Category: Lahore

Lahore: New Zealand fast bowler Lockie Ferguson has been ruled out of the ICC Champions Trophy 2025 Pakistan due to an injury to his right foot and Kyle Jamieson is due to replace him. Thirty-year-old Jamieson, who has played 13 ODIs, was named as a replacement after Ferguson was ruled out due to an injury to his right foot. According to the ICC Media release issued here on Tuesday, the Event Technical Committee of the ICC Men's Champions Trophy 2025 has approved Kyle Jamieson as a replacement for Lockie Ferguson in the New Zealand squad. The replacement of a player requires the approval of the Event Technical Committee before the player can be officially added to the squad. The Event Technical Committee of the ICC Men's Champions Trophy 2025 consists of Wasim Khan (ICC General Manager - Cricket), Sarah Edgar (ICC Senior Manager - Events), Usman Wahla (PCB Director - International Cricket Operations), Shaun Pollock (Independent Representative).

Lahore: A consultative workshop for the launch of Provincial Interfaith Child Protection Forum was held here on Tuesday.

The workshop was organized in collaboration with Islamic Relief Pakistan and UNICEF Pakistan.

Child Protection and Welfare Bureau (CPWB) Chairperson and MPA Sarah Ahmed attended the event as the chief guest. The consultative workshop was attended by religious leaders from various faiths, Members of the Provincial Assembly Mehwish Sultana, Safia Saeed and Rukhsana Kausar, as well as representatives from various organizations. Notable attendees included Islamic Relief Pakistan Country Director Asif Shirazi, Head of Child Protection and Community Development Afshan Jamal, UNICEF Child Protection Officer Azlan Butt, and other distinguished guests.

During the workshop, it was agreed to establish the Provincial Interfaith Child Protection Forum at the provincial level.

CPWB Chairperson Sarah Ahmed stated that religious leaders from all faiths stand united for the protection of children's rights, and the establishment of this forum in collaboration with the Child Protection Bureau, Islamic Relief Pakistan, and UNICEF Pakistan is a commendable initiative.

She further announced that the Provincial Interfaith Child Protection Forum would be integrated into the Child Rights Caucus established by the Speaker of the Punjab Assembly Malik Ahmed Khan to further enhance the effectiveness of child protection and welfare measures.

The chairperson emphasized that the primary objective of the forum is to bring together religious leaders on a common platform to ensure the protection and welfare of children in Punjab. She stated that children of all faiths are equally important, and the Child Protection Bureau provides equal services to children from minority communities under its care.

She also stressed the importance of raising awareness against the exploitation of young children and highlighted that the Child Helpline 1121 is actively working to provide protection to children of all religions.

Lahore: Provincial Minister for Minorities Affairs Ramesh Singh Arora expressed his best wishes for the national cricket team ahead of the opening match of the Champions Trophy. In his statement, he expressed hope that the team would show an excellent performance in the tournament, adding that the prayers of the entire Pakistani nation are with them. He noted that the recently tri-nation series had played a crucial role in the team's preparations for the Champions Trophy. However, he emphasised that victory and defeat are part of the game. The minister stated, "With the advantage of playing on home ground, the entire team will put in their best efforts to achieve success. Millions of Pakistanis are praying for the team's success and Pakistan will triumph in the Champions Trophy," he concluded.

Lahore: The Parks and Horticulture Authority (PHA) on Tuesday hosted a thrilling two-day Kabaddi tournament at Jilani Park as part of the Horse and Cattle Show 2025 festivities.

The competition featured four top teams from Pakistan: Pakistan WAPDA, Pakistan Army, Pakistan Air Force, and Pakistan Higher Education Commission (HEC).

In the first match, Pakistan WAPDA secured a victory over Pakistan HEC with a score of 57-34, winning by a 23-point margin. In the second match, Pakistan Air Force defeated Pakistan Army 44-33, winning by 11 points.

The winners and runners-up will receive trophies and cash prizes worth a total of 1.6 million rupees. The final match is scheduled for 19th February at Jilani Park. Before the final, the 'Sheer Punjab Dangal' will take place, with the winner receiving a prize of 600,000 rupees.

The event was graced by Punjab Minister for Irrigation Kazim Ali Pirzada, President of the Kabaddi Federation of Pakistan and Punjab Minister for Industries Commerce, and Auqaf Chaudhry Shafay Hussain, and PHA Chairman Ghazali Saleem Butt as chief guests. PHA Director of Sports Aamir Ibrahim and other officials were also present. A large number of spectators gathered to witness the matches, featuring renowned Kabaddi players such as Shafique Chishti (Captain of Pakistan Kabaddi), Kaleem Ullah, Nafees Gujjar, Shaukat Mana Gul, Bilal Gul, and Aslam Gul.

Talking to the media, Punjab Minister Kazim Ali Pirzada highlighted that under the leadership of the Chief Minister, traditional sports like Kabaddi have been included in the Horse and Cattle Show for the first time. He emphasized that all departments in Punjab are actively engaged in cleanliness and development projects. He also announced that in the future, Kabaddi tournaments will be arranged in four different countries. He expressed confidence that before the next elections, Punjab will witness significant transformations.

The minister congratulated the entire PHA team for successfully organizing the Kabaddi tournament.

Lahore: An anti-terrorism court (ATC) on Tuesday indicted TikToker Sarah Khan for allegedly inciting public unrest by falsely claiming to be the mother of an alleged rape victim from a private college in Lahore.

ATC Judge Arshad Javed presided over the proceedings, during which the accused was brought from jail and presented before the court.

The court formally framed charges against her, to which she pleaded not guilty and contended to contest the case.

Following her plea, the court directed the prosecution to produce witnesses for testimony at the next hearing, scheduled for February 22.

The Gulberg police station had registered a case against Khan under the Prevention of Electronic Crimes Act (PECA).

The case stems from a widely circulated video on social media in which the TikToker claimed to be the mother of a student allegedly assaulted at a private college in Lahore. The video sparked panic and outrage among students, leading to protests and disorder at the institution.

The police alleged that the video was fabricated to gain social media attention, with false claims aimed at stirring emotions and spreading misinformation.

Lahore: Deputy Commissioner Syed Musa Raza reviewed the cleanliness and anti-encroachment measures during his visit to Model Town Tehsil on Tuesday.

Accompanied by Chief Officer Metropolitan Corporation Lahore Shahid Abbas Kathia, Assistant Commissioner Model Town Abdul Basit Siddiqui, and other officials, the DC visited Walton Road, surrounding areas, and the Shanghai Bridge Drain.

During the visit, the Assistant Commissioner briefed him on ongoing efforts to improve sanitation, remove encroachments, and relocate temporary settlements and animals.

The DC instructed Lahore Waste Management Company (LWMC) officials to conduct unannounced field checks to ensure the presence of sanitation workers and adherence to cleaning schedules. He directed the Walton Cantonment Board to intensify its sanitation efforts and emphasized the swift clearance of waste piles from main roads, streets, and small units before city activities commence. He also instructed WASA to immediately clean the Shanghai Bridge Drain to mitigate environmental pollution.

Further directives included the removal of both permanent and temporary encroachments and a strict prohibition on unauthorized banners, streamers, and posters. He also ordered the relocation of animals and informal settlements from residential areas to designated alternative locations.

The DC stressed that true cleanliness is achieved when waste does not reappear once removed. He reaffirmed that the administration is actively pursuing the 'Clean Mission' as per the directives of Chief Minister Punjab Maryam Nawaz Sharif.