Category: Lahore

Lahore: Punjab Minister for Information and Culture Azma Bokhari has said that development, prosperity, and beautification are progressing simultaneously across the province under the leadership of Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz, with the pace of development projects significantly faster than in previous years.

In a statement issued on Saturday, she said development schemes were being implemented at an accelerated pace in 52 cities under the Punjab Development Plan. She added that special priority was being given to completing water supply and sewerage projects before the onset of the monsoon season to prevent inconvenience to citizens during heavy rainfall.

Azma Bokhari said Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz had directed that no excavated roads or open trenches should remain before the monsoon begins and that all ongoing development projects must be completed within the stipulated timeframe. She added that strict safety measures were being enforced during project execution to ensure public safety.

The minister said that under the Punjab Beautification Plan, cities across the province were being transformed into modern and aesthetically appealing urban centres. She added that public markets were also being upgraded without discrimination to improve civic facilities and meet modern standards.

She said Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz was personally monitoring the Punjab Development Plan and beautification projects to ensure timely completion and adherence to the highest quality standards.

Azma Bokhari highlighted that beautification projects, including the development of parks, modern markets, and attractive city entry points, had been completed in Mandi Bahauddin, Sambrial, Chiniot, Rahim Yar Khan, Okara, Sargodha, Attock, Gujranwala, Rawalpindi, Shakargarh, and Khushab.

She reiterated that the chief minister’s vision was to provide every city in Punjab with modern civic amenities, quality infrastructure, and an attractive urban environment comparable to Lahore, ensuring that the benefits of development reached people across the province equally.

Lahore: Punjab Minister for Minorities Affairs Sardar Ramesh Singh Arora has said that overseas Pakistanis are the country’s true ambassadors, playing a pivotal role in projecting Pakistan’s positive image, strengthening its international goodwill and fostering stronger people-to-people relations across the world.

Speaking as the chief guest at the Third Mango and Multicultural Event in Sydney, Australia, the minister said overseas Pakistanis had always represented the country’s values, culture and traditions with dignity and had made valuable contributions to enhancing Pakistan’s global reputation. He also highlighted the importance of interfaith harmony, cultural diversity and peaceful coexistence in building stronger societies.

According to a handout issued here on Saturday, Arora arrived in Sydney to a warm and enthusiastic welcome by members of the Pakistani community. The event, organised by the Australian Pakistani Overseas Community, drew a large gathering of people from different religions, cultures and nationalities, reflecting Australia’s multicultural character.

Addressing the participants, the minister said the Mango and Multicultural Event was a remarkable example of interfaith harmony, cultural diversity and mutual respect. He said such events not only celebrated Pakistan’s rich cultural heritage but also strengthened friendship and understanding among people belonging to different faiths and ethnic backgrounds.

Referring to the vision of Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz Sharif, Arora said he had travelled to Australia to convey Pakistan’s message of love, tolerance, peace and interfaith harmony to the international community. He added that the Punjab government remained committed to promoting inclusivity, religious freedom and mutual respect at every level.

The minister said the primary objective of the event was to bring people from diverse communities onto a common platform where they could interact, appreciate each other’s cultures and reinforce the values of harmony and peaceful coexistence. He remarked that the sweetness of Pakistani mangoes symbolised the warmth, affection and goodwill shared between the Pakistani and Sikh communities in Australia.

Arora said Pakistan’s soil was enriched with the values of peace, love and brotherhood, adding that the Pakistani diaspora in Australia had successfully projected the country’s culture, traditions and spirit of religious harmony, bringing pride and honour to the nation through their achievements and positive engagement.

Lahore: Lahore Chief Traffic Officer (CTO),Syed Abdul Rahim Shirazi on Saturday assured Mini Mazda transporters that their genuine concerns would be addressed through consultation while stressing that no compromise would be made on traffic laws,road safety and regulatory compliance.

The assurance was given during a meeting with a delegation of the Pakistan Mini Mazda Association,led by its representative Tanveer Jatt at the CTO office.

According to a statement,the meeting discussed issues faced by transporters,including traffic enforcement,route restrictions and other regulatory matters.

Both sides agreed to work together to find practical solutions.

Addressing complaints regarding alleged unjustified traffic challans,the CTO said the traffic police had introduced a transparent enforcement system under which evidence supporting each violation was being provided to violators along with the ticket.

He said strict action would continue against Mini Mazda vehicles operating without valid route permits,fitness certificates or driving licenses,adding that compliance with traffic regulations was necessary to ensure public safety.

The CTO said around 22,000 Mini Mazda vehicles were registered in Lahore and claimed that negligence by Mini Mazda drivers contributed to 11 per cent of fatal road accidents in the city.

He directed transporters to ensure that vehicles followed designated routes,prescribed load limits and notified operating hours,warning that violations would not be tolerated.

Shirazi said transporters were an important part of the economy and their issues could be resolved through continued dialogue and coordination with traffic authorities.

Tanveer Jatt assured the CTO that the association would discourage illegal practices among its members and cooperate with traffic police in promoting road safety.

The CTO also constituted joint committees comprising transporters and Traffic DSPs to present recommendations for resolving traffic-related issues.

Special refresher courses for Mini Mazda drivers were also announced to improve awareness about traffic rules and safe driving practices.

Lahore: Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz Sharif has expressed a deep sense of sorrow and grief over the loss of precious human lives in a collision between a truck and motorcycles in Nowshera Virkan. The chief minister also extended her heartfelt condolences and sympathies to the bereaved families.

Lahore: Punjab Health Minister Khawaja Salman Rafique on Saturday reaffirmed the Punjab government’s commitment to continuing the journey of development and public prosperity, stating that no compromise would be made on the quality of development projects and that their implementation was being closely monitored.

Chairing a meeting at the office of WASA Managing Director, the minister reviewed the progress of various ongoing development schemes in PP-153. Key projects discussed included the Harbanspura to Phatak Saddar Cantt trunk sewerage project worth Rs4.5 billion, installation of tube wells in Amna Park of UC-148, and multiple schemes for street rehabilitation, sewerage improvement, and provision of clean drinking water.

The meeting was attended by WASA MD Ghufran Ahmed, Syed Ikhlas Shah, Abdul Wahab and other officials. During the session, the minister appreciated the performance of the concerned officers for ensuring steady progress on development works.

Officials informed the meeting that hundreds of streets in PP-153 had already been repaired, while work on several other development schemes was progressing rapidly. Upon completion, these projects are expected to provide improved civic facilities to millions of residents.

Salman Rafique said addressing public issues remained the government’s foremost priority and emphasized that transparent monitoring of development projects would continue to ensure quality and timely completion.

He directed the authorities to complete all ongoing projects within the stipulated timeframe, adding that, in line with the vision of Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz Sharif, the Punjab government was committed to providing modern infrastructure and essential public services to the people.

Lahore: Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz Sharif has said the overwhelming response to admissions in the Nawaz Sharif Centres of Eminence reflected renewed public confidence in government schools.

Chairing a meeting here on Saturday, she reviewed progress on the flagship education initiative. The CM was briefed that more than 71,000 students had applied for admission to 65 functional Nawaz Sharif Centres of Eminence across the province.

Officials informed the meeting that the government aimed to make 114 centres operational by August 14, while the chief minister directed authorities to complete 300 centres by September. According to the briefing, the centres are being established in line with international education standards, with each class accommodating 30 students and offering quality teaching, modern learning facilities and free education for deserving students.

Officials said a 10 per cent quota had also been reserved for students whose families could afford to pay full tuition fees, while children of parents earning up to Rs200,000 per month would receive education free of charge.

CM Maryam Nawaz described the project as an educational revolution in Punjab and said the large number of applicants for admission tests demonstrated growing public trust in the quality of government schools. She expressed satisfaction over the enthusiastic participation of students in the admission process and said the government planned to establish Nawaz Sharif Centres of Eminence in every division, district and tehsil of Punjab to ensure access to quality education across the province.

The CM said the initiative was close to her heart and thanked Almighty Allah for its successful progress, saying the government was committed to providing world-class educational opportunities to students from all segments of society.