Punjab | Pakistan

Party pushes for Punjab seats under 'runners-up formula'

LAHORE: Adviser to the Prime Minister on Political Affairs, Rana Sanaullah, has denied allegations that the Punjab government was involved in the alleged abduction of Aleema Khan’s son, Shahrez Khan. Responding to accusations made by Aleema Khan, sister of former Prime Minister Imran Khan, Rana Sanaullah said, “Until proven, these are mere allegations, terming the […]

A collision between a bus and a rescue ambulance on Thursday killed six people, including four rescue personnel, and injured two others in Punjab’s Rahim Yar Khan district, according to officials. A statement issued by Punjab Rescue Spokesperson Farouk Ahmed said the accident occurred on the Rahim Yar Khan Road in the Kot Samaba area. “Six people, including four rescue personnel, died in the accident,” he said. According to Rescue 1122 spokesperson Adnan Shabbir, the incident took place at 3:21pm. He said the two injured people were taken to Sheikh Zayed Medical College Hospital for treatment. Rahim Yar Khan District Police Officer Irfan Ali Sammon had reached the spot to monitor the relief activities. Deputy Commissioner (DC) Khuram Javed condoled the families of the deceased rescue officials and sought a report from concerned officers. The Rescue 1122 statement added that the emergency services secretary instructed the district rescue officer to provide an immediate report of the accident. “Provincial Minis...

LAHORE - Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz Sharif met Seishiro Eto, Chairman of the Japan-Pakistan Parliamentary Friendship League, during her official visit to Japan and discussed ways to expand cooperation between Punjab and Japan.

LAHORE - On the second day of her five- day Japan visit, Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz Sharif announced a series of initiatives to modernize Punjab’s healthcare, industrial, and transport sectors through strategic cooperation with Japan.

LAHORE - Punjab Chief Minister (CM) Maryam Nawaz Sharif has said that Punjab will benefit from Japan’s expertise in curbing environmental pollution, improving waste management and developing modern cities on advanced lines, according to a handout issued by the Information Department here on Monday.

Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz on Monday ordered the adoption of modern Japanese technology and methodology in managing sewage and waste treatment in the province. Pakistan generates millions of tonnes of solid waste annually, but only a small fraction of sewage is treated. Inadequate sanitation in urban areas leads to recurring floods, waterborne illnesses and the resurgence of preventable diseases such as cholera, dengue and polio. The chief minister is currently on a five-day visit to Japan. A statement from her office said CM Maryam issued the order during a visit to Japan’s largest wastewater treatment plant in Yokohama today. “Japan’s modern technology and methods will be used for sewage and waste management in Punjab,” the statement quoted her as saying. The statement added that she inspected the waste treatment systems of Asahi, Yokohama City, Kanagawa, Washimaku and Yodogawa. According to the statement, the chief minister was given a detailed briefing on methods of collecting garbage and wastewat...

At least one passenger died while 33 were injured after four coaches of the Karachi-bound train derailed and overturned late last night in Punjab’s Lodhran, Rescue 1122 said on Sunday. According to a statement from Rescue 1122, the Awami Express train was travelling from Lahore to Karachi when the incident happened. “Four coaches of the train suddenly derailed due to brake failure near the Lodhran Railway Station”, the statement said. “The incident left one person dead while another 33 were injured, out of which 11 received medical assistance at the site of the incident, and the rest were immediately rushed to the District Hospital in Lodhran.” It further said that two critically injured persons were transferred to a hospital in Bahawalpur. Expressing grief over the loss of life, Minister for Railways Muhammad Hanif Abbasi vowed to take disciplinary action against those responsible for the incident. He ordered an inquiry into the incident and directed authorities to submit a report within seven days. “No one ...

The Pakistan Meteorological Department (PMD) has issued a fresh monsoon weather alert warning of heavy rainfall, cloudbursts, and possible river flooding in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Punjab, and Kashmir.

LAHORE: Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz Sharif has led a special session and issued a deadline of June 30, 2026, for Punjab water filtration plants to be completed within defined timeframe, with a specific focus on remote and underserved areas. Maryam Nawaz during the meeting in Lahore, went through the development on several development initiatives […]

Heavy monsoon rains and glacier melting have triggered a rise in water levels across rivers in Punjab, while flash floods in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) have claimed 307 lives over the past 48 hours, disaster management authorities reported on Saturday.

LAHORE: Police attempted to arrest Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) leader Advocate Haider Majeed, who was convicted by a military court, when he was finally released from Kot Lakhpat Jail after completing the two-year term, on Wednesday. PTI leaders Shayan Bashir and Rai Muhammad Ali Kharl, along with party workers, accorded a warm welcome to Advocate Majeed. The workers passionately chanted slogans in favour of the PTI founder Imran Khan and Majeed. Soon after Mr Majeed came out of jail, police pounced and arrested his father and brother. However, Mr Majeed managed to slip away on a motorcycle and reached Model Town courts. Reacting to the police action, Mr Bashir wondered that the Punjab police have become so confused as it did not want to let the PTI leader remain free despite completing his two-year “illegal confinement.” “We strongly condemn the illegal detention of Advocate Majeed’s father and brother,” Mr Bashir added. Published in Dawn, August 14th, 2025

LAHORE: The provincial government has revised the Punjab school reopening schedule following the earlier delays due to the bad weather in the province, ARY News reported. The major decision, announced by Punjab Education Minister Rana Sikandar Hayat for students and parents across Punjab, has been circulated after consultations with education experts and other stakeholders. According […]

LAHORE: Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz Sharif on Tuesday announced the launch of modern electric buses in several remote districts of Punjab, offering comfortable travel at an affordable fare of just Rs20. In a message on the social media platform X, the CM Maryam Nawaz Sharif said a fleet of 100 air-conditioned, Wi-Fi-enabled electric buses […]

Lahore - Lahore General Hospital (LGH) has achieved a major milestone by securing the top position in infection control among all teaching hospitals in Punjab.

LAHORE: Two more people died on Saturday, taking the death toll due to monsoon rainfall in Punjab to 166, as another spell of torrential monsoon lashed several cities in Punjab. The deaths were reported in Sialkot and Jhelum, with the former receiving 78 millimetres of rain — the highest in the province. According to the Pakistan Meteorologi-cal Department (PMD), Sialkot City received 78mm of rain, Lahore 43.4mm, Gujranwala 36.8mm, Chakwal 23mm, Attock 13.6mm, Mangla 12.2mm, Gujrat 10.6mm, Narowal 5.0mm, Rawalakot 4.0mm, Islamabad Airport 3.9mm, and Mandi Bahauddin 0.5mm. The Met Department said mainly hot and humid weather was expected in most parts of Punjab, but rain-wind/thundershower was expected at isolated places in northeastern Punjab, Potohar, Islamabad, upper Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Kashmir, and adjoining hilly areas on Sunday. According to provincial figures issued on Aug 8, 164 people have died and 82 have sustained injuries during the ongoing monsoon season that has also killed 121 head of cattle. Ab...

For the first time in over three decades, the Punjab government has completely cleared all loans taken from local banks, freeing the province from debt and ending a long era of financial dependence.

The Provincial Disaster Management Authority (PDMA) Punjab has reported low-level flooding in the Indus River at Chashma Barrage.

LAHORE: The Agriculture Department of Punjab has reported a significantly higher cotton harvest for the ongoing crop year 2025-26, claiming that 609,000 bales were harvested by July 31. This figure is more than double the 301,000 bales reported by the Pakistan Cotton Ginners Association (PCGA). Citing data from its Crop Reporting Service (CRS), a spokesperson for the department clarified on Thursday that the 609,000 bales of seed cotton were recorded up to July 31. In contrast, the PCGA’s estimate reflects only the cotton arriving at operational ginning factories in Punjab, irrespective of its origin. The spokesperson emphasised that the CRS figures are based on internationally recognised, scientifically proven methods. These include randomised sampling, ground truthing techniques, and GPS-enabled tools, all of which are in line with FAO-endorsed methodologies. The CRS also utilises a real-time digital dashboard that ensures transparency and supports evidence-based policy decisions. The department further arg...

PPP eyes PTI voters in Punjab by-elections