Month: July 2026

Lahore: The Lahore Municipality has released a list of dangerous and derelict buildings in Lahore.

DC Lahore and Administrator has issued orders to immediately construct or rehabilitate the dilapidated buildings.

According to the details, there are 83 dilapidated dangerous buildings in Lahore, while 45 have been declared as extremely irreparable. These buildings include residential, commercial and industrial.

Lahore Municipality says that the first notice will be issued to 83 buildings shortly.

Meanwhile, the district administration said that related departments will be responsible for implementing building bylaws in slums and urban and rural settlements across the province, including Lahore.

Metropolitan Officer Dr. Rai Imtiaz Hassan (Planning) says that constructions are being demolished in violation of the building plan in the city.

Director General of Slums Muhammad Shahid says that for illegal violations LDA and local government will implement the bylaws.

Lahore: On the instructions of Provincial Education Minister Rana Sikandar Hayat, a crackdown has been launched against unregistered private schools and academies. The District Education Authority has already issued notices to 744 private educational institutions for not registering. The minister said that the protection of lives of students is the top priority of the government, therefore, no private school or academy will be allowed to function without registration. He clarified that the safety of students will be ensured first, only after that educational activities will be allowed. According to the notices, all unregistered schools and academies have been given a final deadline of three days to complete their registration. The minister warned that strict legal action will be taken against institutions that do not register within the stipulated period under the zero tolerance policy. Sikandar Hayat said that registration of every private educational institution is mandatory under the Private Educational I
nstitutions Ordinance 1984 and running an institution without registration is a legal offence. He said that in case of violation, a fine of Rs 300,000 to Rs. 40,00000 can be imposed.

Lahore: Punjab Health Minister and Chairman of the Cabinet Committee for Disaster Management, Khawaja Salman Rafique, on Saturday said that advance preparations to effectively tackle urban and riverine floods are essential for protecting the lives and property of the people.

He expressed these views while addressing the Flood Fighting Equipment 2026 distribution ceremony held at the PDMA Warehouse, where modern rescue equipment was handed over to Rescue 1122.

Khawaja Salman Rafique said that, in line with the vision of Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz Sharif, the Punjab government was continuing its mission of public service and investing in modern flood-fighting equipment to strengthen preparedness against future emergencies. He expressed confidence that Rescue 1122 would once again serve as a source of hope for citizens during difficult times.

He said the newly provided equipment symbolised responsibility and readiness to respond to every season, challenge and emergency situation. The minister added that the government had prioritised strengthening river embankments, cleaning drains, improving drainage systems, removing encroachments and installing backup power systems for drainage pumps in low-lying areas.

Highlighting reforms under the provincial government, he said several projects had been completed to enhance emergency services, including the launch of an air ambulance service, expansion of Rescue 1122 services to tehsil level, motorway rescue coverage, a dead body transfer service, an Emergency Medical Technician internship programme, collaboration with Rescue Australia and the provision of modern rescue equipment.

Khawaja Salman Rafique said that the Punjab government had equipped Rescue 1122 with the latest urban search and rescue tools and personal protective equipment, including underwater rescue facilities, modern motorboats, life jackets, scuba diving gear and fast rescue equipment to ensure effective responses to floods, fires and other emergencies in both urban and remote areas.

Paying tribute to rescue personnel, he said Rescue 1122 officials and workers were the true heroes of the nation for risking their lives to save others. He added that relief materials worth millions of rupees had been provided to the department and appreciated the performance of PDMA under DG Umar Javed and the contributions of Secretary Emergency Services Department Dr. Rizwan Naseer.

The minister said that Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz Sharif personally monitored the flood situation during 2025, while senior officials remained active in the field for 25 consecutive days. He added that the government was improving communication systems and introducing drones to further strengthen rescue operations and save lives.

The flood rescue equipment distributed to Rescue 1122 includes boat-carrying trucks, aluminium air boats, fibreglass boats, inflatable boats, outboard motors, landing crafts, jet skis, water rescue drones, remote-controlled self-life buoys, surveillance drones, life jackets, digital base radios, digital base repeaters, digital manpack repeaters and other technical equipment.

Addressing the ceremony, Secretary Emergency Services Department Dr. Rizwan Naseer said that timely decision-making and evacuation during previous floods helped save countless lives. He said 2.6 million people and 2.1 million animals were shifted to safer locations, while more than 400,000 people were rescued by boats after floodwaters inundated affected areas. He urged citizens to take precautionary measures during the monsoon season, including regular inspection and repair of house roofs.

DG PDMA Umar Javed said that, following the directions of Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz Sharif, authorities had made even stronger preparations this year by mapping and documenting populations living near rivers and establishing additional warehouses across Punjab to facilitate faster and more effective rescue operations. He said the relief materials being distributed reflected the commitment of the provincial government to reaching people in need at the right time.

Lahore: City Traffic Police Lahore (CTPL) have finalised comprehensive traffic arrangements for the Zuljanah procession originating from Imambargah Sada Hussain in Begum Kot, with Shahdara Chowk to Begum Kot Chowk remaining closed to traffic on both sides throughout Saturday.

On the directions of Chief Traffic Officer (CTO) Syed Abdul Rahim Shirazi, SP City Maqsood Loon reviewed the traffic arrangements. A total of three circle officers, 10 traffic inspectors, 238 traffic wardens, two lifters and breakdown vehicles have been deployed to ensure smooth traffic management. Traffic wardens have also been directed to remain vigilant for suspicious persons and unattended objects while performing their duties.

According to the traffic plan, commuters travelling from Sheikhupura and Sharqpur Sharif towards Lahore will be diverted through Dosaku Chowk, Al-Saeed Chowk, Saggian Chowk and Bund Road. Traffic travelling from Lahore to Sheikhupura via Shahdara Chowk has been advised to use Niazi Shaheed Chowk and the Saggian Interchange of the Ring Road. Traffic on the Lahore-Gujranwala GT Road will continue to operate as usual.

Vehicles travelling from Gujranwala towards Sheikhupura will be diverted via Barkat Pull and Badu Pull, while all traffic from Dosaku Chowk, Sheikhupura, will be directed towards Lahore through Saggian.

As part of the contingency plan, if traffic congestion increases at Shahdara Chowk, all vehicles will be diverted from Niazi Shaheed Chowk to the Ring Road via Saggian. Slow-moving vehicles, including animal carts, tongas and handcarts travelling from Shahdara Chowk towards Begum Kot, will be diverted through Farrukhabad and Baradari Road.

The CTO advised citizens to seek assistance from traffic officers deployed at diversion points and to stay updated through the Rasta App, Rasta FM 88.6 and the traffic helpline 15 for real-time information on changing traffic conditions.

Lahore: The Milli Rickshaw Union (MRU) staged a protest at Qurtaba Chowk on Saturday against what it described as excessive LPG prices, illegal profiteering by dealers, and the failure of authorities to enforce officially notified rates.

The demonstration was attended by MRU President Rana Shamshad, Pakistan Markazi Muslim League (PMML) City President Muaz Ishtiaq, General Secretary Hafiz Inam, and a large number of rickshaw drivers. As a symbolic gesture, protesters placed LPG cylinders on the road alongside their rickshaws and called for immediate government intervention.

Addressing the gathering, the speakers said that the Oil and Gas Regulatory Authority (OGRA) has fixed the official LPG price at Rs241 per kilogram, but alleged that many dealers in Lahore are charging between Rs450 and Rs500 per kilogram. They said the sharp increase in fuel prices has significantly raised operating costs for rickshaw drivers and added to the financial burden on the public.

The speakers further alleged that despite official price notifications, the relevant authorities, including price control departments and the district administration, have failed to ensure compliance. They urged the government to take strict action against dealers involved in overcharging and to ensure the availability of LPG at the officially notified rates.

The protesters stated that affordable fuel was essential for the livelihoods of rickshaw drivers and urged the government to take prompt action to provide relief to transport workers and the general public.

Lahore: City Traffic Police Lahore (CTPL) have intensified their campaign against fake, tampered and non-standard vehicle number plates, registering 72 criminal cases during June against owners of motorcycles and luxury vehicles found using bogus registration plates to evade the e-challan system.

According to Chief Traffic Officer (CTO) Syed Abdul Rahim Shirazi, enforcement teams took action against more than 21,000 vehicles during the month. A total of 9,434 challan tickets were issued to vehicles either operating without number plates or displaying ‘Applied For’ plates. Another 5,723 motorcycles and vehicles were fined for using fancy or non-standard registration plates instead of those prescribed by the Excise Department.

The CTO said 5,552 vehicles were also issued challans for tampering with registration plates, including bending, breaking or concealing identification details to avoid detection by the e-challan system.

During the campaign, more than 50,000 motorists committing minor violations were educated about traffic laws and the importance of displaying standard number plates.

He said the fine for a car without a number plate ranges from Rs3,000 to Rs5,000, while motorcycle riders are liable to a fine of Rs1,000. Motorists found using fake registration plates are being booked under relevant fraud provisions of the law.

The CTO advised citizens to install their new universal registration number after transferring vehicle ownership instead of continuing to use the previous registration. He said traffic violators often tamper with number plates to escape e-challans, while criminals use fake registration plates to conceal their identity. He clarified that vehicles displaying registration plates in accordance with the Excise Department’s approved specifications are not being penalised.