Category: Lahore

Lahore: An inspiring exhibition of Islamic calligraphy opened at Coopera Art Gallery in celebration of Ramazan. The gallery walls showcased over four dozen vibrant paintings by 15 talented female calligraphers, reflecting their deep spiritual connection through art.

The exhibition will continue till March 10. A large number of art enthusiasts, including students, attended the inaugural ceremony.

The participating calligraphers are Amna Akbar, Amna Rasool, Afifa Jabeen, Areej Yousa, Khadija Iqbal, Kashaf Noor, Kashaf Qamar, Mahnoor A. Razzaq, Mahnoor Jamshed, Mehwish Tariq, Monaim Arif, Saima Akram, Summaya Maroof, Summra Hussain, and Tayyaba Arshad.

Lahore: Punjab Information Minister Azma Bokhari congratulated the women in the province, stating that they are now safer and more independent than ever before. She emphasized that the Punjab government is taking concrete measures to protect and uplift women, ensuring equal opportunities in all walks of life. Speaking at a press conference at Alhamra Arts Council, the minister highlighted the challenges faced by working women and stressed the urgent need to eliminate gender discrimination in society. She said when the Punjab chief minister took office, she made it clear that violence against women would not be tolerated under any circumstances, and the government was strictly implementing this policy. The minister said that the launch of the "Pink Button" service, allows women to report any form of violence against them without fear. Additionally, she stated that the government had ensured immediate action within 24 hours in cases of acid attacks and other forms of violence against women.

She said that working hostels and daycare centres are being established across Punjab to support working women, so they no longer have to worry about childcare while pursuing their careers. She also mentioned the "Dhee Rani Programme", under which 1,500 marriages have already been facilitated, with the second phase of the program set to begin soon.

Discussing women's education and mobility, Bokhari highlighted that female students in Punjab have excelled academically, and to further support them, the government has introduced e-bikes for girls. Additionally, a special quota for women has been allocated in electric buses to make transportation safer and more accessible.

Addressing online harassment, the minister stated that the Cyber Wing is being strengthened to ensure swift action against digital harassment and cybercrimes targeting women. She also pointed out that in Punjab, rape suspects are arrested within 24 hours to provide immediate justice to victims.

She reaffirmed the Punjab government's commitment to provide the maximum facilities

to women with more initiatives on the way to ensure their safety and empowerment.

Lahore: Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif has announced a major initiative to integrate women associated with cottage industries and small businesses into the Small and Medium Enterprise (SME) sector.

The announcement was made on International Women's Day during a review meeting on ongoing reforms under the Small and Medium Enterprise Development Authority (SMEDA), held on Saturday.

Speaking at the meeting, the Prime Minister emphasized the need for women's economic empowerment and directed authorities to provide essential capital and facilities on a priority basis to businesswomen in the cottage industry. He also instructed measures to offer low-cost loans to women under the Youth Loan Scheme, enabling them to expand their businesses. Stressing the importance of supporting educated and skilled women, especially in rural and remote areas, he urged for initiatives that help them achieve financial independence through entrepreneurship.

The Prime Minister ordered the establishment of facilitation centers and training institutes to support women engaged in small-scale businesses and ensure their easy access to these resources. To strengthen this initiative, he announced the formation of a special committee tasked with developing a comprehensive plan for empowering women through business opportunities. The committee will soon present its recommendations to the Prime Minister.

Addressing the attendees, Shehbaz Sharif highlighted that almost half of Pakistan's population consists of women, and the government is committed to making them economically stable through priority-based initiatives. He assured that all necessary resources and training would be provided to ensure dignified employment and business opportunities for women. He directed authorities to guarantee women's access to facilitation centers and training programs and reaffirmed that low-cost loans would be made available to female entrepreneurs under the Youth Loan Scheme.

During the meeting, the Prime Minister was briefed on SMEDA's initiatives for the development of micro, small, and medium enterprises. Federal Ministers Dr. Musadik Malik, Ahsan Iqbal, Shaza Fatima Khawaja, Special Assistant Haroon Akhtar, Chairman of the Prime Minister's Youth Program Rana Mashhood Ahmad Khan, and other senior officials were also present.

Lahore: The Department of Specialized Healthcare and Medical Education has decided to appoint permanent medical superintendents to 24 teaching hospitals across Punjab.

Chief Minister Punjab Maryam Nawaz Sharif has approved formation of a search committee to oversee the appointment process.

According to a spokesperson from the Health Department on Saturday, the decision was made to ensure better administration and improved healthcare services in major hospitals across the province.

The teaching hospitals where permanent medical superintendents will be appointed include: Mayo Hospital, Mayo Cancer Care Hospital Manawan, Services Hospital, Jinnah Hospital, General Hospital, Punjab Institute of Cardiology, Gangaram Hospital, Lady Aitchison Hospital, Syed Mitha Hospital, and Punjab Institute of Mental Health, Gujranwala Medical College Teaching Hospital, THQ Hospital Shakargarh (Narowal), THQ Hospital Zafarwal (Narowal), Government Sardar Begum Teaching Hospital (Sialkot), Rawalpindi Teaching Hospital, Rawalpindi Institute of Cardiology, Benazir Bhutto Hospital (Rawalpindi), Faisalabad Institute of Cardiology, Children's Hospital (Faisalabad), Sahiwal Teaching Hospital, Nishtar Hospital (Multan), Bahawal Victoria Hospital (Bahawalpur), Pervaiz Elahi Institute of Cardiology (Bahawalpur), and Sahiwal Institute of Cardiology.

Lahore: The Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) on Saturday intensified passenger screening at Lahore Airport,resulting in the offloading of two passengers attempting to travel abroad using fake documents.

According to FIA officials,the arrested individuals were identified as Mudassir Ali and Zeeshan Khokhar.

The arrested outlaw Mudassir Ali was trying to fly to Italy on flight QR-621,while Zeeshan Khokhar was en route to South Africa on flight EK-625.

During immigration clearance,both passengers were found suspicious.

Upon verification,their passports were found to have counterfeit visa for their respective destinations.

Preliminary investigations revealed that the suspects had obtained their fake visas from agents in exchange for large amounts of money.

Zeeshan Khokhar acquired a fake Italy visa from an agent named Usman for Rs 2.7 million.

The FIA has transferred the suspects to the Anti-Human Smuggling Circle Lahore for further investigation.

FIA Lahore Director, Sarfaraz Khan Virk emphasised that strict screening procedures will continue at Lahore Airport to curb illegal travel attempts.

He added that a crackdown against those involved in creating fake documents was ongoing.

Authorities have urged passengers to ensure the authenticity of their travel documents and avoid handing them over to unauthorized individuals.

The FIA has also advised citizens to apply for visas only through official embassies or designated visa application centers.

Lahore: The district administration, in a significant crackdown, arrested two individuals posing as fake price control magistrates during operations aimed at ensuring fair pricing and relief for citizens during Ramadan.

The imposters, who were extorting money from shopkeepers under the guise of conducting price checks, were apprehended at the Khadak Sabzazar Market.

Both individuals have been handed over to the Sabzazar Police, and cases have been registered against them. The district administration also released a report on the previous day's operations by genuine Price Control Magistrates, highlighting their effectiveness.

Deputy Commissioner (DC) Syed Musa Raza said that the proactive measures by Price Control Magistrates are yielding positive results. Heavy fines have been imposed, and cases have been registered against violators.

During the operations, strict action was taken at 26 locations, resulting in 25 warnings and fines exceeding Rs. 100,000.

The DC emphasized that the crackdown on overpricing will continue unabated. He declared that no one will be allowed to exploit citizens, and administrative officers will remain active in the field to monitor prices closely. He also directed officials to ensure the timely availability of essential items at Ramadan relief stalls.