Day: July 20, 2026

Lahore: Acting on the directions of Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz Sharif, a Chief Minister’s Inspection Team headed by Special Assistant Shoaib Mirza paid a surprise visit to a village in Toba Tek Singh to inspect the ongoing Model Village Project.

During the inspection, the team reviewed the quality of construction work and found that substandard and poor-quality materials had been used in the project, said a handout issued here on Sunday.

The inspection further revealed that the overall standard of construction was significantly below the required specifications.

Laboratory testing of the construction material used in the project also confirmed that it failed to meet the prescribed quality standards.

Following the findings of the Chief Minister’s Inspection Team, the Anti-Corruption Establishment immediately initiated action. Legal proceedings have been launched against the project’s contractor and consultant, and necessary steps are being taken for their arrest.

Lahore: Pakistan Furniture Council (PFC) Chief Executive Officer(CEO),Mian Kashif Ashfaq said that Pakistan could earn billions of dollars in foreign exchange by effectively harnessing the vast untapped potential of its blue economy.

Chairing a meeting of the PFC Board of Directors here on Sunday,he said Pakistan’s maritime economy remained one of the country’s most underutilized economic assets despite its strategic location at the crossroads of South Asia,Central Asia and the Middle East,a coastline stretching over 1000 kilometers along the Arabian Sea and three major commercial ports,Karachi Port,Port Qasim and Gwadar Port.

He said sectors including fisheries,shipping,logistics,shipbuilding and port services had immense potential to become major drivers of exports,employment and industrial growth if backed by consistent policies and greater investment.

Mian Kashif Ashfaq stressed the need for structural reforms,value addition and enhanced private-sector participation to unlock the full potential of maritime industries.

He said the blue economy,encompassing fisheries,ports,shipping,coastal tourism,offshore energy,marine biotechnology and maritime services,could emerge as one of Pakistan’s strongest long-term engines of economic growth if supported by coherent industrial and trade policies.

However,he noted that its contribution to the national GDP remained modest compared with countries that had successfully integrated maritime industries into their export-led growth strategies.

Highlighting the strategic significance of the maritime sector,he said Gwadar’s location near key international sea routes, Karachi’s role as the country’s principal commercial gateway and Port Qasim’s industrial connectivity offered Pakistan an opportunity to develop into a regional logistics and transshipment hub.

He added that the evolving trade corridors linking Central Asia,western China and the Gulf region further strengthened Pakistan’s prospects of expanding its maritime economy and enhancing regional trade connectivity.

Lahore: The Ravi River, which flows through India and Pakistan, is crucial to the region but has faced serious challenges in recent decades. Since the construction of the Thein Dam in India, the river’s water flow has significantly diminished, nearly drying up during the winter months. Compounding the issue, untreated sewage from urban areas, specifically from Lahore is being is discharged directly into the Ravi, leading to severe pollution, particularly around Lahore.

This contamination not only affects the river’s water quality but also threatens the groundwater that Lahore relies on for drinking water. To tackle these problems and prepare Lahore for the future, the Punjab government has launched the Ravi Riverfront Urban Development Project (RUDA). This initiative aims to transform Lahore into the largest riverfront city in the world. Furthermore, the RUDA is actively transforming Lahore’s landscape by dedicating over 11,000 acres to forests and parks.

Their flagship projects include planting millions of trees across nine forests, most notably the 3,071-acre Rakh Jhoke Forest, and converting the former Mehmood Booti landfill into an urban smart forest. The project focuses on developing a 46-kilometer stretch of land along the Ravi river between Lahore and Shiekhupura, with the goal of improving the environment and enhancing the quality of life for local residents.

The Ravi Urban Development Authority (RUDA) is currently executing a 1 km-wide channelization and flood-protection plan along both sides of the River Ravi. This includes constructing 30-foot-high, 46 km-long embankments to make the river a perennial freshwater body. While the overall Ravi Riverfront Urban Development Project spans 3 phases, the construction of these embankments is ongoing. The development will cover up to 102,000 acres along the river and will feature 46 kilometers of embankments on both banks.

RUDA’s mission is to transform the River Ravi into a perennial freshwater resource, coupled with high-quality urban waterfront development. This section introduces the overarching goal of the project, emphasizing the river’s importance for recreation, irrigation, and economic activities. Talking to reporter Phase-1 project engineer Rao Intazar Hussain said that around 10 kilometer embankment work has been completed in all three phases, while work is being carried on swiftly.

He said Urban Development Authority (RUDA) has announced plans to construct 46 kilometers of embankments on both sides of the River Ravi within the next three years. Rao Intizar Ali said that earlier, embankments built over a 10-kilometer stretch had protected several villages in Sapphire Bay from flood waters He added that following the recent floods, Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz directed RUDA to accelerate the construction work. ‘We have decided to complete 30-foot elevated embankments on both sides of the 46-kilometer stretch within three years.

Furthermore, RUDA is heavily focused on greening the Ravi River basin and combating Lahore’s severe pollution. Rai Bilal, Phase-3 site engineer said that the work on both embankments of the ongoing project has taken a significant step towards environmental conservation by organizing a plantation drive at Rakh Jhokk forest. In alignment with the directives of the Chief Minister to promote environmental sustainability, RUDA many times has commemorated by reiterating its dedication to combating pollution and advocating for ecological equilibrium.

Through initiatives such as the plantation drive at Rakh Jhokk forest, RUDA actively contributes to the broader objective of environmental preservation. So for, the plantation has been carried out on 80 acres featuring 36,000 new plants.

Additionally, six new tube-wells have been installed at the fresh site of Rakh Jhokk, which already covers an area exceeding 3,000 acres, he added. RUDA oversees nine forests spanning 5,983 acres in total. To bolster tree growth, the authority has set up multiple nurseries and is collaborating with local communities to advocate for forest conservation.

He said that around 40 percent of the total project area (over 100,000 acres) will be developed with forests, agriculture etc. It means we would have half of the total land for other purposes including residential, commercial or medical

Lahore: The Punjab Health Department has issued a new policy letter aimed at improving the quality of medical institutions and strengthening postgraduate medical education across the province.

According to a spokesperson for the department, the provincial government has ensured equal opportunities for candidates of both the College of Physicians and Surgeons Pakistan (CPSP) and medical universities in postgraduate training programmes.

Under the new policy guidelines, which will become effective from the January 2027 admission session, postgraduate training for the second fellowship (formerly known as Level-IV) under the Central Induction Programme will be offered exclusively for university degree programmes leading to MD and MS qualifications.

The spokesperson clarified that candidates holding FCPS qualifications will also remain fully eligible for training in the second fellowship.

To ensure a level playing field, second fellowship (MD/MS) training seats available in government teaching hospitals under the administrative control of the Specialized Healthcare and Medical Education Department will be allocated on a 50:50 basis between candidates holding university MD/MS degrees and those with CPSK-issued FCPS qualifications.

The spokesperson added that graduates of Punjab’s medical institutions continue to earn recognition for Pakistan worldwide through their professional capabilities.

The Health Department reiterated that the policy has been introduced to further upgrade the overall standards of postgraduate medical education while maintaining a fair, merit-based, and transparent system for specialist training in public sector teaching hospitals across Punjab.

Lahore: The Punjab Disaster Management Authority (PDMA) has issued a flood alert in view of the increase in water flow in various rivers and streams of the province from July 20 to 24.

The concerned district administration, rescue agencies and other departments have been directed to remain on high alert to deal with the possible situation.

According to the PDMA spokesperson, there is a risk of low to high level flooding in the Chenab River at Marala, while a flood warning has also been issued for the Ravi River and the rivers adjacent to the Chenab River, including Bahin, Basantar, Dek, Ek, Palkho, Bhimber, Halsi and Dora.

According to the spokesperson, there is a risk of flash flooding in the river valleys of Dera Ghazi Khan, while the possibility of urban flooding has also been shown in Lahore, Gujranwala, Bahawalnagar and Rawalpindi divisions.

The PDMA has issued an alert to the commissioners, deputy commissioners, WASA, Rescue 1122, local government, irrigation department, agriculture department, health department, forest department, livestock and transport department across the province and directed them to keep all advance arrangements complete.

DG PDMA Umar Abbas Mela has directed the concerned administration to keep the staff in the emergency control rooms on alert at all times, keep the disaster response teams of Rescue 1122 on high alert and ensure ample stock of petrol and diesel for rescue operations. He further directed that timely transfer of the population and livestock present in the river basins be ensured so that any possible loss of life and property can be avoided.

Lahore: Punjab Police remained on high alert and ensured comprehensive security arrangements during Christian worship and prayer services held in churches across the province, including Lahore, on Sunday.

According to a Punjab Police spokesperson, Inspector General of Police (IGP) Punjab Abdul Kareem had directed all Regional Police Officers (RPOs), District Police Officers (DPOs) and senior police officers to further strengthen security arrangements for churches and other sensitive places.

The IG instructed supervisory officers to personally inspect security arrangements at churches, important installations and vulnerable locations. He also ordered the deployment of additional police personnel and snipers at sensitive churches to ensure the safety of worshipers.

He directed teams of the Dolphin Squad, Police Response Unit (PRU) and Elite Force to maintain effective patrolling around churches and remain vigilant throughout the prayer services.

Abdul Kareem further instructed that deployed police officers and personnel should maintain a high state of alert and keep a close watch on suspicious and anti-social elements. He also ordered the continuation of search and sweep operations in the vicinity of churches, Christian localities and other sensitive areas.

The IG Punjab urged religious scholars, members of the Christian community and peace committees to continue promoting interfaith harmony, mutual respect and unity to help maintain a peaceful environment across the province.