) has requested the government to allow export of surplus sugar within one month of the closure of crushing season 2025-26.

In this regard, the PSMA has also written a letter to Federal Minister for National Food Security and Research.

Sharing contents of the letter with the media, the Association’s spokesman said that sugar stocks in the country stood at 7.967 million metric tons at the end of the last crushing season. With annual consumption of 6.786 million metric tons, there is a surplus of 1.181 million metric tons. It will take five months to export that quantity of sugar, and by then, new sugar production will start.

Over the past two years, better and timely payments to sugarcane growers have encouraged them to cultivate superior cane varieties and purchase necessary inputs, resulting in a significant increase in per-acre yield and sugar recovery. Better sugarcane crop is expected in the upcoming crushing season, resulting in higher sugar production. Sugar production of 8 million metric tons is expected in the upcoming crushing season.

At present, the sugar industry is facing the challenge of maintaining huge sugar stocks, while demand remains very low. Current sugar prices are below than production costs, whereas the price of sugarcane is rising every year. Due to unsold sugar stocks, the sugar industry is facing severe shortage of funds for repaying bank loans and clearing outstanding dues to farmers.

In view of all these factors, the government is strongly urged to grant permission for the export of 0.6 million metric tons of surplus sugar at the earliest, and to authorize the export of remaining 0.55 million metric tons within one month of the commencement of the 2026-27 crushing season.

A prompt decision in this regard will not only help the sugar industry cope with the shortage of funds but also generate much-needed foreign exchange worth approximately USD 575 million for the national exchequer.

Lahore: The Punjab government on Wednesday showcased modern equipment worth Rs500 million procured for Civil Defence Punjab and Rescue 1122 as part of Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz Sharif’s “Safe Punjab” vision, aimed at strengthening emergency response and public safety across the province.

Provincial Minister and Chairman Cabinet Committee on Law and Order Khawaja Salman Rafique inspected a practical demonstration of the newly acquired equipment at the Civil Secretariat. Secretary Home Punjab Dr Ahmed Javed Qazi, Secretary Emergency Services Punjab Dr Rizwan Naseer and Director Civil Defence Tasneem Ali Khan were also present. During the event, officials briefed participants on the latest equipment, which includes airlift drones, bomb disposal robots, anti-drone guns, electric sirens, bomb disposal suits, bomb blankets, mine detectors, snake cameras, automatic loading stretchers, spine boards, chipping hammers, angular grinders, fire hoses, oxygen cylinders and fire extinguishers. The modern airlift drone is capable of lifting up to 200 kilograms and rescuing people from difficult locations.

A special meeting was also held with newly recruited members of the Civil Defence bomb disposal squad, while a memorandum of understanding was signed between Punjab Civil Defence and Rescue 1122. Under the agreement, Civil Defence handed over modern equipment worth Rs85.5 million to Rescue 1122 to further enhance its operational capacity.

Addressing the ceremony, Khawaja Salman Rafique said Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz Sharif had directed authorities to strengthen Civil Defence during the recent Pakistan-India tensions by enhancing its operational capabilities. He said Civil Defence and Rescue 1122 are vital institutions for the protection and welfare of citizens and have now been equipped with state-of-the-art equipment. He added that the bomb disposal squad was being strengthened through new recruitment and advanced technology. He also said the Chief Minister had increased the honorarium of Civil Defence volunteers in recognition of their services, adding that more than 350,000 citizens had so far registered as Civil Defence volunteers and were receiving basic life support training.

Secretary Home Punjab Dr Ahmed Javed Qazi said the provincial government was aligning the Civil Defence Resilience Corps with modern requirements, adding that Civil Defence plays a crucial role during both peace and wartime and serves as the frontline emergency response force for district administrations. He urged citizens to join Civil Defence as volunteers.

Secretary Emergency Services Punjab Dr Rizwan Naseer said Rescue 1122 had prevented losses worth Rs786 billion through timely emergency response and currently attends more than 7,000 emergencies every day. He thanked Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz Sharif and Provincial Minister Khawaja Salman Rafique for equipping Rescue 1122 with modern equipment and encouraged citizens to register as Civil Defence volunteers through the online portal VCD.HOME.GOP.PK. The ceremony was also attended by senior officials of the Home Department, Civil Defence, NRTC and other collaborating institutions.

Lahore: Raja Mansoor Ahmad has assumed charge as the new Director General of the Punjab Food Authority (PFA), the authority’s spokesperson said on Wednesday.

An officer of the Pakistan Administrative Service (PAS), Raja Mansoor Ahmad brings extensive administrative experience to the position. Prior to his appointment, he served as Deputy Commissioner of Pakpattan and Nankana Sahib, Special Secretary, Healthcare and Medical Education Department, Director General Public Relations, Director General Mines and Minerals, and Director General Parks and Horticulture Authority (PHA), among other key assignments.

After taking charge, the new DG reaffirmed his commitment to ensuring strict enforcement of food safety laws across Punjab under a zero-tolerance policy. He said stringent action would be taken against food adulteration, counterfeit products, and the sale of substandard food items.

Raja Mansoor Ahmad said the Punjab Food Authority would focus on the adoption of modern technology and human resource development to further strengthen food safety regulations and institutional performance.

He added that effective coordination would be established with food business operators, the food industry, and the public to promote compliance and improve food safety standards across the province.

The DG said all available resources would be utilized to fulfill the Punjab Chief Minister’s mission of eliminating food safety threats and protecting public health. He also pledged to ensure the provision of safe, quality food to consumers while promoting innovation and sustainable improvements in the food industry.

Lahore: Lahore Commissioner Noman Yousaf on Wednesday reviewed monsoon preparedness during field visits to various drainage and rainwater management sites across the provincial capital.

He inspected ongoing desilting operations and the construction progress of underground water storage tanks.

The commissioner visited Shadman Drain, Barkat Market underground water tank, Garden Town, Gaddafi Stadium underground water tank and Satukatla Drain, where WASA Managing Director Ghufran Ahmed briefed him on drain desilting and water tank projects. He informed the commissioner that all major drains had undergone phased desilting before the onset of the monsoon, while cleaning operations would continue throughout the rainy season.

Commissioner Noman Yousaf directed authorities to maintain uninterrupted desilting of all city drains to minimise the risk of urban flooding and instructed officials to give special attention to low-lying areas vulnerable to water accumulation.

He said the construction of underground water tanks had significantly reduced the number of rain emergency hotspots in Lahore and ordered that all under-construction water tank sites remain completely closed to the public for safety reasons.

The commissioner reiterated that, in line with the directives of Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz Sharif, rainwater drainage should be completed in the shortest possible time to ensure public convenience during the monsoon.

Lahore: The Department of Ophthalmology at Lahore General Hospital (LGH) has successfully revived its corneal transplant programme after a decade-long suspension, performing 25 successful corneal transplant surgeries that restored the eyesight of 25 blind people.

A dignified ceremony was held at the hospital on Wednesday to celebrate the milestone, with Principal Post Graduate Medical Institute (PGMI) Prof. Dr. Muhammad Farooq Afzal attending as the chief guest.

Addressing the ceremony, he described eyesight as one of nature’s greatest blessings and said only those who lose it truly realise its value. He termed restoring sight to a blind person the greatest gift and a lasting act of charity. Prof. Dr. Muhammad Farooq Afzal said corneal diseases are the fourth leading cause of blindness in Pakistan, while the country still depends on imported corneas for transplant procedures.

He stressed the urgent need to establish local eye banks and launch large-scale awareness campaigns to promote cornea donation. He also highlighted the economic benefits of blindness prevention, saying every dollar spent on preventing blindness saves six dollars for the national economy. Head of the Ophthalmology Department, Prof. Tayyaba Gul Malik, said a single corneal transplant in the private sector costs between Rs300,000 and Rs500,000, whereas deserving patients at LGH received the procedure completely free of charge.

She said donated corneas were provided through organizations, including AAPNA, while philanthropists bore all other treatment expenses. Congratulating the surgical team, anesthesia staff, nurses and post-operative care unit, she announced that the department’s next objective is to expand the service to provide free corneal transplants to more patients.

Medical Superintendent LGH Prof. Dr. Faryad Hussain reaffirmed his full support for the Ophthalmology Department in line with Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz Sharif’s “Patients First” vision. He announced the provision of modern facilities and necessary funding to further strengthen the department’s services. At the conclusion of the ceremony, Principal Prof. Dr. Muhammad Farooq Afzal presented appreciation certificates to doctors, nurses and staff members in recognition of their dedication and contribution to the successful revival of the corneal transplant program. The ceremony was also attended by Member Federal Medical Tribunal Dr. Amjad Shahzad, faculty members, consultants, nurses and paramedical staff of the department.

Lahore: Lahore Commissioner Noman Yousaf on Wednesday directed all deputy commissioners and relevant departments across the division to remain on high alert for the monsoon season, stressing coordinated preparedness, rapid emergency response and timely resolution of public complaints.

Chairing a divisional meeting on flood and monsoon arrangements here, the commissioner reviewed contingency plans for rescue, evacuation, relief camps, boats, manpower and other emergency resources.

Officials informed the meeting that water flow and levels in the Ravi and Sutlej rivers remained normal, while continuous monitoring was underway. The commissioner directed authorities to recheck and clear all obstructions beneath bridges over both rivers and ensure departments remained alert in accordance with weather forecasts.

He instructed that officials from every relevant department be remained present at all rain emergency camps according to duty rosters and ordered field teams to complete all preventive measures against urban flooding in advance. He also directed authorities to keep the public complaint redressal system fully operational and ensure immediate and effective responses.

The commissioner further ordered a survey and inspection of billboards and trees across the city to minimise risks during heavy storms.

During the meeting, district administrations briefed participants that evacuation plans had been finalised, emergency locations identified and Rescue 1122’s emergency response plan was fully operational through 24 rescue stations.

Noman Yousaf directed that all disposal stations in Lahore remain operational round the clock with backup arrangements, while LESCO officials should remain stationed in the WASA control room to ensure an immediate response in case of any power-related breakdowns at pumping stations.

He said the primary objective of all arrangements was to safeguard human lives and property through timely action, adding that the Punjab chief minister had prioritised prompt and complete resolution of citizens’ complaints and civic issues.

The meeting was attended by representatives of the Pakistan Army, Rangers, Lahore Police, district administrations, the Irrigation Department, Railways, WASA, Metropolitan Corporation Lahore, Rescue 1122, LESCO, the Health Department and other relevant agencies, while deputy commissioners of Kasur and Sheikhupura joined via video link.