Day: July 26, 2026

Lahore: The underpass being constructed to improve traffic flow in Bhati Chowk will be completed in the next seven days. Preparations are underway to open the project for traffic from July 30.

Official sources said that while the construction work of the final phase is being completed rapidly. This underpass, built at a cost of one billion rupees, consists of three lanes and its total length is about four hundred meters.

The project has been constructed under a curved shape design. After the completion of the underpass, traffic coming from Azadi Chowk to Bhati Chowk will have a signal-free route to go towards Kutchehri and The Mall road.

Lahore: Federal Minister for Planning and Development Ahsan Iqbal said on Saturday that the world is moving away from gasoline in transportation as the EV revolution has begun across the globe.

He added that 80 per cent of petrol in Pakistan is spent on transport and “we are trying to move towards EVs quickly. ”

Addressing as the chief guest the inaugural ceremony of EVS World and Electricity Pakistan Exhibition and later talking to the media here at Expo Centre, he added, the revolution of EVs has taken place, and the promotion of electric vehicles would play an important role in reducing the import cost of fuel. We will have to move rapidly towards modern technology, electric vehicles and green energy.

Ahsan Iqbal said, the country’s development depends on sustainable energy, innovation and industrial expansion. “We have to move away from import dependence and create an export-based economy. We have to move towards a dollar-denominated economy. ”

He said that Pakistan’s economic independence and sustainable development depend on a significant increase in exports, the country must quickly shift from an import-based economy to an export-based economy. He said that it is necessary to quickly introduce EVs in our transport sector and shift two-wheelers, three-wheelers and four-wheelers to electric energy in a phased manner. In this regard, the government has announced various measures. The government has given various incentives including a subsidy of up to Rs. 80, 000 for the promotion of electric motorcycles, while in the recent budget, duties on EV vehicles have also been reduced so that they can be introduced in the country as much as possible.

He said that Pakistan has created an energy buffer in the power sector through 6000 to 8000MW of solar energy. Now there is a need to reduce dependence on imported oil and use domestically generated electricity for transport. Federal Minister said that Pakistan’s future depends on its export capacity. He said that now Pakistan has to quickly shift from a consumption-based economy to a dollar-earning economy. Ahsan Iqbal said that Pakistan has to achieve the target of exports of more than USD 100 billion by 2035. “The country’s economic independence depends on whether we can increase our exports at the desired pace or not. Every businessman has to play his role to become an exporter, ” he observed.

He said that government’s priority is to bring continuity in policies and provide full support to the private sector to increase exports. Pakistan’s EV sector also has the potential to achieve a prominent position at the global level, however, the current export volume needs to be increased at least tenfold.

Referring to tax reforms, the federal minister said that large-scale reforms have been made to digitalize the FBR system so that human intervention in tax assessment is minimized and the use of artificial intelligence can make the tax system more transparent and help in removing these complaints to a large extent. He said that Pakistan’s tax-to-GDP ratio is about 9. 5 percent, while in other developing countries this rate is 14 to 16 percent.

Ahsan Iqbal said that eliminating tax evasion and broadening the tax base is inevitable. If tax evasion continues and we do not pay our share of tax, then the government does not have the resources to launch new public development projects. Those who pay taxes regularly are unfortunately also bearing the burden of those who evade taxes.

Ahsan Iqbal said that taxpayers should cooperate with the government and tax evasion should be identified in a cooperative manner so that the tax base can be broadened and tax rates and the burden on the public can be reduced.

Regarding terrorism, he said that when we won the (Marka-e-Haq (battle of truth) and defeated our traditional rival India by giving it a crushing defeat, it has now cowardly started an unconventional war in Pakistan through terrorism. “Just as we have defeated India in a conventional war, God willing, we will crush its ambitions in this unconventional war and it will also face the same fate for its facilitators. ”

He said that Pakistan has emerged in the world with a new identity as a peace-loving country through diplomacy, while the country’s economy is also moving towards recovery after a long time. In the past, during the PTI regime, the country was close to bankruptcy. The country was fortunate that the no-confidence motion was successful a few days later and the country escaped this punishment. Today, as a result of the bold steps taken by Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif, he said, the country is on the path of development.

About the increase in oil prices at the global level, Ahsan Iqbal said that the government does not want to burden the people, however, if oil prices increase in the global market, it becomes inevitable to adjust them. He said that as soon as oil prices in the global market decrease, its benefits will be transferred to the people. Regarding the tension between the US and Iran, he said that effects of war are not limited to the relevant countries but affected the entire world economy and the common man, because the price of this war is not only paid by the US and Iran, the economies of 193 countries are also paying the price of this war and these countries themselves are also directly affected by the effects of this war. The increase in oil prices increases inflation worldwide, so the international community should play an effective role in establishing peace. He expressed the hope that the US and Iran will return to negotiations and agreements so that peace can be established in the region and the global econ
omy can be saved from further damage.

Lahore: A 52-year-old man was killed by a sudden shot while he was cleaning a pistol in Barkat Town area of Shahdara. According to the police, Mohammad Afzal was sitting outside his house cleaning his pistol when suddenly a bullet was fired, which hit him in the head.

On receiving the information, the police reached the spot and immediately shifted the injured to Mayo Hospital, but he succumbed to his injuries during treatment.

The police said that the body of the deceased has been shifted to the mortuary for post-mortem, while the pistol found at the scene has been seized and investigation has been started. According to the police, Muhammad Afzal was the father of three daughters and two sons, while investigation is ongoing from various aspects of the incident.

Lahore: Due to the increase in water levels in the Chenab and Ravi rivers, a flood situation has arisen in various areas of Punjab, where citizens and farmers are facing severe difficulties due to land erosion, breach of protective dykes and water entering settlements.

In the Kot Bela area of Alipur Chatta and Qadirabad barrage, the flood rails of the Chenab River have wreaked havoc. Dozens of houses have come under threat due to rapid land erosion, while thousands of acres of agricultural land have been submerged and several feet of water has accumulated in standing crops, causing heavy losses to farmers.

The protective dykes of the Chenab River near the settlement of Bada Parara in the Bait Parara area of Taranda Muhammad Panah has broken, after which floodwater has rapidly entered nearby settlements.

According to locals, many crops including sugarcane, moong, sesame and fodder have been submerged, while the roads of many settlements have been cut off, forcing residents to migrate to safer places.

The affected residents say that the wounds of last year’s flood had not yet healed, and this year’s flood has once again increased their problems. They have appealed the government to take immediate protective measures and initiate relief activities.

Similarly, the joint cemetery of Gurna Pathana is suffering from severe erosion due to the flood relay of the Chenab River, as a result of which many graves have been washed away by the river, while many graves are at risk.

On the instructions of the Deputy Commissioner, Assistant Commissioner Mohsin Iqbal Dhillon made an emergency visit. The administration has accelerated the construction of a safety dykes and relief work, however, heavy machinery is also busy working continuously to divert the water.

On the other hand, according to the Rivers Department, a continuous increase in the water level is being recorded at the head of the Ravi River at Abdul Hakeem. The inflow of water at the head of the river is 53, 530 cusecs, while the outflow is 38, 230 cusecs.

The administration has set up flood relief camps in Mal Fatiana, Kot Pathana, Adda Kalera, Village Tara, Haveli Mai Safooran, Kot Karam Shah and Dedhi, while crops in Mal Fatiana, Khan Da Chak, Jhalar Sagla, Shahabal Shah, Basti Peepal Wala and Village Darsana were submerged due to flood water.

Meanwhile, the SDO Irrigation has directed people living in the river belt to move to safer places.

Lahore: Lahore Police and the district administration have finalised a comprehensive security and administrative plan, including the deployment of additional personnel and digital surveillance, to ensure the peaceful observance of the annual Urs of Data Darbar and Chehlum of Hazrat Imam Hussain (RA).

The arrangements were reviewed at a meeting jointly chaired by Deputy Commissioner Muhammad Ali Ejaz, DIG Operations Faisal Kamran and Chairman District Peace Committee Mufti Intikhab Alam, here on Saturday.

The meeting was attended by Additional Deputy Commissioner (Headquarters) Kashif Jaleel, Chief Officer Metropolitan Corporation Lahore Kaleem Yousaf, Assistant Commissioner City Rana Amir Liaqat, members of the District Peace Committee and other officials.

Officials were given a detailed briefing on the security and administrative plan for both religious events. The District Peace Committee appreciated the district administration and Lahore Police for maintaining exemplary law and order during Muharram-ul-Haram.

DIG Operations Faisal Kamran said additional police personnel had been deployed and all available resources would be utilised to maintain peace. He said route scanning, search operations, CCTV cameras and modern technology would be used to digitally monitor all religious gatherings and keep a close watch on miscreants.

Deputy Commissioner Muhammad Ali Ejaz said maintaining law and order during religious occasions remained the district administration’s top priority, adding that the administration was committed to providing the best possible facilities to devotees.

Lahore: City Traffic Police Lahore (CTPL) has announced new movement timings and designated routes for oil tankers across the provincial capital after reaching an agreement with the Oil Tankers Association aimed at improving road safety, ensuring smooth traffic flow and enhancing public safety.

The agreement was reached during a meeting between Chief Traffic Officer (CTO) Lahore Syed Abdul Rehim Shirazi and a delegation led by Chairman Oil Tankers Association Rana Khalid Saeed. The delegation included Association President Muhammad Farooq Warraich, General Secretary Rana Farooq and other representatives.

Under the revised traffic plan, all oil tankers will be prohibited from entering Mall Road, Jail Road and Main Boulevard Gulberg during daytime and will only be allowed to use these roads between 11:00 pm and 7:00 am.

The CTO said oil tankers would also not be allowed to enter or move within Lahore from 7:00 am to 9:00 am, 12:30 pm to 2:30 pm and 5:00 pm to 7:00 pm, while these restrictions would not apply on Sundays.

He further announced that all heavy traffic would be permitted to operate within the city only between 11:00 pm and 7:00 am, warning that strict legal action under the Motor Vehicles Ordinance and traffic laws would be taken against violators.

The meeting also decided that oil tankers approaching eastern Lahore from Sheikhupura would use Ring Road and Canal Road as preferred routes to reduce congestion on major city roads and facilitate smoother traffic movement.

Both sides agreed to organize refresher training courses for oil tanker drivers to promote road safety and prevent accidents. The CTO also directed transporters to ensure the installation of dash cameras and front cameras in oil tankers to improve monitoring of driving behavior, enhance transparency and facilitate accident investigations.

Syed Abdul Rehim Shirazi said the measures were intended to ensure uninterrupted traffic flow, reduce fatal road accidents and protect the lives and property of citizens. He said that public safety remained the CTPL’s top priority and pledged strict, impartial enforcement of traffic laws in collaboration with all stakeholders to establish a safer and more organised traffic system.