Category: Lahore

Lahore:The Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) Gujranwala zone arrested a key suspect involved in the tragic Libya boat incident. According to an FIA spokesperson, the suspect, identified as Ghulam Murtaza, was apprehended during a targeted raid in Bhera, Sargodha. The suspect is found to be involved in the illegal smuggling of innocent citizens abroad. The accused, Murtaza, is also connected to the trafficking of minor children for illegal overseas migration. The children trafficked by Murtaza who were being sent to Italy, remained missing. The FIA officials revealed that Murtaza had collected over 7.1 million rupees from various individuals, promising to send them illegally to Italy through unauthorised routes. The suspect has been taken into custody, and investigations are underway. The FIA authorities have also launched further raids to apprehend other individuals involved in the trafficking network. Director FIA Gujranwala zone Abdul Qadir Qamar said all resources were being deployed to app rehend the remaining criminals. He emphasised: "We will not tolerate anyone exploiting the lives of innocent people. Those found guilty will face strict legal action based on solid evidence."

Lahore:Punjab Minister for Health and Emergency Services Khawaja Salman Rafique announced that 57 lives have been saved through the province's Air Ambulance Service.

He shared this during a meeting on Thursday, where progress on the Annual Development Plan (ADP) 2024-25 and upcoming ADP 2025-26 projects was reviewed.

The meeting, chaired by Khawaja Salman Rafique, was attended by Secretary Emergency Services Punjab, Dr. Rizwan Naseer, who provided a comprehensive briefing on various initiatives.

The minister highlighted that the Motorway Ambulance Service is fully operational across 74 interchanges and 1,588 kilometers, ensuring prompt rescue services. Under the Chief Minister's Internship Program, 2,593 interns have been registered in the Punjab Emergency Services Department.

Khawaja Salman Rafique also emphasized the importance of the Rescue Cadet Corps Program, through which students in colleges and universities are receiving essential training. Furthermore, Community Emergency Response Teams are being established at the Union Council level to enhance disaster preparedness across Punjab, he added.

According to the minister, all these efforts align with the vision of Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz Sharif, who is focused on ensuring effective public service delivery.

Dr. Rizwan Naseer elaborated on various initiatives, including the expansion of emergency services to towns, the recruitment of human resources, the establishment of Community Emergency Response Teams in rural areas, and the upgradation of the Rescue Academy.

The provincial minister expressed satisfaction with the ongoing progress and reaffirmed his commitment to further strengthening emergency services in Punjab.

Lahore: The Punjab Information Technology Board (PITB) hosted the second session with a delegation from the National Centre for State Courts (NCSC) and Cursor for Development and Education (CODE) Pakistan. This visit was part of the 'Digitally Integrated Criminal Justice System' initiative, a collaborative effort between the CODE Pakistan, NCSC and PITB. The delegation was led by Carlos E Jimenez Gomez, Principal Consultant and Digital Transformation Expert at NCSC and Waleed Yawar, representative of the CODE Pakistan.

The session was chaired by Syed Qasim Afzal, PITB's Additional Director General (ADG), who provided an in-depth overview of the current state of Pakistan's criminal justice system. He also discussed the challenges and strategic measures necessary for the successful implementation of the 'Digitally Integrated Criminal Justice System,' which aims to modernize the justice sector with advanced digital solutions.

Jamal Ahmad, Director of Project Management at PITB, then briefed the delegation on the technical procedures behind the initiative. Following the briefing, the delegation toured PITB's e-Khidmat Center at Arfa Software Technology Park.

PITB Senior Programme Managers Salman Ali Khan and Qasim Tufail showcased the center's state-of-the-art services, which provide citizens with efficient government services and contribute to streamlining operations across Punjab.

The session fostered productive discussions, with all participants offering valuable insights to refine

the project's strategy and ensure alignment with its goals.

Lahore:Punjab Senior Minister Marriyum Aurangzeb on Thursday visited the Lahore Museum as per the direction of the Punjab chief minister. According to official sources here, the Punjab Tourism secretary briefed about the historical importance of the museum. A decision had been made to make 131-year-old museum in Lahore, a international standard museum. It is a historic step of Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz to conserve history of Punjab and the Pakistan Movement. The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) had agreed to extend cooperation to the Punjab government for conserving old heritage and buildings. A working plan was ready. The UNESCO would make Lahore Museum as per international standard and Rs 240 million had been allocated for the purpose. The senior minister directed the relevant authorities to send summary of the UNESCO plan to the cabinet. It was further directed to set up central 'Mehman Dari' for facility of the visitors. A plan had been sou ght for holding international conferences on 'Gandhara' and 'Calligraphy'. A decision had been made to digitalize the system to conserve historical rarities and art work. The senior minister also directed to take care of moisture and temperature in the building of the museum to protect rare items from any harm. Marriyum Aurangzeb also reviewed art galleries, security office, ticket house, cafeteria and other parts of the museum.

Lahore:The police intensified its ongoing campaign against beggars by arresting 815 individuals this month and registering cases against them. According to a police spokesman, the arrested individuals include 777 men, 33 women and 5 facilitators. They were arrested from different divisions,including 194 in City Division, 130 in Cantonment, 119 in Civil Lines, 112 in Saddar, 101 in Iqbal Town and 159 in Model Town division. Capital City Police Officer Bilal Siddique Kamyana stated that comprehensive actions were being taken in the anti-beggary campaign in the provincial capital. He emphasized a zero-tolerance policy against the beggars and directed divisional officers to accelerate operations against them. The CCPO instructed that beggars should not be allowed to occupy traffic signals, intersections or main roads. He added that children found begging should be handed over to the Child Protection and Welfare Bureau, while drug-addicted beggars should be sent to homes for rehabilitation.

Lahore:The Punjab University administration has suspended 6 activists of a student organization involved in violence on two students.

Vice Chancellor Prof Dr Muhammad Ali has approved their suspension.

According to PU spokesman, Samiullah, Salar, Atif, Anees and Mujbata have been suspended for their alleged involvement in the violent incident. While an application has been filed for police action against two former students of the PU who were expelled. The spokesperson stated that the suspended students had attacked two students Muhammad Mohsin Ali and Muhammad Usman on January 20, 2025 and both were seriously injured. An FIR has also been registered against them. He said that further disciplinary action will be taken in accordance with the law.