Day: July 20, 2026

Lahore: A youth was killed while two others sustained injuries in a road accident here on Sunday. According to traffic police, the accident took place near Ghazi U-turn Chungi Kasur where a recklessly driven tractor-trolley hit a motorcycle. As a result, Ehtesham (20) died on the spot while two others suffered injuries. The tractor-trolley sped away after the accident. However, search was underway to arrest the driver. The injured were shifted to a hospital while the body of victim has been shifted to Mayo Hospital for postmortem. Factory Area police have registered a case and started investigating.

Lahore: Experts on Sunday while describing July 19 as an important day in the history of Kashmir, have said that in 1947, the people of Jammu and Kashmir had decided to accede to Pakistan even before the partition of subcontinent. Talking to reporter in connection with” Youm-e-Ilhaq-e-Pakistan”, they said that Kashmir was an international dispute on the agenda of United Nations, the only fair solution of which was to provide the Kashmiri people with their right to self-determination in accordance with the UN Security Council resolutions.

They said Pakistan would continue to extend its unwavering ethical, political, diplomatic and moral support until the people of Jammu and Kashmir were able to exercise their inalienable right to self-determination. PPP MNA Sehar Kamran while talking to reporter appreciated the Kashmiris stance of fighting for justice and liberation as they struggle against the brutal and illegal actions of the Hindutva Supremacist Indian government in IIOJK. “We commemorate the historic occasion of Youm-i-Ilhaq-i-Pakistan, when Kashmiris passed a resolution for accession to Pakistan,’ she said, adding that the people of Kashmir were at the mercy of despotic and tyrant Indian military who were suffering the most.

Question is that how long the innocent Kashmiris would be looking to ask the world to come forward for an open-hearted settlement of this long and outstanding dispute,’ she added. To a question, she said that Kashmiri and Pakistanis shared the same destiny and that was why Quaid-i-Azam had declared Kashmir jugular vein of Pakistan.

Noted politician and Chairman of the Pakistan-China Institute Mushahid Hussain Syed said that Indian oppression and brutality could not force the Kashmiris to surrender their right to their motherland as the Kashmiris had been guarding their commitment to the accession to Pakistan resolution with unimaginable sacrifices till this day. The time has come to settle the long-standing dispute of Kashmir on humanitarian basis, he said. Negotiations could not continue until the people of Kashmir get their right to self-determination, he observed.

The tight-lip International community should take the cognizance of the plight of the people of (IIOJK), who had been living under complete lockdown as the Kashmiris were living in the largest jail of the world, Mushahid said, adding the blood of innocent Kashmiris, who rendered sacrifices for freedom, would never go in vain. Peace and Culture Organization chairperson and wife of incarcerated Hurriyat leader Yasin Malik, Mushaal Hussein Mullick while talking to reporter said that Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IIOJK) was an unfinished agenda of realization and Independence of Pakistan. She said the issue would remain the same until the dispute was resolved in accordance with the United Nations Security Council resolutions and aspirations of the people of Kashmir.

While slamming the Modi-led Indian fascist government and its Hindutva ideology, Mushaal said that it was time for the international community to play its practical role for the people of occupied Kashmir. She said that by observing Youm-e-Ilhaq-e-Pakistan on July 19, Kashmiris were once again confirming their total rejection of the Indian rule and reaffirm pledge to continue liberation movement till taking it to its logical conclusion. Mushaal said that it was a good omen that Pakistan was continuously raising and projecting the Kashmir issue at all international fora, adding that it had expedited its diplomatic efforts to appraise the world of the ongoing atrocities in IIOJK.

She condemned India’s ongoing acts of genocide in the region, stating, ‘Anyone who dares to raise the voice of Kashmir on the global stage becomes a target of oppression.’ She asserted that the blood of martyrs would not go in vain and that their sacrifices had only strengthened the resolve of Kashmiri people.

Lahore: Lahore Chief Traffic Officer (CTO) Syed Abdul Rahim Shirazi on Sunday ordered an immediate crackdown on illegal and unregistered driving schools across the provincial capital, declaring that no private driving school would be allowed to operate without registration and approval from the relevant authority. According to a City Traffic Police Lahore (CTPL) spokesperson, the CTO directed enforcement teams to launch action against institutions operating in violation of the law and said all driving schools must strictly comply with Rule 23 of the Motor Vehicles Rules, 1969, governing their registration and operation. He said only those driving schools meeting the prescribed legal requirements would be eligible for registration. Each registered institute must have dual-control training vehicles, a proper building, classrooms and qualified, certified driving instructors to ensure quality training.

CTO Syed Abdul Rahim Shirazi said registered driving schools would also be bound to charge only the approved fee, warning that legal action would be taken against institutions found overcharging or collecting unauthorized fees. He said the CTPL aimed to provide citizens with safe, high-quality driving education in line with international standards so that new drivers could take to the roads with proper knowledge of traffic laws, helping reduce road accidents. The CTO urged citizens to obtain driving training only from registered and approved driving schools and asked them to report any illegal or unregistered institutes to the CTPL. He said the CTPL was committed to promoting a safe driving culture, ensuring effective enforcement of traffic laws and continuing indiscriminate action against illegal driving schools to protect the lives and property of citizens.

Lahore: A delegation of food exporters from South Punjab departed for Dubai on Sunday to explore business opportunities and promote Pakistani food products in Gulf markets amid growing demand in the region.

The delegation,led by Federation of Pakistan Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FPCCI) Regional Committee on Food Convener,Shahid Imran will hold meetings with leading importers,distributors,retail chains and trade organizations during the visit.

Speaking to a delegation of women entrepreneurs led by Amna Abdullah Arain before his departure,Shahid Imran said the visit was aimed at expanding Pakistan’s presence in the Gulf food market by establishing direct business-to-business links.

He said disruptions in regional supply chains following the US-Israel-Iran conflict had created opportunities for Pakistani exporters to increase their share in Gulf markets.

The delegation will promote a range of Pakistani products,including rice,spices,fruits,vegetables,processed foods,Zia Snacks and other value-added agricultural products.

Shahid Imran expressed optimism that the visit would help boost food exports,strengthen trade ties with Gulf countries and contribute to foreign exchange earnings.

Lahore: Environment Protection Department Punjab Director General Musa Raza visited Jinnah Terminal Thokar Niaz Baig and Sagian entry points, where he reviewed the checking of vehicles entering the city and the anti-smog campaign in detail. During the visit, the DG Environment directed the officers concerned to give a final deadline of seven days to the owners and transporters of commercial vehicles emitting smoke to improve the fitness of their vehicles. He clarified that after the expiry of stipulated period, indiscriminate action would be taken against the vehicles emitting smoke under the zero tolerance policy.

According to the DG Environment, the scope of action would not be limited to transport vehicles only, but also industrial labor transport, courier services, delivery vans, bakery supply vehicles and all commercial vehicles entering Lahore daily would also be subject to checking and legal action. He also issued strict instructions regarding tractor trolleys and other vehicles transporting construction materials, saying that seven-day notices should also be issued to them. Full implementation of fugitive dust SOPs would be mandatory for all vehicles carrying sand, soil, gravel and other construction materials.

Musa Raza clarified that no vehicle would be allowed to enter Lahore without completely covering the construction material. If any vehicle is found violating the prescribed SOPs, its construction material would be confiscated on the spot and the vehicle would be stopped for three days and a heavy fine would be imposed on the responsible persons. The DG Environment said the Punjab government would not compromise on the issue of air pollution and smog. He said that all the relevant institutions would continue to take coordinated actions to provide clean air to the citizens and reduce environmental pollution, while those who violate the rules would be dealt with strictly.

Lahore: The School Education Department Punjab has decided to implement CCTV cameras and biometric attendance system in all government schools of the province to make the security and surveillance system more effective. The School Education Department has issued instructions to all district education authorities to install CCTV cameras and biometric systems in about 38,000 government schools of the province within a month. According to official sources, the district education authorities had issued instructions to all school heads to install CCTV cameras and biometric attendance system from their non-salary budget. All installation expenses will also be met from the non-salary budget.

The School Education Department has clarified that the CCTV cameras installed in schools would effectively monitor the attendance of teachers and overall discipline, while the attendance of teaching staff would be made more transparent through the biometric system. The department has issued instructions to all District Education Authorities to ensure the implementation of the project within the stipulated time frame and also submit a progress report.