Day: July 24, 2026

Lahore: Punjab Minister for Health and Chairman of the Cabinet Committee for Disaster Management Khawaja Salman Rafique on Thursday said the Punjab government was taking comprehensive measures to make the province flood-resilient in line with the vision of Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz Sharif.

During a visit to the Provincial Emergency Center at the Punjab Disaster Management Authority (PDMA) headquarters, the minister reviewed the province’s preparedness for the ongoing monsoon season and flood-related emergencies.

Khawaja Salman Rafique said the Rescue Department had been equipped with modern equipment worth billions of rupees to strengthen its capacity for flood response and disaster management. He added that both pre-disaster preparedness and post-disaster response mechanisms were being further improved to minimise the impact of floods and other water-related hazards.

He expressed confidence that these measures would play an effective role in preventing flood-related losses and enhancing the province’s emergency response capabilities.

On the occasion, Additional Director General PDMA Mutahir Amin Wattoo briefed the minister on the latest monsoon situation, water flow in rivers and the authority’s preparedness to deal with any emergency arising from heavy rains and possible flooding.

Lahore: Punjab set a new benchmark in good governance as the government agencies swiftly completed rainwater drainage operations during the ongoing monsoon spell under the directions of Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz Sharif.

With the intensity of monsoon rains increasing, the Punjab government mobilised all relevant departments, including Suthra Punjab, WASA and local authorities, to ensure the prompt disposal of accumulated rainwater. In Lahore, rainwater was cleared in less than an hour, setting a new operational record.

Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz Sharif commended all departments and field staff for their timely response and remained engaged in continuous digital monitoring of the overall situation.

Despite recording 343 millimetres of rainfall over a continuous 48-hour period, Lahore witnessed no major waterlogging, providing significant relief to residents.

Through coordinated efforts, authorities successfully prevented the accumulation of rainwater at most major intersections, roads and underpasses across the city.

Rapid drainage operations were carried out on Mall Road, Club Chowk, Main Boulevard Gulberg, Liberty Chowk and Ferozepur Road. Water was also cleared within a few hours from Bank Stop, Qainchi Stop and adjoining sections of Ferozepur Road.

Traffic remained uninterrupted in Karim Block, Iqbal Town, Samanabad Underpass and surrounding areas following the timely completion of drainage operations.

For the first time, Lahore’s modern drainage infrastructure, supported by a comprehensive monsoon management strategy, successfully prevented widespread road closures caused by heavy rainfall.

On the directions of Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz Sharif, the Commissioner Lahore, Deputy Commissioner, Assistant Commissioners, along with officers and field staff of WASA, the Local Government Department and other relevant agencies, remained present in the field to supervise and ensure the smooth execution of relief operations.

Lahore: The Pakistan men’s cricket team will tour England to play a five-match ODI series between May 15 and 26, 2027 with the opening match scheduled to take place in Southampton on Saturday, 15 May.

As per the information shared by the PCB here on Thursday, the second ODI will be played in Manchester on 19 May, while Leeds will host the third match of the series on 21 May. The fourth and fifth ODIs will be played in Chester-le-Street and Cardiff on 23 and 26 May, respectively.

Pakistan, who are currently touring the West Indies for a two-match Test series, will travel to England next month for a three-match Test series scheduled to take place from 19 August to 13 September.

The five-match ODI series will provide both sides with valuable preparation for the ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup 2027, which will be held in South Africa, Zimbabwe and Namibia from 4 October to 21 November.

Pakistan are currently ranked fifth in the ICC Men’s ODI Team Rankings, while England occupy seventh spot.

The last time Pakistan toured England for an ODI series was in 2021. Babar Azam was the leading run-scorer in the three-match ODI series, accumulating 177 runs in three matches, including an innings of 158 in the third ODI.

Series schedule:

15 May – First ODI, Southampton

19 May – Second ODI, Manchester

21 May – Third ODI, Leeds

23 May – Fourth ODI, Chester-le-Street

26 May – Fifth ODI, Cardiff

Lahore: The Punjab Public Service Commission (PPSC) has decided to introduce biometric verification system, under which biometric verification of candidates will be mandatory at the examination centers.

According to Secretary PPSC Afzal Ahmed, biometric verification will be formally started from the written examination for deputy accountant to be held on July 25 and 26. More than 60,000 candidates will appear in the said examination, whose biometric verification will be done at the examination centers.

According to Afzal Ahmed, the aim of introducing biometric system is to make the examination process more transparent, secure and reliable. This step will prevent fake candidates and only genuine candidates will be able to appear in the examination.

Afzal Ahmed further said that the credibility of the examination process will be further strengthened with the implementation of modern biometric system.

Lahore: Punjab Health Minister and Chairman of the Cabinet Committee for Disaster Management Khawaja Salman Rafique on Thursday said all government departments had been placed on high alert to safeguard the lives and property of citizens, adding that comprehensive preparations had been completed to tackle any possible flood situation in the province.

According to an official handout, the minister visited Jhang on the directions of Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz Sharif to review flood preparedness and emergency response arrangements.

During the visit, district administration officials briefed the minister on contingency plans for dealing with potential flooding. Advance security measures, the emergency response plan and the functioning of the district emergency control room were reviewed in detail.

Khawaja Salman Rafique also inspected the preparedness of Rescue 1122, the Irrigation Department, WASA and other relevant institutions to assess their readiness for any emergency.

Speaking on the occasion, the minister said the government was continuously monitoring water flow in rivers to ensure a timely response to any developing situation. He directed the district administration and all concerned departments to maintain constant vigilance, ensure prompt and effective action during any flood emergency, provide timely information and all possible facilities to citizens, and keep all emergency arrangements fully operational at all times.

Member Provincial Assembly Col. (retd) Ghazanfar Abbas Qureshi, former MPAs Faisal Hayat Jabwana, Sultan Sikandar Bharwana, Rashida Yaqub Sheikh and Ameer Abbas Sial were also present during the visit.

Lahore: Lahore Chief Traffic Officer (CTO) Syed Abdul Raheem Shirazi on Thursday ordered immediate safety measures after sinkholes developed at two locations in the provincial capital, directing traffic police to secure the affected areas and divert traffic to alternative routes.

According to a Lahore Traffic Police spokesperson, a sinkhole reappeared on Khayaban-e-Firdousi, while another deep sinkhole, measuring around 10 square feet, emerged on the service road from Bhikay Wala Mor towards Farooq Hospital after a section of the road caved in.

On the directions of the CTO, traffic police cordoned off both sites by placing barriers to prevent accidents. DSPs, sector in-charges and other traffic officials remained present at the locations to supervise traffic management and ensure public safety.

The spokesperson said traffic was being diverted through alternative routes to minimize inconvenience to commuters, while WASA teams reached the affected site and the relevant departments were informed to undertake immediate repair work.

The CTO directed the authorities concerned to expedite restoration of the damaged road sections and urged motorists to exercise caution while travelling and strictly follow the instructions of traffic police until the repair work was completed.