Lahore | Pakistan

A first-semester pharmacy student sustained injuries after she jumped from the second floor at the University of Lahore on Monday, police said. Lahore Deputy Inspector General (DIG) Operations Faisal Kamran told Dawn that the student was originally from Narowal, adding that her parents had been asked to come to Lahore. “She jumped from the second floor of the pharmacy department,” the DIG said, adding that for now, the incident appeared to be “a suicide attempt”. However, he continued, police had yet to ascertain the reason behind the incident. The official further stated that the student’s legs had been fractured, and she had been hospitalised. “Her condition is serious, but there is no severe head injury,” DIG Kamran added. The director of emergency at Lahore General Hospital, Dr Yahya Sultan, also told Dawn that the girl was brought to the facility in a “serious condition” and she had sustained a minor head injury. “There are profound chest injuries on the right side,” he said. DIG Kamran said that accordi...

LAHORE: In a major policy shift, the Punjab government on Wednesday announced that it has no plans to celebrate the Basant festival across the province and that it will instead be celebrated only in Lahore. Basant is returning to Lahore after 18 years, following the passage of the Punjab Regulation of Kite Flying Bill, 2025 by the provincial assembly on December 24. So far, only the Lahore deputy commissioner has notified the three-day festival starting on February 6, 2026, while deputy commissioners in other districts were expected to follow suit. However, the 46th Cabinet Committee on Law and Order — chaired by Khawaja Salman Rafique — met at the Punjab Home Department today and noted that Basant would be celebrated only in Lahore and on a limited scale. Though there was no need for all divisional commissioners and deputy commissioners to be present at the meeting, sources in the Home Department told Dawn that they were specially invited to attend via video link, particularly for the “Basant agenda”. Punjab...

LAHORE - Lahore’s district administration on Monday formally issued the notification of Basant 2026, restoring the biggest festival in the provincial metropolis almost after two decades.

LAHORE: The Lahore deputy commissioner (DC) gave the formal go-ahead on Monday for celebrating Basant in the district from February 6-8, explaining the terms and conditions, as well as restrictions for the festival and consequences of their violations. Basant is returning to Lahore after 18 years, the way for which was paved by the passing of the Punjab Regulation of Kite Flying Bill, 2025 by the provincial assembly on December 24. The legislation authorised deputy commissioners to grant conditional permission for kite-flying — which otherwise remains banned in Punjab — on specified days and at designated locations. Subsequently, a notification issued by the Lahore DC today said: “In exercise of powers conferred under section 6(1) of the Punjab Regulation of Kite Flying Ordinance, 2025 and in pursuance of approval of the Government, it is hereby notified that kite-flying is allowed within the territorial limits of District Lahore on the occasion of Basant 2026,” subject to conditions. The notification, a copy...

Most areas of Punjab were engulfed by air pollution on Sunday, with Lahore reporting unhealthy air quality levels, according to the latest data.

• Sohail Afridi’s entourage arrived in city around 4:30pm; PTI workers complain of harassment, arrests en route • Engagements at Punjab Assembly marred by altercations, confrontations with journalists • Govt provides ‘foolproof security’; Azma ‘welcomes’ chief minister to Punjab LAHORE: Although Khy­ber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Sohail Afridi managed to reach Liberty Roundabout on Friday night, he was unable to deliver a planned speech at the venue as a heavy contingent of police had blocked all roads leading to area by setting up pickets. Videos posted by PTI on social media showed a large number of party supporters, including Imran Khan’s sisters, Aleema Khan and Noreen Khan Niazi, present near Liberty Chowk. The chief minister, who was due to launch the PTI’s street movement from Lahore, had earlier spent the day greeting and addressing PTI supporters, who met him at different points en route to Lahore. His convoy eventually entered Lahore around 4:30pm, from where he made a bee-line for the Punjab Assemb...

LAHORE: Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Sohail Afridi, who arrived in Lahore earlier today with PTI leaders and workers, led a rally at Liberty Chowk in the provincial capital. Afridi arrived in Lahore to spearhead PTI‘s plans to launch a street movement and to meet the party’s local leadership. As of 11:43pm, PTI workers and supporters were participating in the rally, with the KP CM joining them in sloganeering. The PTI posted a video showing CM Afridi amid a crowd of supporters raising his fist and chanting slogans. At 10:18pm, the PTI’s Lahore chapter posted a video on X showing CM Afridi leaning out of a car and sloganeering, while supporters showered his vehicle with flowers. KP Minister for Higher Education and Local Government Meena Khan Afridi could also be seen chanting slogans. Another video posted at 10:37 showed the KP CM mingling with crowds of supporters chanting slogans. PTI founder Imran Khan’s sisters, Aleema Khan and Noreen Khan Niazi are also present at Liberty Chowk. PTI Secretary Genera...

LAHORE - Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Sohail Afridi, who arrived in Lahore along with PTI leaders and workers, led a protest rally at Liberty Chowk in the provincial capital late Friday.

The Punjab government has declared that public buses and rickshaws will be free for commuters in Lahore on February 6, 7, and 8 in connection with Basant festivities.

LAHORE: An anti-terrorism court (ATC) on Saturday sentenced PTI leaders Dr Yasmin Rashid, Ejaz Chaudry, Omar Sarfraz Cheema and Mian Mehmoodur Rasheed to 10 years in prison terms in two more May 9 cases. The latest court verdict comes a day after a Lahore ATC acquitted PTI leader Shah Mahmood Qureshi, while sentencing four other leaders, including Dr. Yasmin Rashid, Omer Sarfraz Cheema, Mian Mehmoodur Rashid, and Ejaz Chaudhry, to 10 years in prison in another case related to the May 9 riots. Rana Mudassar, the counsel for the PTI leaders, confirmed the development to Dawn, saying the cases are related to the burning of police vehicles in Lahore’s Gulberg and the burning of a container near Kalma Chowk during the nationwide riots on May 9, 2023 following the arrest of PTI founder Imran Khan. On that day, supporters and workers of the party, reacting to founder Imran Khan’s arrest, vandalised and torched military installations and government properties. The state subsequently launched a crackdown against Imran...

Former Punjab chief minister Mian Manzoor Ahmed Wattoo passed away in Lahore on Tuesday, his secretary Muhammad Asif confirmed to Dawn. He was 86 years old. Asif said the veteran politician died after a prolonged illness and is survived by three sons and four daughters. His grandson, columnist Hassan Kamal Wattoo, also posted about the former CM’s demise on social media platform X. “With profound sorrow, we announce the passing of my beloved grandfather, Mian Manzoor Ahmad Wattoo,” he said, adding that funeral prayers would be held at the Wasawewala stadium in Okara at 2pm tomorrow. President Asif Ali Zardari expressed deep grief over his demise, a post on the Presidency’s X account said. It added that the president paid tribute to Wattoo’s “invaluable public service, role in strengthening democracy, and contributions to national unity”. State-run APP reported that Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif also condoled his death, saying in a statement that “services of late Manzoor Wattoo for the country’s politics will...

A Lahore district and sessions court on Monday granted interim pre-arrest bail to YouTuber Rajab Butt and TikToker Nadeem Mubarak in a case related to the alleged promotion of gambling apps. The National Cyber Crime Investigation Agency (NCCIA) has registered cases against several YouTubers on charges of promoting and encouraging a gambling application, including Butt and Mubarak. Both social media influencers appeared in front of Additional District and Sessions Judge Mansoor Ahmed Qureshi on Monday. Their lawyers contended that the two wanted to join the investigation against them to prove their innocence. The judge granted pre-arrest bail to Butt and Mubarak, restraining the NCCIA from arresting them till January 6. The judge also directed both suspects to join the investigation before the next date of hearing. The development comes days after the Islamabad High Court (IHC) granted 10-day protective bail to the social media influencers in response to a petition filed by Butt and Mubarak’s relatives, who ha...

LAHORE: Punjab’s air quality has plunged to alarming levels this week, with Lahore emerging as one of the most polluted cities in the world, according to real-time data from IQAir. The situation looks bad even in the coming days with no rain prediction that may bring some respite. On Saturday, the city recorded an Air Quality Index (AQI) of 527 at 8pm, classified as hazardous, following Delhi (710). Lahore’s three-day average AQI hovered above 300. Some hotspots in the city such as Allama Iqbal Town (802), Bedian Road (674) and CERP Office (672) performed worst. The air pollution crisis in the country extends beyond Lahore. Cities across Punjab reported AQI readings well above safe thresholds between December 11 and 13, prompting widespread health warnings. Khurrianwala registered an AQI of 558, Faisalabad 547, Kahna Nau 350, Gujranwala 284, Gujrat 254, Islamabad 246, and both Bahawalpur and Sialkot at 244. Health experts warned that such high concentrations of PM2.5 particulate matter that penetrates deep in...

A three-day Basant festival would kick off in Lahore from February 6, 2026, following the Punjab government’s decision to lift a ban on the historic event of celebration, colours, and kite-flying after 18 years, with strict regulations. The festival was banned in 2007 because of an increasing number of deaths and serious injuries caused by sharp strings, particularly to motorcyclists and pillion riders, as well as by celebratory gunfire. “The Basant festival will be held in Lahore from Feb 6 to 8, 2026,” Punjab Information Minister Azma Bokhari told Dawn on Wednesday. The festival would be “completely safe, regulated, and strictly monitored,” she added. In a post on X, Punjab Senior Minister Marriyum Aurangzeb said, “CM Punjab Maryam Nawaz has approved the revival of our beloved Heritage Basant Festival on February 6th, 7th and 8th, celebrated across Lahore after 25 years, a tradition rooted in history and admired worldwide.“ On CM Punjab’s directions, a city-wide campaign to install safety antennas on all mo...

Lahore once again topped the global ranking of the world’s most polluted cities on Tuesday, as toxic smog and dense fog continued to blanket large parts of Punjab, severely reducing visibility and endangering public health.

The Punjab Counter Terrorism Department (CTD) on Monday said it had arrested 12 suspected terrorists allegedly working for the Indian intelligence agency Research Analysis Wing (RAW) in intelligence-based operations conducted in Lahore, Faisalabad, and Bahawalpur. According to a statement issued by the CTD spokesperson, the arrests were made in collaboration with sensitive agencies. He said security personnel recovered photos, videos, weapons, and explosives from the suspects, preventing large-scale terrorism activities in the aforementioned cities. He said the recovered material reportedly also included images and video recordings of sensitive locations, including a religious seminary. He said the terrorists were planning to incite “fear and religious hatred” in the province and had plans to target “places of worship and other important sites”. The CTD spokesperson said suspects identified as Sukhdeep Singh, Azmat, Faizan, Nabil, Abrar, Usman, and Sarfaraz were arrested in Lahore. Another suspect, Danish, wa...

Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi visited the Lahore airport on Tuesday, where he again asserted that passengers with “complete documents” were not being barred from travelling, state-run PTV News reported. “No passenger with complete travel documents is being stopped from travelling, and they will not be stopped,” he said, adding that, however, passengers in possession of “incomplete or bogus documents will definitely not be allowed to travel”. Naqvi’s assurance and warning follow recent reports of arbitrary offloading at airports of passengers travelling abroad. The reports prompted clarifications by the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) that only passengers without complete and correct documents were being stopped from travelling. The interior minister has also issued similar statements, saying that only those lacking genuine and complete documents were not being allowed to travel abroad. During his visit to the Lahore airport today, he reiterated the same. “No passenger who brings disrepute to the country c...

Control rooms have been set up at the Election Commission headquarters in Islamabad and Lahore to monitor the by-elections in six National Assembly and seven Punjab Assembly constituencies on Sunday.

The PTI slammed the PML-N government on Thursday for allegedly employing rigging tactics in support of its candidate in Lahore’s NA-129 by-election. The by-election is scheduled for Sunday. The party claimed that campaigning began with state personnel tearing down the PTI candidate’s banners and posters, managing polling stations and then appointing subordinates of the PML-N candidate, who has served as chairman of the Lahore Electric Supply Company (Lesco) Board of Directors (BoD). The PTI leaders allege that this amounts to an orchestrated attempt to tilt the electoral playing field in favour of the ruling party’s candidate, Muhammad Nauman. The NA-129 seat, vacated after the death of Mian Muhammad Azhar, is being contested by his nephew, Chaudhry Arslan, who was nominated by Azhar’s son and former PTI Punjab acting president Hammad Azhar. The junior Azhar is absconding as he is wanted by the state in different cases. The PTI is contesting the by-election only in Lahore, where the seat was vacated, while bo...

The Punjab Environment Protection Agency, in collaboration with the Punjab Safe City Authority, has launched a major crackdown across Lahore targeting vehicles operating without mandatory Green Stickers.