Category: Lahore

Lahore: Ijaz-ur-Rehman has been reappointed as the Chairperson of the Carpet Training Institute (CTI) for the 2025-27 term in recognition of his outstanding contributions to the development of the hand-woven carpet industry.

The decision was finalized during a meeting chaired by Riaz Ahmed, Vice Chairman of the Pakistan Carpet Manufacturers and Exporters Association (PCMEA) here Thursday.

Ijaz-ur-Rehman presented the performance report for the 2022-24 term during the meeting, which highlighted his efforts in promoting the industry. The participants unanimously endorsed his reappointment, acknowledging his dedication and achievements.

Speaking on the occasion, Ijaz-ur-Rehman expressed his gratitude to the association for their trust and support. He pledged to continue working for the growth of the hand-woven carpet sector, introducing modern innovations at CTI, and enhancing the welfare of skilled workers.

The reappointment is seen as a positive step towards further strengthening the industry, which plays a vital role in Pakistan's exports and craftsmanship heritage.

Lahore: Provincial Minister for Auqaf Chaudhry Shafay Hussain paid a visit to shrine of Hazrat Data Ganj Bakhsh Ali Hajveri (RA) here on Thursday and reviewed progress on the expansion project.

He was given a detailed briefing by Secretary Auqaf Dr. Tahir Raza Bukhari. The minister attended an award distribution ceremony at Jamia Hajveria as the chief guest, where he congratulated the graduates and encouraged them to spread the message of Islam, tolerance, and unity in society. "It is an honour and a matter of pride for me to be part of this prestigious event," he said.

Highlighting key initiatives, Chaudhry Shafay announced that funds had been released for renovation of madrasas, and the process of making Khatam-un-Nabiyeen University operational has begun. He said that students from madrasas would now have access to MPhil and PhD programmes at the university. Expressing regret over the underutilisation of the Quran Academy building, he assured that it would soon be utilised for promotion of religious education.

On the Palestine issue, he strongly condemned the ongoing atrocities against Muslims, stating that over 40,000 innocent lives have been lost. He said that mere condemnation was not enough and called for Muslim unity to put an end to oppression.

During the ceremony, 122 students of Jamia Hajveria were honoured with the traditional turban (Dastarbandi), signifying their completion of religious education.

Speaking at the event, Chairman of the Islamic Ideology Council Dr. Raghib Hussain Naeemi urged the graduates to contribute to development of the nation.

At the end of the ceremony, Chaudhry Shafay Hussain and Dr. Tahir Raza Bukhari distributed certificates and cash prizes among position-holding students.

Lahore: Eighteen trainee assistant superintendents of police (ASPs) from the 51st common training programme of the National Police Academy visited the Capital City Police Headquarters, here on Thursday.

They were briefed on professional training, performance, crime prevention, and other responsibilities of the Lahore Police. ASP Defence Shehr Bano Naqvi provided the trainee officers with a briefing on the organizational structure of the Lahore Police.

Addressing the trainee officers, CCPO Lahore Bilal Siddique Kamyana said that comprehensive reforms were being introduced in the Police Department. He highlighted that Lahore Police was playing key role in establishing a secure society. He said the trainee officers should focus on competence, professionalism, and a commitment to public service. He added that they were the future leaders and must ensure timely justice for people.

The delegation appreciated the professional services of Lahore Police. At the end of the ceremony, commemorative souvenirs were exchanged. The event was attended by DIG (OCU) Imran Kishwar, DIG (Investigation) Zeeshan Raza, DIG (Operations) Muhammad Faisal Kamran, SSP (Investigation) Muhammad Naveed, SSP (Admin) Atif Nazir, and SSP (Operations) Tasawur Iqbal.

Lahore: A group of under-training assistant superintendents of police (ASPs) on Thursday visited the Prosecutor General Punjab Office as part of their training programme.

The visit was aimed to familiarise newly-recruited police officers with the prosecution department's functions and its role in the criminal justice system.

Prosecutor General Punjab Syed Farhad Ali Shah delivered a lecture to the ASPs, highlighting the significance of effective prosecution and the crucial role police officers play in ensuring justice. He stressed the need for close cooperation between law enforcement agencies and prosecutors to improve the legal system's efficiency.

The visiting officers were also given a tour of various sections of the Prosecutor General's Office, where they were briefed on the department's responsibilities and operations. The initiative is part of ongoing efforts to strengthen collaboration and mutual understanding between police and prosecution departments.

Lahore: The first meeting of the Special Parliamentary Committee on Anti-Human Trafficking and Human Smuggling was convened at the Punjab Assembly, on Thursday. The session chaired by MPA Uzma Kardar MPA was attended by key stakeholders, including administrative secretaries, Additional Inspector General of Police, Deputy Commissioners, District Police Officers from high-risk districts, representatives from the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA), civil society groups and foreign delegates. The meeting addressed the critical issue of human trafficking in persons (TIP) and smuggling of migrants (SOM) , which continues to devastate communities in Punjab and beyond. MPA Uzma Kardar who is the convener of the committee, emphasized the gravity of the situation noting the loss of hundreds of Pakistani lives in recent tragedies involving irregular cross-border smuggling to Greece and Spain. She highlighted that internal trafficking, which exploits individuals through bonded labor and forced commercial sex work, rem ains a significant problem that tarnishes Pakistan's international reputation. She said that Chief Minister Punjab Maryam Nawaz has introduced several programs for youth and women in Punjab to create local opportunities through empowerment of young people. "The government of Pakistan made national action plan to curb human trafficking within and outside the country" said MPA Uzma Kardar. She also acknowledged the support of civil society organizations like the Sustainable Social Development Organization (SSDO) whose advocacy efforts contributed to the establishment of the committee and have been instrumental in raising awareness on the issue. In her address, Kardar extended her gratitude to Punjab Assembly Speaker Malik Ahmed Khan and Secretary Amir Habib for prioritizing the issue and for their cooperation in launching the special committee. During the meeting, the committee called for urgent action. MPA Uzma Kardar directed that every district establish a dedicated Anti-Human Trafficking Cell within the police department by February 28, 2025 and submit report to the committee secretary. These cells will be responsible for monitoring and addressing trafficking issues within their respective jurisdictions. Additionally, Deputy Commissioners were urged to revitalize district-level anti-trafficking committees with a requirement for monthly meetings to be conducted and their outcomes shared with the committee's secretary. The committee will meet on regular basis in every month to track the performance of the administrative departments on TIP and SOM. "This time we focused on the hotspot districts but next time we shall invite all the districts of Punjab". The committee also proposed that Deputy Commissioners from Gujrat, Mandi Bahauddin, Sialkot, Jhelum and Gujranwala compile and submit a database of victimized families within the next week. A visit to these affected families is scheduled for the first week of February 2025. Syed Kausar Abbas, Executive Director of SSDO, praised the formation of the committee, describing it as a crucial step towards strengthening legislative oversight on Trafficking in Persons (TIP) and Smuggling of Migrants (SOM). He noted that the committee's work would help ensure accountability at the local level and drive the implementation of laws designed to combat these crimes. In addition to discussions on trafficking, MPA Adnan Afzal Chatha Chairperson of the Chief Minister's Task Force on Skill Development highlighted the government's efforts to empower youth and women through skill development programs. Chatha stressed the importance of engaging youth in productive skills and entrepreneurship to prevent them from falling prey to trafficking and exploitation. The meeting concluded with a commitment to continued collaboration among governmental bodies, civil society and international partners to combat human trafficking and smuggling issues in Punjab.

Lahore: Provincial Minister for Education Rana Sikandar Hayat will return to Pakistan today after completing his visit to London.

He is bringing back important news and developments related to education.

During his visit, Rana Sikandar Hayat toured various educational institutions to support the development of education in Punjab. While visiting Oxford University, he met with Pakistani students and informed them about the initiatives being taken to improve the quality of education in Punjab. During the meeting, the minister and Oxford University students exchanged ideas on how to enhance the quality of education in Punjab.

The minister also visited the UK's AQA Examination Board and reviewed its operations. In addition, he held special meetings with Sir Steve Smith, the UK Government's Higher Education Advisor, and Professor Wendy Thomson, Vice Chancellor of the University of London, where they discussed teaching and administrative collaboration between the Punjab government and British higher education institutions. The meetings also covered the launch of a campus at Nawaz Sharif IT City, joint degrees, scholarships, teacher training and mutual cooperation in the education sector.

Minister Rana Sikandar Hayat signed an MoU with Google for Education to utilise AI and offer Google courses to train students to international standards. He stated that Google Cloud services would help upgrade Punjab's educational institutions to a modern system, providing teachers with the opportunity to receive international-standard training and Google Education Certification.

The minister added that this year would be a year of good news for Punjab's students, as the education system will be digitised in collaboration with Google for education. A strategy has already been developed to provide Chromebooks to public schools and establish smart labs. Additionally, training for 50,000 teachers and providing advanced educational facilities to students through Google Gemini will be implemented.

Rana Sikandar Hayat emphasised that the foundation for digital education is being established through Google Cloud Systems. At the same time, new technology and Artificial Intelligence (AI) courses are being introduced in the education sector. The Minister also expressed his commitment to establishing Pakistan's first AI-focused university. Furthermore, he mentioned that through collaboration with Google for Education, he has laid the foundation for providing students with global-standard education, enabling them to take Google courses with international certifications. Additionally, Google's Level One certification will be made available for 50,000 teachers.