Category: Lahore

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.

Lahore: Punjab Information Minister Azma Bokhari has strongly criticised the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), accusing the party of refusing to accept Punjab's rapid progress under Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz.

Speaking at a press conference at DGPR, she highlighted the government's achievements over the past year while condemning PTI's history of corruption, mismanagement, and baseless propaganda.

Azma asserted that unlike PTI's tenure, marked by incomplete projects and scandals, the current government has successfully launched and executed numerous development initiatives. She stated that under Maryam Nawaz's leadership, no project has been left unfinished, with concrete steps taken without exaggerated announcements.

Taking a jibe at the PTI, she claimed that Usman Buzdar had to introduce himself using Shehbaz Sharif's name, while PTI's governance was marred by bribery and politically motivated arrests. She also accused the party of misleading the public through social media campaigns rather than real development work.

Responding to PTI's claims that the government is taking credit for its projects, Azma clarified that the dialysis programme was initiated by Shehbaz Sharif and expanded under Maryam Nawaz, with Rs. 10 million allocated for its growth. She added that while the PTI only made promises about air ambulance services and the Kisan Card, the current government delivered results - benefiting over 750,000 farmers.

Azma highlighted key achievements, including the launch of 27 green buses in Lahore (with 500 more planned), the construction of 700 new roads, and the establishment of state-of-the-art basic health units (BHUs). She accused the PTI of running a smear campaign against projects like the Speedo Bus, which originated under Shehbaz Sharif's tenure.

Concluding, she stated that Maryam Nawaz launched over 90 projects in just one year, including the Kisan Card, Air Ambulance, and the 'Dhee Rani' public welfare programme. Additionally, 100 homes had been handed over to citizens, with 10,000 more nearing completion. She credited the chief minister's dedication and performance for winning public support.

Lahore: At least 18 people were killed and 1,195 others injured in 1,065 road accidents in Punjab during the last 24 hours.

As many as 495 people with serious injuries were shifted to different hospitals, while 700 with minor injuries were treated at the incident site by the rescue medical teams.

The data analysis showed that 680 drivers, 50 underage drivers, 121 pedestrians, and 412 passengers were among the victims of road crashes. The statistics showed that 207 accidents were reported in Lahore, which affected 232 people placing the provincial capital at top of the list, followed by Faisalabad with 70 accidents and 76 victims, and at third Multan with 57 accidents and 56 victims.

According to the data 930 motorbikes, 63 auto-rickshaws, 151 motorcars, 33 vans, 12 passenger buses, 29 trucks and 108 other types of vehicles and slow-moving carts were involved in the road accidents.