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: LAHORE: A vendor cycles through a busy road carrying a large collection of handcrafted gourd bird

.feeders for sale.—Wire photo

Punjab govt taking measures
for food safety, nutrition: CM

“OUR STAFF REPORTER


Monday, dune 08, 2026°

Punjab demolishes over 100,
pollution-causing units in
major anti-smog ¢ crackdown

‘OUR STAFF REPORTER :
LAHORE

Acting on the directives of Punjab

Chief Minister (CM) Maryam Nawaz’

Sharif, authorities have intensified a
province-wide anti-smog campaign,
demolishing more than 100 illegat

industrial units blamed for contribut-:

ing to alr pollution during the past 20

days. Senior Punjab Minister. Marri-

yum Aurangzeb said the government
had adopted a zero-tolerance policy
against: environmental - violations,
emphasising that pollution-causing
‘units were not merely being scaled or

shut down but were being completely”
demolished to prevent their opera-:
tions from resuming. She said a com-:
4| prehensive crackdown was underway

across Punjab at the district, tehsit
and union council levels, with offi-.
cials instructed to take action without
discrimination against all violators of
environmental laws, Providing anup~
date on the operation in Lahore, the

senior minister said monitoring, sur-.
veys and enforcement actions were;

being conducted at the union coun-
cil levet throughout the provincial

‘capital. More than 200 union councils

and housing. societies In Lahore have : i
already been surveyed as part of the :
campaign, According to her, joint sur-*
vey teams comprising officials from
the Environment Protection Depart-*
ment, union council secretaries and ‘
managers of housing ‘societies are:
carrying out inspections in residen--
tial and commercial areas to Identify ,
illegal Industrial activities and soure-*
es of pollution. She said surveys con-*
ducted so far had not confirmed the:
presence of illegal fat-metting units :
in, the areas inspected. To ensure :
transparency “and ‘accuracy, find-,
ings of ground inspection teams are *
also being verified through drone’:
surveillance. Marriyum Aurangzeb '
appealed to citizens to.cooperate <
with the government in its efforts.
to combat smog and environmental :
degradation. She urged residents to‘
report activities contributing to air”
pollution through the provincial gov-*
ernment’s helpline 1373, The senior®
minister said public “participation «
was essential to the success of the an-.
ti-smog drive and called upon citizens .
to support the chief minister's vision :
of cleaner air and a healthier enviro:
ment across Punjab,


LAHORE,
;,Punjab® Chief. Minister. (CM) Maryam
, Nawaz Sharif said on Sunday that the
/ Punjab  government was committed to
“ensuring the. availability of safe, nutri-
“tous and quality food for all citizens. In
; hér message’on World Food Safety Day,
| the CM said that every individual associ-
“ated with”  agriculture, food production
: and supply systems plays a vital role in
ensuring food safety. She said World Food
: Safety Day highlights the importance of
‘preventing food-borne diseases and haz-
- ards, as well as their timely identification
cand effective management. CM Maryam
Nawaz said that a comprehensive report
estimating the global, regional and na-
i tional impacts of food-borne illnesses,
: deaths and thefr effects on public health
‘ had also been published. She emphasised
‘that tackling food-borne diseases. and
: malnutrition was a collective responsibil-
“ity. The CM said Punjab was blessed with

fertile land,” hardworking’ farmers and_
‘vast agricultural potential, but faced ‘chal-?

food consumption patterns. She added

Aenges including climate. change, water’
Scarcity, population growth and changing”

that the provincial government was pur-~

Maryam Nawaz:
emphasises tackling
‘food-borne diseases,

malnutrition a collective |
responsibility

suing an integrated strategy to address.

these Issues. She said the Punjab govern-..
ment was undertaking comprehensive:

stitutions, the’ private ‘sector and vil
society organisations to contribute ta+
wards developing a safe, resilient and
healthy food system. CM Maryam Nawaz
said providing citizens with pure, nutri-
tious and quality food free from harmful
chemicals, adulteration and substan-

, dard ingredients was a fundamental

right. She added that, in fine with her

‘vision, the Punjab Food Authority was
: carrying out strict operations across the

province against food adulteration and

* ensuring the availability of quatity food.

- She added that strict Implementation
, of the one-dish policy at weddings and
* other events was being ensured to curb

, food wastage, Special measures had also

measures based on agricultural research”

productivity ‘and mitigate the effects of-

cand modern technology to increase crop*

climate change. She “urged research in-:

- been introduced to Improve food stan-

dards and hygiene practices among small
shopkeepers and street vendors, She sald
awareness campaigns were belng con-
ducted to encourage the public, particu-
larly children and young people, to adopt
balanced and healthy diets instead of    in
suming junk food.”            “


PPP to contest all UCs | 84,000 Pakistani | |
in Lahore local elections| ‘pilgrims return.

OUR STAFF REPORTER,
LAHORE:

‘expanding and ‘strengthening its
“organisational structure in Lahore

~.. ‘and remains committed to address-

The Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP}
‘has announced that it will field can-
; didates in-alf union councils across
; Lahore in the ‘upcoming local gov
Lernment elections, signaling an ag-
“gressive; push to’
_ Strengthen its press
ence in the provin-.’
cial capital.:‘The ae.
* nouncement .
‘made by Lahore PPP
_ President Faisal Mir
, during a press '¢ ‘conference ‘at Gulzar
: House. He also unveiled plans for a
j major public gathering at Minar-e-
! Pakistan on July 25 ta mark the birth-
“day of President, Asif Ali Zardari,
PPP  Chairman: Bilawal: Bhutto
“Zardari Is expected to address the
ally, Faisal Mir said the party is

- Announces major -
. rally on Zardari’s
birthday on July 25

ing public-issues, He criticized the
ruling party's development claims,

-arguing that. several areas of the
‘city still lack baste ¢ivie facilities.

Speaking on the occasion, Ammar
Ahmad Khan “ex:
pressed confidence
that Bilawal Bhutto
Zardari would one
* day become prime
minister, while Aye-
sha. Shaukat : said

the party was determined to fur-

ther consolidate its political base
in Punjab and Lahore. The press
conference was.attended by party
office-bearers from various towns

‘and zones, as well as representa-

tives of the business, youth, and
_women’s wings.:


Punjab Police: Help: QR Pani¢
Button System introduced for’
‘public transport

‘OUR STAFF REPORTER!
LAHORE


: Punjab Safe Cities Authority has in-
: troduced “CM Punjab QR Panic But’
“ton System" to make public safety
more -effective, Under. the system,
“QR panic buttons will be installed
‘in buses, . wagons, rickshaws, taxis

“and other public transport’ vehicles

across Punjab. According to Safe Cit«

“les officials, citizens will be able to

; Bet free QR panic buttons from home

“through the Public Safety App’ and

: Safe City website, Passengers will be

“able to access verified Information

 of the vehicle, owner and driver by


the Pi Punjab Safe Cities s Authority.  i

‘scanning the QR code'at the start of

the journey, The new system has add-
ed 12 modern features including call,

“video call, live chat, location sharing,

vehicle verification and immediate
police response, In an emergency,

"passengers will be able to contact the

Safe City Controt Room immediately
through a call, video call or live chat
‘on 15 through the QR Panic Button,

-while their live location and vehicle

data will also be received immedi-

\ately by the control room.. Officials
;said that timely action and response
;would be ensured through the mod-

ern command and control system of

home; process:
continues

OUR STAFF REPORTER :
LAHORE

The'return of Pakistani pilgrims” after ‘comple-
tion of Hajj is progressing smoothly, with more
than 34,000 pilgrims having arrived back in the
country so far. According to official data,-34,000
Pakistani Hajj pilgrims have returned home after
performing Hajj rituals, while 84,791 pilgrims are
still in Saudi Arabia, whose return process is on-
going. According to Ministry of Religious Affairs
local chapter sources, around 250 servants of the
pilgrims (Khuddam) have also returned after com-
pleting their duties. The. administration has said
that to reduce the rush at the airports, the facil-
ity of boarding of luggage (city check-in) has been
provided at the residences itself. Pilgrims have

been Instructed to keep their luggage ready as per.

their given schedule, and the boarding process of
luggage fs belng completed 24 to 48 hours before
departure to avold any inconvenience. So far, more
than 15,000 pilgrims have been taken to Riyadh-
ul-fannah during the post-Haj] operation, while
flights for the return of pilgrims will continue until
June 30,

10 ‘people arrested
for kite flying

LAHORE ‘(Staff Reporter): In Lahore, the ‘Dolphin
Squad conducted a special crackdown on one:
wheeling and kite flying on Sunday and arrested
10 people, According ta 2 Dolphin spokesperson,
6 people involved in one-wheeling were detained
from. different ‘areas including. Muslim Town,
Ichbra and Gulshan Ravi, while four people who
were flying kites despite the ban were also caught
red-handed, The spokesperson said that during
the operation, motorcycles, kites and strings were
recovered from the possession of the accused, af-
ter which the arrested accused were handed over


™ | to the relevant police stations for legal action," "”

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