Author: Faizan Khan

Critiquing past governments, he warned against coercive economic management, insisting the nation’s finances demand careful stewardship, not forceful control By Faizan Khan LAHORE: Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari has emphasized the crucial role of traders and industrialists in boosting the country’s economy, urging them to continue contributing to solutions for commercial challenges. Addressing a gathering of business leaders in Lahore, Bhutto Zardari said it was a matter of national pride that countries like China were working alongside Pakistan. “We need to consider how we can leverage our partnership with China to improve our standing,” he said. He…

PPP chairman sidesteps queries on new provinces in Sindh and other regions, hinting at cautious political navigation amid growing tensions By Faizan Khan LAHORE: PPP Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari noted that there was already consensus in the National Assembly on some proposals for new provinces. He arrived in the provincial capital on a four-day visit, during which he was expected to reorganize the PPP’s district and divisional structures in Punjab, with around 63 party workers likely to be assigned new responsibilities. During an interaction with media bureau chiefs, Bilawal expressed support for the creation of a new province in Punjab.…

By Faizan Khan LAHORE: Punjab’s Counter-Terrorism Department (CTD) carried out a series of coordinated operations across Lahore, Faisalabad, and Bahawalpur, resulting in the arrest of twelve individuals suspected of maintaining links with India’s intelligence agency, RAW, officials confirmed. The crackdown came after months of surveillance and an initial detention of a local man, Adil, who reportedly managed a Facebook account operated from India. Adil’s cooperation with investigators proved pivotal, leading authorities to identify the broader network and its members. During searches of the suspects’ residences and hideouts, law enforcement recovered a range of sensitive materials, including photographs and videos of…

By Faizan Khan LAHORE: Punjab chief minister Maryam Nawaz has issued a forceful challenge to her political opponents, saying no one could prove “even a single rupee” of corruption in the provincial government’s multitrillion-rupee development projects. Speaking at the groundbreaking ceremony of the Gujranwala mass transit system, she said the program reflected the continuity of Nawaz Sharif’s development vision in the province. She told the audience that the upcoming Faisalabad metro system, along with the Gujranwala project, would further expand the network started under previous PML-N governments. Maryam said every major development scheme in Punjab carried the imprint of Nawaz…

By Faizan Khan LAHORE: Punjab’s chief minister, Maryam Nawaz Sharif, has approved what officials are calling the province’s first “revolutionary phase” of district-level public transport, unveiling plans to build more than a thousand modern bus shelters across the region. Chairing a high-level meeting in Lahore, Maryam set a firm deadline for the construction of 1,362 “modern, sustainable and aesthetically designed” bus shelters in 19 districts. The shelters, she said, would provide passengers — particularly elderly citizens, women and daily commuters — a dignified and comfortable space to wait, instead of standing in the scorching heat or harsh winter cold. Authorities…

By Faizan Khan LAHORE: The Punjab government approved a new ordinance on Wednesday aimed at tightening enforcement of traffic regulations and significantly increasing fines for violations, in what officials described as a major push to improve road safety and reduce accidents across the province. Under the ordinance, penalties for traffic offences have been sharply revised, with fines now ranging from Rs2,000 to Rs20,000 depending on the severity of the violation. Motorcyclists caught speeding face a fine of Rs2,000, while car owners are liable to pay Rs5,000. Running red lights will carry fines of Rs2,000 for motorcycles, Rs3,000 for three-wheelers, Rs5,000…

By Faizan Khan LAHORE: A police officer in Lahore has been suspended and a case registered following allegations that he assaulted a Pakistani-Australian citizen, prompting an internal inquiry into police conduct. The suspension was confirmed by the Deputy Inspector General (DIG) of Operations, who also directed the City Superintendent of Police (SP) to investigate the incident thoroughly. In addition, the Station House Officer (SHO) of the police station where the officers are posted is being held accountable for the alleged misconduct of his staff. The allegations came to light after Khawaja Zeeshan, a dual Pakistani-Australian national, lodged a formal complaint…

By Faizan Khan LAHORE: The Provincial Disaster Management Authority (PDMA) in Punjab has declared 72 tehsils across 27 districts as disaster-hit following the recent floods, marking the start of a large-scale relief and rehabilitation campaign across the province. According to an official notification jointly issued by the Board of Revenue Punjab and the PDMA, the designation applies to villages where more than half of the area has sustained damage. The declaration, made under the Punjab National Calamities Prevention and Relief Act of 1958, directs district administrations to accelerate rescue and relief operations, ensuring that emergency assistance reaches those most affected.…

By Faizan Khan LAHORE: Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz has launched a major compensation program for families affected by recent floods, pledging to restore the dignity of victims while insisting the provincial government managed the crisis independently, without seeking external aid. Speaking at a ceremony in Okara to distribute relief cheques and pre-loaded debit cards, she said the government had allocated 100 billion rupees to cover damages caused by what she described as the worst floods in the region’s history. “The restoration of flood victims begins in earnest today,” Nawaz said, adding, “I had promised that I would not rest…

By Faizn Khan LAHORE: Former prime minister Nawaz Sharif on Saturday announced the establishment of an Imperial College London campus at the Nawaz Sharif IT City in Lahore, marking a major milestone in Punjab’s ambition to position itself as a regional education and technology hub. The announcement came during a special meeting chaired by Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz Sharif to review progress on the Nawaz Sharif IT City, Central Business District (CBD), and Ravi Urban Development Authority (RUDA) projects. Officials briefed the meeting that the foundation stone of the Imperial College London campus would be laid in November this…