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Punjab minister inaugurates revamped dispensary

Lahore: Punjab Minister for Primary and Secondary Healthcare, Khawaja Imran Nazir,

inaugurated a newly revamped urban dispensary on Bhogiwal Road on Wednesday. Speaking on the occasion, he announced that the new year would be marked with a renewed commitment to serving humanity. The minister lauded the completion of the dispensary's revamping within a mere three months and reiterated that, under the vision of Chief Minister, all urban dispensaries in Punjab would be revamped by the end of year. Khawaja Imran Nazir highlighted key developments in Punjab's healthcare infrastructure, including the near-completion of a state-of-the-art cancer hospital in Lahore, costing Rs 82 billion. He also mentioned the establishment of a second Punjab Institute of Cardiology (PIC-2) at Jinnah Hospital, Lahore, and a new cardiac center in Sargodha. Additionally, new dialysis machines are being provided to healthcare facilities across the province. The minister provided an update on the recruitment of healthcare professionals, stating that 3,500 doctors were hired duri ng the previous tenure, while 1,500 have been recruited so far in the current term. He revealed that by December 31, nearly 600 health facilities had been revamped, and 150 Basic Health Units were being upgraded into Maryam Nawaz Health Clinics. He assured that no doctor, nurse, or staff member would face unemployment, as they would be relocated to nearby facilities. He emphasized that these clinics would significantly enhance the healthcare system at the grassroots level. Local MPA Shoaib Siddiqui also attended the ceremony. The formal inauguration of dispensary was performed by Falah Ghaffar, the daughter of Union Council Chairman Abdul Ghaffar Chaudhry. During the event, the Provincial Health Minister inspected various sections of the dispensary, including the pharmacy, labor room, X-ray room, and ultrasound machine. CEO Health Dr Zohaib provided a detailed briefing on the revamping process. The dispensary now offers a range of services, including OPD, antenatal care (ANC), normal deliveries, nutrition counseling, and family planning. A documentary highlighting the improvements and showcasing the upgraded facilities was presented to attendees. The event concluded with enthusiastic support from the local community, who chanted slogans in favor of Maryam Nawaz, Nawaz Sharif, Shahbaz Sharif, and Khawaja Imran Nazir, while showering flower petals to express their appreciation for the upgraded healthcare facility.

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BISP beneficiaries to get increased Benazir Kafalat stipends in New Year


Islamabad: Chairperson of the Benazir Income Support Programme (BISP), Senator Rubina Khalid Wednesday announced an increase in the quarterly installment under the Benazir Kafalat Programme from Rs. 10,500 to Rs. 13,500 with advent of the year.



The amount has been raised for providing much-needed financial relief to deserving women across Pakistan.



The announcement was made at a ceremony where Senator Rubina Khalid, along with Secretary Amir Ali Ahmed, Additional Secretary Dr. Tahir Noor, and other staff members, celebrated the New Year by cutting a cake.



Senator Rubina Khalid declared 2025 as the “Year of the Benazir Hunarmand Programme”, emphasizing the initiative’s potential to empower underprivileged individuals by equipping them with skills to earn a livelihood and achieve self-sufficiency.



‘This year, we are committed to continuing our work with honesty and dedication to serve the marginalized segments of society,’ said Senator Rubina Khalid during her New Year message.



The chairperson BISP extended her heartfelt New Year greetings to all citizens on behalf of the BISP team.



The Benazir Income Support Programme remains a cornerstone of Pakistan’s social protection efforts, ensuring financial stability and skill development opportunities for the country’s most vulnerable communities.



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Benevolent fund board disbursed to applicants


Faisalabad: The district benevolent fund board disbursed an amount of Rs 83.5 million on 3,091 applications, including education scholarships, marriage and death grants.



According to official sources, a sum of Rs 29.5 million was transferred on 1,924 applications of education scholarships, Rs 35.3 million on 661 applications of marriage grant, and Rs 17.6 million on 506 applications of death grants.



The board meeting also approved 89 new cases of monthly aid.



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Cold, partly cloudy weather forecast for Lahore

Lahore: Cold and partly cloudy conditions prevailed in the city on Wednesday, with the Meteorological Department forecasting similar weather for the next 24 hours.

The MET officials reported that a weather system was expected to enter western regions of the country later tonight, potentially affecting upper areas until January 6. Rain and snow are predicted for northern and western Balochistan, Upper Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Gilgit-Baltistan, Kashmir, and adjacent hilly areas. Moderate to heavy rain or snow may occur in Upper Khyber Pakhtunkhwa during the evening or night.

In addition, moderate to dense fog is likely to persist in most plains of Punjab and Upper Sindh. Other parts of the country are expected to experience cold and partly cloudy weather.

The lowest temperature on Wednesday was recorded in Skardu and Gupis at -9°C, while Lahore's minimum temperature was 6.6°C, with a maximum of 14°C.

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Meeting finalizes action plan for Huqooq-e-Pakistan Project-II

Peshawar: A meeting held here with Chief Minister Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Ali Amin Khan Gandapur in the chair on Wednesday discussed and finalized an action plan for the effective implementation of the Huqooq-e-Pakistan Project-II, and achieving its desired objectives.

Besides, Federal Secretary for Human Rights Allah Dino Khawaja and Advocate General Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Shah Faisal Utman Khel, the representatives of the relevant federal and provincial departments and the UNDP, attended the meeting.

The meeting decided to have a coordinated mechanism between the relevant federal and provincial departments for the implementation of the project.

A briefing was provided about the project's key features, objectives, proposed activities, areas of coordination challenges, and other related matters.

It was informed that this 3.5- year long project is being launched with the cooperation of the European Union and the UNDP, aimed at strengthening relevant institutions and improving the human rights situation in the province.

It was apprised that under the project, human rights institutions will be established to enhance the delivery of services in the province, and all data related to human rights will be digitized and added that the digitization/Integration of data will also help streamline the people-centered complaint management system.

Furthermore, the project will introduce human rights-related programs in the higher education sector of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, and the provincial government will identify two universities for this purpose.

Additionally, various measures have been proposed under the program for implementing the Human Rights National Action Plan in the province.

The Chief Minister assured the provincial government's full cooperation for the proper implementation of the project and directed all relevant departments to ensure their support in this regard. He stated that the government aims to centralize the database of marginalized and underprivileged segments of society, and has already instructed the concerned authorities in this regard.

He expressed hope that this project would contribute to the ongoing efforts of the provincial government. The Chief Minister emphasized the importance of a comprehensive and integrated database of deserving and underprivileged groups, stating that the establishment of a centralized database and centers would enable the provision of uniform and quality facilities to all.

He added that the provincial government is working to provide necessary equipment and facilities to individuals with disabilities across the province, and the establishment of the database will accelerate progress in this regard.

He directed the appointment of focal persons for effective coordination with relevant institutions for project implementation. He also instructed the formation of a steering committee at the provincial level to ensure the project runs on sustainable bases.

He emphasized including officials from the Finance and P and D departments in the steering committee, as these departments have the capacity to sustain the project permanently.

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PU VC inaugurates Urban Bee Hive Mount

Lahore: Punjab University Vice Chancellor Prof Dr Muhammad Ali inaugurated the Urban Bee Hive Mount (UBHM) in Honey Bee Research Garden in collaboration with Lahore Biennale Foundation here on Wednesday. On this occasion, Senior Journalist Suhail Warraich Director Institute of Zoology Prof Dr Nabila Roohi, Director Institute of Botany Prof Dr Muhammad Shakeel, In-charge HBRG Prof Dr Abdul Majid Khan, faculty members and students were present. The Urban Bee Hive Mount is specially designed for Urban Bee keeping promotion keeping in view the changing climatic conditions of Lahore and other cities of Pakistan. In his address, PU VC Dr Muhammad Ali gave the idea of apitherapy and its uses in the human health specially the treatment of arthritis. He further said that HBRG would start a diploma and certified courses soon regarding apiculture. He expressed his interest in commercialization of apiculture and generates entrepreneurship opportunities in this sector. Meanwhile, PU Department of Examinations has declared the results of Doctor of Pharmacy (Pharm-D) Final Prof. Annual 2024. Details are available at www.pu.edu.pk.