Category: Lahore

Lahore: Federal Minister for Climate Change and Environmental Coordination Dr. Musadik Masood Malik visited the three-day Solar and Storage Expo 2026, ongoing at the Lahore Expo Centre here on Saturday.

After reviewing the exhibition, while talking to the media, he said that the Pakistan Solar Association has organised a wonderful expo, where world-renowned companies are presenting their latest technology and products.

Musadik Malik said that Pakistan’s foreign policy has played an important role in improving the economy, while Pakistan is fourth in the world in terms of copper production, which is a big economic opportunity for the country.

The federal minister said that the private sector is playing a key role in the promotion of the solar industry and a wide network of solar energy has been established across the country. He said that thanks to modern battery technology, solar energy can now be used 24 hours a day, while business and domestic activities are not affected despite power outages.

He added that with time, eco-friendly technology will also be promoted in the industrial sector and the tendency of smoke emission from factories will gradually decrease.

Lahore: Federal Minister for Maritime Affairs Muhammad Junaid Anwar said on Saturday that significant progress is being made on the government’s Energy City project and that several oil-producing countries have shown interest in storing oil in Pakistan following recent regional tensions.

Talking to business community during his visit to Lahore Chamber of Commerce and Industry (LCCI), he said that under the project, private companies would lease land from the government to establish modern oil storage facilities where oil could be stored and re-exported on a duty-free basis. He said Pakistan did not have sufficient capital to establish large-scale strategic reserves on its own, but the proposed model would not only attract investment but also allow the stored reserves to be utilized to meet domestic requirements during difficult times.

LCCI President Faheem Ur Rehman Saigol welcomed the minister. The event was attended by Senior Vice President Tanveer Ahmed Sheikh, Vice President Khurram Lodhi, former presidents Mian Anjum Nisar and Muhammad Ali Mian, former Senior Vice Presidents Zafar Mehmood Ch and Engr Khalid Usman, Nasrullah Mughal, Executive Committee members Umar Sarfraz, Syed Hassan Raza, Mohsin Bashir, Rana Shouban Akhtar, Nadeem Ansari, Ahad Amin Malik, Asif Khan, Irfan Qureshi and Hafiz Sajjad, along with a large number of members of the business community.

Addressing the gathering, Faheem Ur Rehman Saigol said that despite having a coastline of nearly 1,000 kilometres and a strategically important geographical location, Pakistan had not yet fully benefited from the vast potential of the blue economy. He said that by effectively utilizing opportunities in the maritime sector, Pakistan could earn billions of dollars in additional foreign exchange and further strengthen its importance in regional trade.

He emphasized the need to accelerate digitalization at ports, saying that unnecessary delays in cargo clearance increased business costs and undermined global competitiveness. He described modern IT systems, automated clearance mechanisms, efficient scanners, vessel traffic management systems and complete digital integration among institutions as essential requirements of the time.

Federal Minister Muhammad Junaid Anwar said that the Ministry of Maritime Affairs had implemented more than 100 reform measures and that both Karachi Port Trust (KPT) and Port Qasim had achieved significant improvements in global rankings. He said KPT had moved from 99th to 69th position, while Port Qasim had improved to 56th position. He added that Karachi Port Trust had broken a record in its 138-year history during the current year, with profits reaching Rs 18.8 billion.

He said three new vessels had been added to the Pakistan National Shipping Corporation (PNSC) fleet, increasing its overall capacity by 40 percent, with further expansion planned in the future. He added that the Ministry of Maritime Affairs had played a key role in ensuring there was no shortage of petroleum products in the country during the recent crisis. A vessel that was initially available at a charter cost of USD 14 million was secured for USD 0.8 million to ensure uninterrupted fuel imports.

The minister said that during wartime conditions and logistical disruptions, port charges on transshipment cargo had been reduced by up to 50 percent, providing relief to the business community. He added that after the launch of transshipment operations, Pakistani ports handled within 24 days a volume of cargo equivalent to what had previously been managed over an entire year, demonstrating the capacity and efficiency of the country’s ports.

Muhammad Junaid Anwar said that in addition to a floating LNG terminal, the technical study for a land-based LNG terminal had been completed and that the project was expected to attract investment of USD 3 billion to USD 4 billion. He said a USD 1.4 billion ‘Sea 2 Steel’ shipbuilding project was being launched at Port Qasim, while a multipurpose cargo terminal, an integrated oil terminal storage facility and new container terminals would also be established.

He further said that Manora Shipyard was being revived so that ships would no longer have to be sent to Singapore or China for repairs and servicing. Referring to the fisheries sector, he said fisheries exports had exceeded the target of USD 500 million and reached USD 568 million. He added that tuna fish alone offered export potential worth billions of dollars for Pakistan and was receiving special attention.

LCCI President Faheem Ur Rehman Sehgal said Pakistan pays approximately USD 05 billion annually in maritime freight to foreign operators. He said that by strengthening the national shipping line, expanding its fleet and adding more container vessels, a significant portion of this valuable foreign exchange could be retained within the country.

He said vast opportunities existed in shipbuilding, ship recycling and fisheries, which could not only increase exports but also create thousands of new jobs. Stressing the need for the completion of Korangi Fish Harbour, port reforms, dredging, a national ports development plan and business-friendly legislation, he said the Lahore Chamber would continue to extend full cooperation to the Ministry of Maritime Affairs to help Pakistan emerge as a strong regional maritime hub.

Lahore: Commissioner Nauman Yousaf on Saturday directed the Water and Sanitation Agency (WASA) to ensure rapid rainwater drainage and maintain uninterrupted coordination with all relevant departments to minimise urban flooding during the ongoing monsoon season.

The commissioner, accompanied by Deputy Commissioner Muhammad Ali Ejaz, visited the WASA Headquarters to review monsoon preparedness and inspect the agency’s Command and Control Centre, where round-the-clock monitoring of rainfall and drainage operations is being carried out.

During the visit, the commissioner examined the rain monitoring dashboard, live camera surveillance of underpasses, disposal station monitoring system, online operational status of pumping stations, underground water storage capacity, machinery and deployment of human resources. Managing Director WASA Ghufran Ahmed briefed the delegation on live rain monitoring and ongoing field operations.

Later, Nauman Yousaf chaired a meeting at the WASA Headquarters, attended by WASA Vice Chairman Chaudhry Shehbaz Ahmad and senior officials. The meeting reviewed WASA’s operational preparedness, complaint redressal mechanism and water supply arrangements.

The managing director informed the meeting that 18 underground water storage tanks are currently operational across Lahore, while work on additional facilities is in progress. He said the storage tanks have significantly reduced emergency flooding hotspots across the city.

The commissioner directed officials to keep all preventive arrangements fully operational in the field, saying the primary objective of monsoon management is to ensure the quickest possible drainage of rainwater and timely emergency response.

He further instructed WASA to maintain continuous 24/7 coordination with the Pakistan Meteorological Department and LESCO throughout the monsoon season and stressed that the public complaint management system must provide immediate and effective response.

Nouman Yousaf said Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz Sharif has placed timely resolution of public complaints and civic issues among the government’s top priorities and directed all departments to ensure prompt relief to citizens during the rainy season.

Lahore: Deputy Commissioner (DC) Lahore Muhammad Ali Ejaz on Saturday inspected development works being carried out under the Lahore Development Program (LDP) in Tehsil Saddar and directed officials to ensure quality, transparency and safety in all projects.

During his visit to Union Council 194 in Wagah Zone,the DC reviewed the construction and rehabilitation of damaged and unpaved streets being carried out under the Punjab government’s initiative to improve urban infrastructure.

Assistant Commissioner(AC) Saddar Dr Abid Mumtaz Khan Sial and other officials accompanied the DC during the field visit.

Officials briefed the DC that work on 38 of the 57 streets had been completed, while construction on the remaining 19 streets was progressing.

The DC directed officials to strictly follow safety protocols and quality control measures during construction, warning that no compromise would be tolerated on the quality of materials used in development schemes.

He also instructed authorities to ensure long-term planning in LDP projects,improve drainage systems along with street construction and obtain third-party quality audit reports after completion of each scheme.

The DC further ordered the installation of safety barriers and warning signs at construction sites and directed officials to take steps to control dust and minimize environmental impact during construction activities.

Muhammad Ali Ejaz said the LDP would help improve civic infrastructure and provide better facilities to citizens, adding that transparency and quality execution were key to the success of development projects.

Lahore: Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz Sharif on Saturday called for collective efforts to address rapid population growth, saying an unchecked increase in population could pose a serious threat to the country’s limited resources and sustainable development.

In her message on World Population Day, the chief minister said the continuously rising population had become a major challenge affecting the country’s economic and social sectors.

She observed that poverty, child labour and increasing pressure on health, education and food resources were closely linked to unplanned population growth.

CM Maryam Nawaz warned that if the current trend continued, available national resources might not be sufficient to meet the country’s needs in the coming decades. She said Pakistan could accelerate its pace of development by effectively addressing the twin challenges of climate change and rapid population growth.

The CM stressed that planning for health, education and other essential public services must be based on
a balanced ratio between population and available resources. She urged all stakeholders to promote awareness and adopt sustainable policies to ensure a prosperous future for coming generations.

Lahore: Inspector General of Police (IGP) Punjab Abdul Kareem has approved the release of more than Rs2 million in financial assistance for the medical treatment of police employees and their family members.

According to a Punjab Police spokesperson, the funds were released after scrutiny by the Medical Financial Assistance Committee. Sub-Inspector Tahir Abbas was granted Rs300,000, Sub-Inspector Kazim Hussain Rs250,000, while Constable Muhammad Rashid Khan received Rs240,000 for medical treatment.

The spokesperson said Assistant Sub-Inspector Umar Farooq, Assistant Sub-Inspector Nadeem Abbas and Junior Patrolling Officer Zulfiqar Ali were each provided Rs100,000 for medical expenses.

Lady ASI Safia, Lady Head Constable Shahida Balqees and Lady Constable Amina Shahzadi also received Rs100,000 each. Similarly, Assistant Shahzad Hassan, Head Constable Muhammad Ammar and Driver Constable Javed Iqbal were granted Rs100,000 each for medical treatment.

He added that Inspector Muhammad Nawaz, ASI Muhammad Yaseen, Constable Muhammad Abdullah and Lady Constable Irshad Begum were collectively provided Rs319,000 for their medical treatment.

IGP Abdul Kareem said the welfare of police personnel and their families, who remain dedicated to protecting the lives and property of citizens, was among the top priorities of Punjab Police. He added that, under memorandums of understanding (MoUs) signed with various institutions, Punjab Police was ensuring the provision of the best possible medical facilities to its employees and their families.