Author: Faizan Khan

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…

By Faizan Khan LAHORE: In a move to foster religious harmony, senior administrative and police officials in Punjab held a consultative meeting with prominent scholars of the Ahle Sunnat wal Jamaat in Lahore on Monday. According to a spokesperson for the Punjab Home Department, the meeting served as a platform for detailed discussions on the regulation and upkeep of madrassas and mosques across the province. The government sought to allay a key concern, with the spokesperson stating, “The clerics were informed that the Punjab government has no intention of closing any mosque in the province.” The delegation of religious scholars, which…

By Faizan Khan LAHORE: Punjab Information Minister Azma Bukhari questioned how a ceasefire could be hoped for while, she said, opponents continued to use incendiary language. Her remarks came as a brisk rebuttal to comments from leaders of the Pakistan Peoples Party. Bukhari said Sindh was not the private fief of any landlord and criticized what she described as a double standard. “On one hand they talk about a ceasefire, and on the other they break into gunfire every hour,” she told reporters. She accused some political figures of grandstanding, saying many left their homes after quick preparations, positioned themselves…