Day: July 22, 2026

Lahore: Punjab National Cyber Crime Investigation Agency (NCCIA) Tuesday arrested 12 members of an organised international cyber fraud network accused of impersonating foreign embassies and defrauding citizens through fake visa, immigration and diplomatic service schemes.

According to the NCCIA spokesperson, the group had been active since 2019 and allegedly used the identities of the embassies of Italy, Germany, Sweden, Oman and Saudi Arabia, among others, to deceive citizens and obtain millions of rupees through fraudulent visa appointments, immigration processing and document verification services.

Investigators said the suspects created fake Google business profiles, fraudulent web pages and forged official-looking documents. They also allegedly conducted video calls while wearing Singapore Police uniforms to intimidate victims and lend credibility to their claims.

The spokesperson said the gang had recruited individuals fluent in Arabic, Saudi dialects and other foreign languages to impersonate embas
sy staff and government officials while communicating with victims.

Officials further revealed that the suspects used advanced call-forwarding and call-spoofing technology to link official embassy telephone numbers with numbers under their control. Victims were contacted through these numbers and later approached via WhatsApp, where they were asked to pay substantial amounts for visa appointments, immigration services and document authentication.

NCCIA described the operation as one of its most significant successes against international cybercrime networks.

During a raid conducted in Bahria Town Phase-IV, Rawalpindi, under case No. 54/2026, the agency arrested all 12 suspects from a fake call center.

Recovered items included 21 mobile phones, a Toyota Corolla car, a Singapore Police uniform, fake Google business profiles, phishing emails, forged appointment letters, PTCL records, multiple Gmail accounts and other digital evidence, which had been taken into custody for forensic analysis.

Lahore: Four people were injured when the roof of a plastic bottle manufacturing factory collapsed in Gulshan Ravi area on Tuesday. According to the Rescue 1122, the incident occurred on Band Road where the roof of a five-marla factory, constructed with TR girders, caved in. The Urban Search and Rescue team responded promptly and successfully rescued all four workers trapped under the debris alive.

Rescue officials provided first aid to the injured at the scene before shifting one critically injured person to a nearby hospital. Rescue 1122 said the search and rescue operation had been completed successfully.

Lahore: A sessions court on Tuesday granted post-arrest bail to podcast host Rehan Tariq in a case registered by the National Cyber Crime Investigation Agency (NCCIA) under the Prevention of Electronic Crimes Act (PECA) and relevant provisions of the Pakistan Penal Code concerning allegations of raising sensitive and controversial sectarian issues in a video posted on social media.

Additional District and Sessions Judge Nusrat Ali Siddiqui heard the bail petition, while Advocate Mian Dawood appeared on behalf of Rehan Tariq.

The defence counsel argued that the contents of the FIR did not establish the commission of any cognisable offence. He contended that conducting an interview involving historical and religious questions did not constitute a cognisable offence under any law of Pakistan. He further submitted that there was no evidence to establish that Rehan Tariq had uploaded the disputed video or interview on social media.

The counsel argued that all the provisions invoked in the FIR were bailable offences, making the accused entitled to bail as a legal and constitutional right.

The NCCIA SHO opposed the bail petition and requested the court to dismiss it. He contended that the podcaster had deliberately asked controversial questions in a manner that could provoke religious and sectarian discord.

After hearing detailed arguments from both sides, the court granted bail to Rehan Tariq against surety bonds of Rs100,000.

A few days earlier, a judicial magistrate had dismissed Rehan Tariq’s post-arrest bail petition in the case.

According to the FIR registered on June 25, the NCCIA booked Tariq under Section 11 of the Prevention of Electronic Crimes Act, 2016, and Sections 153-A, 295-A and 298 of the Pakistan Penal Code.

The FIR alleges that Tariq hosted a podcast featuring a religious scholar during which highly sensitive and controversial sectarian issues were discussed, allegedly triggering controversy among followers of different sects.

Lahore: Suthra Punjab Agency Lahore (SPAL) continued its cleanliness and waste clearance operations without interruption despite intermittent heavy and light rainfall across different areas of the city.

Under the vision of Chief Minister Punjab Maryam Nawaz Sharif for a cleaner Punjab and on the directions of Director General Suthra Punjab Authority, Umer Javed, operational teams remained fully active in the field throughout the rainfall, ensuring uninterrupted waste clearance and sanitation services across Lahore.

According to a spokesperson of the agency, in view of the ongoing monsoon season, SPAL teams have been deployed before, during, and after rainfall to facilitate the smooth flow of rainwater and prevent waterlogging by keeping drains, roads, and public spaces free from waste and obstructions.

Sanitation staff remained on high alert to ensure waste clearance on all major roads and key commercial areas of the city. Timely drainage measures continued in low-lying areas and other vulnerable locations to minimize public inconvenience.

Special sanitation teams were deployed at Jail Road, Mall Road, Data Darbar, Circular Road, Ek Moria Bridge, Do Morria Bridge, and McLeod Road to maintain cleanliness and ensure the smooth flow of traffic.

Additional teams were also stationed at Lakshmi Chowk, Shadman Market, Gulberg, Barkat Market, Lahore Chamber of Commerce area (Aiwan-e-Tijarat), Beadon Road Bazaar, and Temple Road to provide uninterrupted sanitation services.

Furthermore, more than 7,000 waste containers installed across the city continued to be cleared as per routine schedules. Door-to-door waste collection through loader rickshaws also remained fully operational during the rainfall, ensuring uninterrupted municipal services for residents. SPAL reaffirmed its commitment to maintaining a clean, safe, and environmentally sustainable Lahore by ensuring that all operational teams remain fully prepared to respond promptly throughout the monsoon season.

Lahore: Deputy Commissioner (DC) Muhammad Ali Ejaz on Tuesday reviewed progress on the under-construction floating restaurant project on Canal Road and inspected safety arrangements at Sozo Water Park.

He directed officials to maintain the highest construction and public safety standards at both sites.

During his visit to the floating restaurant project near the Journalists Housing Scheme on Canal Road, the deputy commissioner inspected ongoing construction work and reviewed the overall development plan.

Chief Officer Metropolitan Corporation Lahore (MCL) Kaleem Yousaf and Assistant Commissioner Wahga Zeeshan Manzoor accompanied him, while officials briefed him on the project’s progress and the final design.

The DC directed the executing agencies to ensure that engineering standards and the quality of construction materials were not compromised at any stage of the project. He also instructed officials to continue construction without disrupting the smooth flow of traffic on Canal Road and to ensure strict compliance with all workplace safety protocols.

He directed the authorities to prepare a comprehensive landscaping and plantation plan around the project to enhance its aesthetic appeal and instructed all relevant departments to strengthen coordination for its timely completion.

DC Muhammad Ali Ejaz said the floating restaurant, envisioned by Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz Sharif, would become a major recreational attraction, enhance the beauty of Lahore and contribute significantly to the promotion of tourism in the provincial capital.

Later, the DC visited Sozo Water Park to review public safety measures and inspect compliance with operational safety standards. Officials from the district administration and relevant departments briefed him on the deployment of lifeguards, availability of safety equipment, emergency response arrangements and other precautionary measures.

The DC directed authorities to ensure the presence of trained lifeguards at all times, conduct thorough inspections of fitness certificates for rides and water slides, and keep first-aid centres fully operational throughout operating hours. He also instructed the park management to install prominent public safety signboards, maintain strict monitoring of water quality and cleanliness in swimming pools, and fully implement rescue and emergency response protocols.

He said district teams would continue inspections of recreational facilities across Lahore to ensure compliance with safety regulations, adding that strict legal action would be taken against parks found violating prescribed safety standards.

The DC also directed the relevant departments to submit comprehensive proposals for streamlining the operational control and regulatory oversight of water parks to further strengthen safety management.

He said the protection of citizens’ lives and property remained the district administration’s foremost administrative and moral responsibility, adding that improving safety standards at recreational facilities would help prevent accidents while providing a safer and more enjoyable environment for the public.

Lahore: Pakistan China Joint Chamber of Commerce and Industry (PCJCCI) Commercial Ambassador Adeel Munawar said on Tuesday that strengthening educational cooperation between Pakistan and China is vital for developing a skilled workforce, accelerating agricultural modernization, and enhancing Pakistan’s competitiveness in the global knowledge economy.

He said that investment in education, vocational training, research, and innovation is the cornerstone of sustainable economic development.

He noted that Pakistan enjoys a significant demographic advantage, with more than 60 percent of its population below the age of 30, making investment in youth skills and higher education one of the country’s greatest opportunities.

Commercial Ambassador stated that agriculture remains the backbone of Pakistan’s economy, contributing around 22 percent to the national GDP while employing approximately one-third (33 percent) of the country’s labor force.

He stressed that improving agricultural productivity through technology transfer, modern research, and scientific education is essential to ensuring food security, increasing exports, and improving rural livelihoods. He highlighted that Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif signed MOUs, covered a wide range of sectors. In agriculture, both sides signed a Protocol on Inspection, Quarantine and Sanitary Requirements for Dried Fruits and Nuts, a Protocol of Phytosanitary Requirements for Maize, an MoU on Strengthening Development Cooperation in the Agriculture Sector, and a Letter of Exchange on Animal Vaccines.

Adeel Munawar highlighted that Pakistan and China have already taken practical steps to deepen educational cooperation. Under the Prime Minister’s capacity-building initiative, 1,000 young Pakistani agricultural graduates are receiving advanced training at leading Chinese universities and institutions in areas including biotechnology, mechanization, climate-smart agriculture, artificial intelligence, irrigation systems, and seed development. He said these initiatives will help introduce modern farming techniques and advanced research practices across Pakistan’s agricultural sector.

He further noted that stronger academic partnerships will facilitate joint research, faculty exchange, technology commercialization, digital learning, and innovation-driven entrepreneurship. Aligning educational curricula with industry requirements will enable graduates to acquire market-relevant skills, reduce the gap between education and employment, and support Pakistan’s industrial and export-oriented growth.

Highlighting the role of digital transformation, Adeel Munawar said that integrating artificial intelligence, smart classrooms, precision agriculture, and advanced vocational education into Pakistan’s academic institutions would prepare young professionals for emerging industries while enhancing productivity across agriculture, manufacturing, and technology sectors.

He concluded that educational collaboration between Pakistan and China is not merely an academic partnership but a strategic investment in human capital. Such cooperation will strengthen innovation, enhance workforce productivity, promote sustainable agricultural development, and reinforce the enduring Pakistan-China All-Weather Strategic Cooperative Partnership.