Punjab | Pakistan

LAHORE - Punjab Chief Minister (CM) Maryam Nawaz Sharif has approved the launch of Punjab’s first-ever major project to build 358 underground water storage tanks across the province, aimed at improving rainwater drainage and recharging groundwater.

The government of Punjab has decided to establish “Anti-Drone Units” in all districts as part of efforts to enhance security and strengthen aerial surveillance across the province.

Punjab will establish “anti-drone units” in all districts of Punjab, said a statement from the provincial home department on Friday. The launch of an anti-drone unit was approved by Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz last week. Emphasising a proactive approach, she said that instead of only reacting to terrorist incidents, authorities must adopt a policy of taking preemptive measures. According to the statement, the unit will conduct aerial surveillance of the district with the help of special drone fleets. An “anti-drone system” will also be provided in each district under the leadership of their district police officer (DPOs). Surveillance drones and anti-drone systems will be provided as per the needs of each district. “The anti-drone system will disable the drones of the enemy and miscreants with the help of jammers,” the statement added. The statement, quoting the home department spokesperson, stated that the decision was taken to meet modern-day counter-terrorism requirements and maintain an atmosphere ...

LAHORE - The Lahore High Court (LHC) on Thursday reserved its verdict on a petition seeking permission to celebrate Basant festival across Punjab.

The Chief Minister of Punjab, Maryam Nawaz, has approved the ‘Rehman Card’ scheme aimed at providing financial assistance to widows and orphans across the province.

LAHORE: Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz on Monday approved the establishment of the province’s first cybercrime investigation unit and made e-tagging mandatory for all vehicles, including motorcycles. According to an official press release, during a special meeting to crack down on digital terrorism and bring cyber networks under strict surveillance, the Punjab CM said the state’s surveillance across Punjab would be significantly intensified in the coming days. She also directed the establishment of a “micro security iron shield” within seven days. Further, CM Maryam also gave the go-ahead for the establishment of a “Punjab Cybercrime Investigation Unit (CCIU)” and also approved the appointment of its head, the handout said. Further, she also approved a special protection cell for women affected by cybercrime. She also approved district-level cybercrime centres across Punjab, saying that no “safe routes” would be allowed for criminal groups in the province, it added. During the meeting, the Punjab CM said ...

Maryam Nawaz Sharif has directed authorities to step up security arrangements throughout Punjab in response to ongoing security challenges.

The Election Commission of Pakistan has dissolved three election tribunals in Punjab that were hearing cases related to the 2024 general elections, officials confirmed on Sunday.

UNMARKED boxes can be used to violate rules on safe charity.—Dawn • Experts warn unregulated funds being channelled through anonymous collection boxes undermine NAP objectives • Official says ‘owners’ will be identified once seminaries registered with home department LAHORE: Despite the Punjab home department’s crackdown on illicit charities and the listing of 89 banned organisations, so-called “nameless donation boxes” continue to proliferate on street corners and electric poles, with their anonymous collectors leaving donors wondering who is really behind the appeals. These “nameless donation boxes”, physically secured with heavy chains and locks, can be spotted at road intersections, markets, shopping malls and banks across Punjab. Experts say billions of rupees in unregulated funds are being siphoned off under the guise of piety. They warn that this system has bypassed the core objectives of the National Action Plan, which was intended to dismantle the financial networks that fuel instability. When contac...

Security was placed on high alert across Punjab and Karachi on Friday following Pakistan’s launch of “Ghazab Lil Haq”, an operation initiated in response to what officials described as unprovoked firing by Afghan Taliban forces at multiple points along the border in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP).

LAHORE - Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz Sharif on Thursday said a five-year constitutional term was too short to accomplish the scale of public service required in Punjab, as she formally launched the country’s first E-Taxi Scheme and unveiled a broader roadmap for green and inclusive transport across the province.

In view of the prevailing national security situation, Maryam Nawaz Sharif, Chief Minister of Punjab, has directed authorities to further strengthen security arrangements across the province.

Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz on Thursday launched an e-taxi scheme in the province, saying that the initiative was part of the government’s efforts to establish an “e-mobility ecosystem”. At a ceremony held for the scheme’s inauguration, the Punjab chief minister announced that around 1,100 e-taxies will be provided under the scheme at a subsidised rate, with a 30 per cent quota reserved for women. “Punjab has become the first province to launch an e-taxi scheme, the first of its kind, not only for the environment, but it will also open up employment opportunities,” the chief minister said while addressing the ceremony. “I am happy that over 30 pc of the scheme’s beneficiaries are women,” the chief minister added. CM Maryam maintained that the initiative was a part of the government’s efforts to establish an “e-mobility ecosystem”. “We have green buses as well — an example for the rest of the country,” she said, outlining plans to expand the service to “all 148 tehsils of Punjab”. Turning her attention ...

DERA ISMAIL KHAN: The main inter-provincial highway linking Khyber Pakhtunkhwa with Punjab was reopened to traffic on Wednesday after remaining closed for several hours following a suicide attack at the Dajil checkpost in Bhakkar. The road had been sealed after a suicide attack at the inter-provincial checkpost on Tuesday evening, leaving two police officials martyred. Following the attack, authorities suspended traffic as a precautionary measure and launched a search operation. Officials said the Dera Darya Khan bridge was reopened for all kinds of traffic on Wednesday after consultations between the district administrations of Dera Ismail Khan and Bhakkar. Traffic was restored once security clearance was completed and necessary checks were carried out. It is worth mentioning that the Dajil checkpost is at the border of Dera Ismail Khan and Bhakkar. Traders against repeated closures The continued closure of the inter-provincial route caused significant inconvenience to travellers and transporters. Vehicles r...

LAHORE: The Punjab government on Wednesday imposed an “immediate and complete” ban on flying drones outdoors across the province for the next 30 days, citing risk to public safety. In a notification issued by the Punjab home department, available with Dawn, a complete ban on the outside flying of drones was announced under Section 144 (6) of the Code of Criminal Procedure, 1898, which is to remain in force “for a period of 30 days from the date of issuance or until withdrawn earlier”. However, the notification said that the ban did not apply to “use of small drones for coverage of indoor activities, such as in halls or marquees”. It further added that the ban was also not applicable to “drones used by intelligence and law enforcement agencies”. The home department noted that “credible reports and prevailing circumstances indicate that the increasing and unregulated use of drones (unmanned aerial vehicles) within the territorial limits of Punjab poses potential risks to public safety, security of public and pr...

Maryam Nawaz has decided to introduce province-wide infrastructure and design standardisation to ensure uniform development, improved urban discipline, and a cohesive visual identity across Punjab.

Punjab has become the first province in the country to establish the Provincial Intelligence Fusion and Threat Assessment Centre (PIFTAC) to strengthen intelligence coordination and internal security.

ISLAMABAD: The PTI on Monday expressed concern over deaths resulting from operations conducted by Punjab’s Crime Control Department (CCD), calling for a judicial inquiry. The remarks come after a fact-finding report by the Human Rights Commission of Pakistan (HRCP) called for an urgent high-level judicial inquiry into deaths during CCD operations. It should be mentioned that the CCD had rejected the HRCP’s report, terming claims of staged encounters and extrajudicial actions as unfounded and contrary to the department’s operational framework. In a statement issued on Monday, PTI Central Information Secretary Sheikh Waqas Akram questioned how so many deaths were possible in alleged encounters. “During the last eight months, as many as 670 encounters and 924 deaths have been reported. What is happening in Punjab? Is it an official state policy?” Akram asked. He asked why the government was silent on the report issued by the HRCP and why its findings were not being taken seriously. “Will the law be enforced thro...

LAHORE - More than 300 ‘Nigehban Dastarkhwans’ were established across Punjab on the directives of Punjab Chief Minister (CM) Maryam Nawaz Sharif, with the support of philanthropists and organisations.

Principals of private medical colleges across Punjab have approached authorities to push the deadline for filling remaining MBBS seats to February 28, citing a number of vacancies still unfilled after the earlier February 13 closing date.