Punjab Province

Lahore | ReNews Pakistan
Punjab’s Environment Protection Department has installed 15 modern water quality monitoring stations across the province to track pollution in rivers, canals, drains and other surface water sources. The initiative will strengthen the department’s capacity to identify contamination and monitor changes in water quality.
The stations are equipped with instruments that measure water quality and flow, while an integrated system stores the readings and transmits them to a central control room every hour. The network is intended to help authorities detect changes in pollution levels and identify potential sources of contamination.
The project prioritises Punjab’s major river systems, including the Ravi, Chenab, Jhelum and Sutlej. Monitoring these waterways is expected to provide authorities with a steady flow of information to support environmental oversight and pollution control.
However, the installation of equipment does not mean that all readings have been approved for publication. Environmental monitoring officer Noor Ahmad said the imported instruments were being calibrated for local conditions, while the data they generated was undergoing verification. The readings would appear on the central dashboard following clearance by an independent third party.
Ahmad said monitoring locations included the Ravi siphon, a site downstream of Hudiara Drain and headworks. These installations form part of broader efforts to improve the monitoring of surface water pollution across the province.
According to official documents cited in the report, the project was initially approved at an estimated cost of Rs 600 million. Its cost was revised to approximately Rs 2.97 billion in November 2024.
Launched under the World Bank-supported Punjab Green Development Program, the project originally aimed to activate all 15 stations by May 2025. However, implementation faced delays, with equipment calibration and data verification remaining essential steps before readings can be displayed on the dashboard.
WWF-Pakistan’s water affairs director, Sohail Ahmad Naqvi, welcomed the initiative and urged the government to make water quality information publicly accessible, similar to air quality data.
He said public access would strengthen transparency and support pollution control efforts, while enabling wider scrutiny of water conditions.
The project marks an important expansion of Punjab’s environmental monitoring infrastructure. Its practical effectiveness will depend on reliable data, completion of the verification process and meaningful action against water pollution based on the findings.

Lahore | ReNews Pakistan
Punjab has made registration as an Arazi Muawin, or land assistant, mandatory for deed writers, introducing new requirements for the preparation of property related documents across the province.
According to reports citing officials, only registered Arazi Muawin operators will be authorised to prepare deeds from today, October 12, 2026. Individuals who have not completed their registration will no longer be permitted to continue providing deed-writing services under the new system.
Existing deed writers have been offered online registration to join the system. To continue operating, they must complete the registration process and fulfil the applicable requirements. Officials say various monthly subscription packages have also been introduced for Arazi Muawin operators.
According to official information from the Punjab Land Records Authority (PLRA), the Arazi Muawin initiative is a service delivery model that allows private individuals and organisations to provide land record services in partnership with the authority. Eligible applicants can operate authorised service centres after obtaining PLRA approval. The initiative aims to improve accessibility, convenience and transparency for citizens seeking land record services.
Under the official procedure, applicants must complete an online application, obtain the relevant subscription, undergo biometric verification and submit the required documents. PLRA reviews applications before granting approval. Applicants must also hold a valid Computerised National Identity Card (CNIC), have a mobile number registered against their CNIC and an active email address, and possess adequate knowledge of land record services.
Modern biometric equipment has been made mandatory for newly registered deed writers. Officials say the requirement is intended to modernise document preparation and identity verification while improving transparency.
PLRA’s published requirements for Arazi Muawin centres include a computer, biometric device, webcam, printer, scanner, backup power supply, internet connection and seating for visitors. Joining the system therefore requires both registration and the necessary technical infrastructure.
The Arazi Muawin model already covers services such as the issuance of Fard documents, or land ownership records, and the processing of mutations, or changes in ownership recorded in land records. The authority’s official information also identifies e-registration and e-stamp services for inclusion in the system.

Lahore : Riaz Hussain ReNews Pakistan
The Awami Business Group, a prominent business group representing the real estate dealers' community in DHA Lahore, held its first formal meeting regarding the upcoming elections of the DHA Estate Agents Association. The gathering took place at a club in DHA Phase I, where nearly 50 registered real estate dealers announced their decision to join the group.
Awami Business Group Chairman Shahan Sheikh, President Farooq Sheikh, General Secretary Asad Mirza, senior leader Aqeel Abbas Malik, Shoaib Khokhar and other prominent members welcomed the newly inducted dealers and presented them with floral garlands.
Addressing the gathering, Chairman Shahan Sheikh invited other groups within the real estate community to join forces with the Awami Business Group ahead of the elections.
He announced that the group's existing governing body would be dissolved following the Annual General Meeting (AGM), after which future decisions would be made through consultation and majority consensus.
Sheikh said the group would formulate its election strategy collectively, including deciding whether to support another group in the upcoming elections or contest independently with full preparations.
Speaking on the occasion, General Secretary Asad Mirza declared, "The party has just begun, and we will continue to deliver surprises every week."
He described the Awami Business Group as an ideology-driven organisation committed to the welfare, prosperity and collective interests of the real estate community.
Mirza maintained that traditional electoral considerations, including personal friendships, family affiliations, community loyalties and financial influence, would not determine the outcome of the upcoming elections.
"This time, neither traditional practices nor friendships, community affiliations or money will influence the elections," he said.
Welcoming the newly inducted realtors, Mirza expressed confidence that the group's growing strength and expanding support would play a significant role in the forthcoming electoral contest.
Senior leader Aqeel Abbas Malik said nearly 50 registered voters had formally joined the Awami Business Group during the meeting, describing the development as an encouraging sign of growing confidence in the organisation.
He announced that the group would continue to make significant announcements on a weekly basis as election-related activities gained momentum.
"We have received the support of nearly 50 registered voters today, and, God willing, we will continue to deliver surprises every week," Malik said.
The meeting concluded with a dinner hosted for participants and newly inducted members.
Several attendees expressed confidence in the Awami Business Group's standing within the DHA real estate community, saying its reputation, organisational strength and growing support could enable it to play a decisive role in the upcoming DHA Estate Agents Association elections.
Clarify the election meeting timeline
Reduce repeated election announcements
Use a more neutral election tone