Day: July 30, 2026

Lahore: Deputy Commissioner Muhammad Ali Ejaz on Wednesday visited Nishtar Tehsil to review cleanliness arrangements, desilting operations and overall administrative affairs. He directed the authorities concerned to immediately clear all garbage points and ensure prompt drainage of stagnant rainwater from low-lying areas.

During the visit, the DC inspected Gajju Mata, Halloki and adjoining localities to assess the ongoing sanitation campaign and post-rain response measures.

Chief Officer MCL Kaleem Yousaf, Assistant Commissioner Nishtar Muhammad Saleem Asi, representatives of allied departments and concerned officials of WASA accompanied him.

The DC was briefed by the Assistant Commissioner Nishtar and WASA’s Deputy Managing Director on the progress of cleanliness operations, desilting activities and administrative measures being undertaken across the tehsil.

Expressing dissatisfaction over the presence of stagnant water and waste at various locations, Muhammad Ali Ejaz directed the authorities to ensure the immediate drainage of all water ponds in Nishtar areas and remove every garbage accumulation point on an emergency basis.

He further instructed field officers to remain present on the ground and personally monitor cleanliness and desilting operations to ensure timely completion of the assigned tasks. The DC also directed all relevant departments to work in close coordination for improving administrative performance and delivering better civic services to the public. ‘The district administration is committed to ensuring the highest standards of cleanliness in every area of Lahore,’ he said, adding that he was personally monitoring all development and administrative projects to facilitate citizens and improve public service delivery.

Lahore: It has been decided to relocate Journalists Colony Phase-II from Katar Band Road to J Block of the Chahar Bagh Scheme, where the project will be developed in accordance with the previously approved master plan.

The decision was taken at a high-level meeting held at the Ravi Urban Development Authority (RUDA) on Wednesday, jointly chaired by RUDA Chief Executive Officer Imran Amin and Punjab Information Secretary Tahir Raza Hamdani. The meeting reviewed the proposed relocation, assessed progress on the project and took key decisions to ensure its timely completion.

Lahore Press Club President Arshad Ansari, General Secretary Afzal Talib, Punjab Journalists Housing Foundation (PJHF) Deputy Managing Director Adnan Rashid, PJHF Assistant Director (Admin) Asad Hussain, RUDA Director Public Relations Colonel Abid Latif and other senior officials attended the meeting.

To expedite implementation, it was decided that the PJHF would immediately provide RUDA with a list of journalists eligible for Phase-II plots. Upon receiving the list, RUDA will formally notify the eligible journalists, enabling the next stages of the project to proceed without delay.

The meeting further decided that the project in J Block of the Chahar Bagh Scheme would be executed under the previously approved master plan. Advance payments and instalments would be collected in accordance with the existing agreement, while development charges would be collected directly by RUDA. The rules and regulations applicable to Journalists Colony Phase-II would continue to apply to all eligible journalists.

Secretary Information Tahir Raza Hamdani thanked RUDA CEO Imran Amin for his efforts to provide housing facilities to journalists in line with the vision of Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz Sharif. He expressed confidence that RUDA would complete the development work, hand over possession of the plots and finalise all remaining stages of the project within the stipulated timeframe, enabling journalists to construct their homes.

Lahore Press Club President Arshad Ansari also thanked Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz Sharif, Punjab Information Minister Azma Bokhari, Secretary Information Tahir Raza Hamdani and RUDA CEO Imran Amin.

He said the Punjab government has fulfilled its commitment to the journalist community and that the Phase-II project announced for Lahore Press Club members is now moving rapidly towards completion.

He welcomed the relocation of Journalists Colony Phase-II to Chahar Bagh, describing it as a beautiful location within the city, and said the entire journalist community appreciated the Punjab government’s initiative. He also congratulated all journalists included in Phase-II.

Lahore: Pakistan should make energy security its foremost national priority by seeking US guarantees for uninterrupted and affordable gas imports from Iran, provided Washington and Tehran resolve tensions over the Strait of Hormuz, said prominent Pakistani-American entrepreneur Mossadaq Chughtai in a media statement here Tuesday.

He added, “To break free from energy insecurity, Islamabad must pursue a single-point agenda: secure a US-led international exception for gas imports under the Iran-Pakistan pipeline.”Chughtai, an investor in advanced technologies and agricultural projects, argued that expediting the Iran-Pakistan gas pipeline represents the most practical path toward reducing Pakistan’s chronic energy shortages and stabilizing its economy.

Pakistan’s recent diplomatic engagement, he said, should now translate into tangible economic gains with energy security serving as the foundation for long-term growth. While acknowledging the importance of diversifying energy sources, Chughtai said Pakistan should prioritize the most affordable option available – Iranian natural gas.

“The Middle East is likely to remain in prolonged turmoil, with no major power willing to compromise. Stability, let alone business as usual, remains a distant prospect. Even if the region stabilizes, energy producers will increase output to recover losses, but Iran is expected to remain among the most competitive suppliers due to its large production capacity and established international buyers,” he observed.

Mossadaq Chughtai, Vice Chairman of KiNRG, a US-based energy company that recently acquired a data-center construction firm to expand its integrated energy solutions business, said Pakistan had been presented with a rare opportunity. “I believe Pakistan has been presented with a rare opportunity that could take the country to unprecedented levels of economic growth, beyond anything in its modern history,” he viewed.

He identified the proposed Iran-Pakistan gas pipeline, entering through the Gabd-Kumb Border Crossing, as the country’s most significant strategic energy project, noting that the pipeline had already been completed on the Iranian side of the border.

“If there is one strategic initiative Pakistan should pursue, it is the proposed gas pipeline from Iran, entering through the Gabd-Kumb Border Crossing,” Chughtai said. The project has the potential to transform Pakistan’s economy, provided it was implemented with strategic foresight and long-term discipline.

Chughtai proposed that Pakistan seek a non-revocable 50-year US sanctions waiver to ensure uninterrupted gas imports from Iran. He also called for a long-term pricing agreement with Tehran, suggesting a gas price capped at USD 2.25 per MMBtu, with a maximum ceiling of USD 5.00 per MMBtu over the 50-year period.

He further recommended establishing a domestic pricing framework that would limit consumer and industrial gas tariffs to no more than 10 percent above the government’s procurement cost. Such a policy, he argued, would improve the competitiveness of Pakistani manufacturers and exporters in global markets.

“If executed effectively, such a framework could fundamentally reshape Pakistan’s economic trajectory by accelerating manufacturing growth, attracting mid to large scale investment, and increasing exports to levels comparable to Vietnam’s within five to ten years,” Chughtai said.

He projected that the strategy could create more than 11 million jobs, broaden the tax base, support sustained GDP growth, and deliver long-term economic prosperity.

“Now is the time for Pakistan to open a dialogue with the White House to secure reliable energy supplies capable of meeting the country’s growing development needs in an evolving regional environment filled with both opportunities and challenges,” he concluded.

Lahore: Punjab Employees Social Security Institution (PESSI) Commissioner Zulfiqar Ali Kharal on Wednesday reviewed the recovery performance of several Social Security directorates and directed officers to ensure timely achievement of assigned targets through enhanced monitoring and field inspections.

Chairing a meeting at the PESSI head office here, the commissioner reviewed the performance of the Social Security Directorates of Lahore (City), Sheikhupura, Faisalabad (North), Gujrat and Sialkot.

The directors concerned briefed the meeting on recovery targets, progress under the Maryam Nawaz Ration Card Programme and ongoing field operations.

Following an individual performance review of each directorate, Kharal directed the officers to adopt effective measures to complete recovery targets within the stipulated timeframe. He also ordered further strengthening of field monitoring and expediting inspections to improve compliance and performance.

The commissioner stressed that all officers should take practical steps to improve administrative efficiency and ensure the achievement of assigned recovery goals.

Warning that negligence in meeting recovery targets would not be tolerated, Kharal urged all directorates to further improve their performance through effective field operations and continuous monitoring.