Category: Lahore

Lahore: Urologists at Lahore General Hospital (LGH) have successfully performed a laparoscopic nephrectomy on a 57-year-old woman from Ziarat, Balochistan, under Chief Minister Punjab Maryam Nawaz Sharif's 'Health for All' initiative.

According to an LGH spokesperson on Saturday, the patient, Naroo Bibi, was suffering from a severe infection that had rendered her kidney non-functional, causing it to adhere to her liver and large intestine. A team led by Professor Dr. Khizar Hayat Gondal, along with Dr. Azfar Ali, Dr. Rahim Sajad, and Dr. Khalil Ahmad, performed the surgery using modern, camera-assisted techniques. The successful procedure resulted in the safe removal of the infected kidney, saving the patient's life.

Principal Ameer Uddin Medical College, Professor Dr. Al-Fareed Zafar, congratulated the medical team, calling the achievement a major milestone in public healthcare. He praised the doctors at PGMI/LGH for their expertise in advanced surgical techniques and highlighted that Punjab's hospitals are playing a crucial role in providing cutting-edge healthcare to patients from across the country.

Dr. Khizar Hayat Gondal revealed that Naroo Bibi had visited several hospitals before arriving at LGH in critical condition. After thorough medical examinations, it was determined that kidney stones and an infection had led to organ failure, necessitating immediate surgery. Following a successful recovery, the patient was discharged in good health.

Expressing their gratitude, Naroo Bibi's family thanked CM Punjab Maryam Nawaz Sharif, Prof. Dr. Al-Fareed Zafar, MS Dr. Faryad Hussain, and the surgical team for their exceptional medical care. They acknowledged that Punjab's hospitals are equipped with state-of-the-art facilities and that their doctors possess remarkable expertise, providing hope and healing to patients from remote areas like Balochistan.

Lahore: Dr Rizwan Naseer, Secretary of the Emergency Services Department (ESD) Punjab, said on Saturday that Rescue-1122 responded to a total of 180,807 emergencies in February 2025, rescuing 183,455 victims.

Among these, road traffic accidents accounted for a significant portion, with 37,390 incidents recorded, leading to 375 fatalities. Other emergencies included medical cases (121,895), falls and slips (4,948), fire incidents (2,135), and drowning emergencies (30).

A concerning rise in road traffic accidents was highlighted, with Dr Naseer noting a 35.58pc increase in road crashes from February 2021 to February 2025. This marked a significant uptick, from 27,578 accidents in February 2021 to 37,390 in the most recent month.

The meeting, chaired by the ESD secretary, also featured reports from district emergency officers (DEOs), who discussed major emergencies, challenges, case studies, and safety initiatives in their districts. Notably, Lahore reported the highest number of road traffic accidents (6,839) and fire incidents (355), while Faisalabad and Multan followed closely behind in road traffic crashes.

Lahore: An anti-crime meeting for the Rawalpindi and Sargodha regions was held under the chairmanship of Inspector General of Police (IGP) Punjab, Dr. Usman Anwar, at the Central Police Office Punjab on Saturday.

The meeting focused on reviewing the crime control, law and order, and security situations in both regions.

Regional Police Officers (RPOs) of Rawalpindi and Sargodha, Babar Sarfraz Alpa and Dr. Shahzad Asif Khan, along with relevant CPOs and DPOs, participated in the meeting via video link.

Dr. Usman Anwar directed that security measures for mosques, imambargahs, shrines, markets, and other important places should be intensified to ensure public safety. While he praised the Rawalpindi region for its efforts in maintaining law and order, he expressed dissatisfaction with the low rates of challaning, the arrest of proclaimed offenders, and recovery efforts in both regions. He issued a clear instruction for immediate registration of FIRs and warned against delays, directing that strict action be taken against SHOs who fail to act promptly.

The IGP also tasked the RPO Rawalpindi with directly contacting complainants to verify 15 calls and submit a detailed report. He further emphasized the urgency of efforts to locate missing women and children and resolve pending rape cases.

Addressing public complaints, Dr. Anwar instructed RPOs and DPOs to personally oversee the resolution of citizen complaints received through platforms like 1787, CM Portal, and others. He also directed DPOs to conduct weekly meetings with investigation officers to make progress on arresting organized gangs and proclaimed offenders.

The IGP stressed the importance of maintaining and inspecting special initiative police stations, ensuring proper logistics, and enhancing transport resources. He also urged the swift completion of the Safe Cities and Smart Police Stations projects in both regions.

Lastly, Dr. Usman Anwar emphasized the need to bolster community policing efforts, improve communication with citizens, and engage public representatives to foster a stronger relationship between the police and the community.

Additional IG Operations Punjab Shahzada Sultan, Additional IG Investigation, DIG Operations Punjab Waqas Nazir, and AIG Monitoring were also present at the meeting.

Lahore: Chief Traffic Officer (CTO) Lahore Athar Waheed Saturday outlined significant steps being taken under the 'First Clean and Then Clear' programme, aimed at restoring the beauty of Lahore.

During a meeting at the Lahore Chamber of Commerce and Industry (LCCI) here, he revealed that a comprehensive 20-point agenda had been developed to tackle various urban issues.

The meeting was attended by LCCI President Mian Abuzar Shad, Vice President Shahid Nazir Chaudhry, former Senior Vice President Ali Hussam Asghar, and former VPs Faheem-ur-Rehman Saigol and Adnan Khalid Butt, along with several executive committee members.

CTO Waheed highlighted the challenges of managing Lahore, whose population exceeds that of 122 individual countries. He said that efficient city management was a shared responsibility, requiring cooperation from all institutions. He shared that 1,400 operations had been conducted over the past 50 days to clear major roads of encroachments, stressing the need for public-private partnerships to achieve the best results. Waheed also proposed utilising unused government land for temporary parking spaces to address traffic issues.

Addressing the issue of beggary, Waheed expressed concern over its negative impact on both citizens and the country's image. He noted the success of traffic police efforts to reduce beggars at traffic signals, but stressed the need for updated laws to better address the issue.

The CTO also announced the implementation of mandatory helmet laws for both motorcycle riders and loader rickshaws. Additionally, e-challans issued to government employees are now directly deducted from their salaries as a step toward greater accountability. Waheed asserted that societal behaviour would only improve when institutions set the right example.

To further enhance the capacity and efficiency of the traffic police, a special committee has been formed to develop new operational rules. Waheed also underlined the importance of skill development within the education system, with teachers and the business community playing key roles in shaping society.

LCCI President Mian Abuzar Shad thanked CTO Waheed for resuming the driving test process at LCCI for new licences. He suggested scheduling the tests on weekends to accommodate LCCI members while ensuring normal chamber operations. Shad also commended the effective traffic management plan during the ICC Champions Trophy and called for a similar approach during the upcoming 10th edition of the Pakistan Super League (PSL), set to take place from April 11 to May 18, with 13 matches in Lahore. He urged the CTO to ensure traffic arrangements during match days do not disrupt daily life, especially business activities.

He discussed the challenges of managing traffic in Lahore's densely populated areas, where major markets contribute to congestion. He suggested that traffic wardens focus more on regulating traffic flow rather than simply issuing fines, and proposed increasing the number of wardens in high-traffic zones. He also requested collaboration with TEPA (Traffic Engineering and Planning Agency) to remodel these areas to ease congestion.

LCCI Vice President Shahid Nazir Chaudhry noted improvements in traffic law compliance since the introduction of electronic traffic violation tickets and expressed support for higher penalties to enforce traffic discipline. He highlighted persistent issues with one-way violations, particularly at U-turns, and recommended installing tire killers where feasible. Additionally, he proposed the appointment of focal persons in different areas of Lahore to coordinate with traffic DSPs and address traffic issues impacting the business community.

Lahore: The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) on Saturday announced a full ticket refund for the two ICC Champions Trophy 2025 matches that were abandoned without a ball being bowled at Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium.

The affected matches include Australia vs South Africa on 25 February, and Bangladesh vs Pakistan on 27 February.

As per the PCB Ticket Refund Policy for the ICC Champions Trophy 2025, ticket holders are eligible for a full refund if:

The match was abandoned before the toss.

All enclosure tickets will be refunded Ticket holders of hospitality tickets (boxes and PCB gallery) will not be eligible for a refunded Eligible ticket holders can claim their refund at select TCS outlets between Monday, 10 March 2025 to Friday, 14 March 2025 (late requests will not be entertained). The following will be required:

o Present an original / undamaged ticket as proof of purchase.

o The purchaser will have to personally visit the TCS outlet to claim a refund. His/her refund cannot be claimed on his/her behalf

The following are TCS outlets, where the ticket holders can visit and claim their refund:

Faisalabad - Harrianwala Express Center, 270 -B Harrianwala Chowk Near Shaukat Fabrics

Gujranwala - New Area Office Express Center, Opposite Jamia Azizia and Super Asia GT Road

Hyderabad - Area Office Express Center, Autobhan Road Near Toyota Motors Site Area

Islamabad - I-9 Express Center, Plot No. 394-A Pothohar Road Near Police Station Sector I-9/3

Karachi - Head Office Express Center, 101-104 CAA Club Road Near Hajj Terminal - 3; AND, Ittehad Flagship Express Center, 15-C Lane 10 Phase 6

Lahore - Gulberg Express Center, 58/D-1 Gulberg- III; AND, Thokar Niaz Baig Express Center, Ali Town Stop, Near HBL Raiwind Road

Multan - Area Office Express Center, 985/B, Tareen Road

Rawalpindi - Khanna Express Center, TCS Regional Office, Near Fazaia Colony Link Road

Peshawar - Ring Road Area Office Express Center, Ring Road Near Neelam CNG Motorway

Quetta - Jinnah Road Express Center, Near Dr. Bano Road, Main Jinnah Road.

Lahore: The Punjab Home Department has launched an awareness campaign to warn citizens against fraudulent elements.

The Punjab Home Department issued important instructions to prevent fraud through social media. The department sources told reporter that through its warnings' note, it has warned that citizens should use social media and all digital platforms responsibly, adding to never share information with unknown people on WhatsApp and other social media platforms.

They said that citizens should not send any money or codes on calls and messages from unknown numbers. Furthermore, the department has guided citizens to not share codes and account numbers for purchasing non-custom paid items with anyone, adding do not send any money on false calls about the kidnapping of a loved one.

Citizens have been further instructed not to give their official, personal or family information to any unknown person, while, citizens should avoid opening any suspicious or unknown links on the internet, they added.