Punjab Province

Lahore, Baku | ReNews Pakistan
Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz Sharif inaugurated the Punjab Pavilion during the World Urban Forum held in Baku, the capital of Azerbaijan, where the Punjab government’s affordable urban housing project, ‘Apni Chhat, Apna Ghar’, received significant international recognition.
Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz Sharif made a detailed visit to the Punjab Pavilion set up at the Urban Expo and inspected various stalls. On the occasion, DG PHATA Zeeshan Sikandar briefed the Chief Minister on the ‘Apni Chhat, Apna Ghar’ programme and shared details regarding the project’s progress, dashboard, construction phases and beneficiaries.
Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz Sharif expressed pleasure over seeing the ‘Apni Chhat, Apna Ghar’ programme secure a prominent position in World Innovation. She also took a live virtual tour of the programme through AI gadgets, watched a construction documentary story and reviewed the project dashboard.
At the Punjab Pavilion, Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz Sharif briefed foreign participants, global delegations and media representatives on the success of Punjab’s affordable urban housing project. She said the ‘Apni Chhat, Apna Ghar’ programme was very close to her heart, as it was providing loans to the people of Punjab without discrimination to help them build their own homes.
According to the Chief Minister, 600 to 700 houses are being constructed daily under the project, while more than 100,000 homes have been completed in just one year. She said the programme is a practical step towards providing dignified housing to low income and middle class citizens.
A documentary film on the ‘Apni Chhat, Apna Ghar’ programme was also screened at the Punjab Pavilion, highlighting the happiness and satisfaction of citizens who benefited from the project. Foreign guests and international media appreciated the documentary and paid tribute to Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz Sharif for her public welfare initiatives.
International media, global delegations and representatives from various countries participated actively in the opening ceremony. Participants praised Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz Sharif’s vision, the Punjab government’s housing initiatives and the rapid progress of the project.
At the World Urban Forum, the Punjab Pavilion remained a major centre of attention for delegates from around the world, while international media described the record pace of the ‘Apni Chhat, Apna Ghar’ programme as a role model for developing countries.

Rawalpindi: [ReNews Pakistan]
Deputy Commissioner Rawalpindi Dr Hassan Waqar Cheema has directed all concerned departments to ensure comprehensive arrangements at cattle markets being established across the district for Eid ul Azha, with a special focus on public convenience, animal health, cleanliness, security and traffic flow.
He issued these directions while chairing an important meeting on Tuesday to review preparations for Eid cattle markets. The meeting was attended by all assistant commissioners, officers of relevant departments and representatives of administrative institutions.
During the meeting, officials reviewed arrangements for essential facilities at cattle markets, including parking areas, lighting, clean drinking water, waste management, medical assistance and smooth movement of traffic. The deputy commissioner directed the departments concerned to complete all necessary preparations in advance so that citizens do not face inconvenience while purchasing sacrificial animals.
The meeting also decided that special counters of the Livestock Department would be established at cattle markets to provide facilities related to animal health, vaccination, disease diagnosis and immediate medical assistance. Veterinary teams will remain present at the markets to examine animals and provide timely treatment where required.
Officials were further instructed to ensure regular spray and disinfection at cattle markets to prevent the spread of diseases among animals and maintain a clean and healthy environment. The administration will also set up information desks to guide citizens and provide them with necessary assistance.
Dr Hassan Waqar Cheema said that effective cleanliness, security and medical arrangements must be ensured at all cattle markets. He added that, in line with the directions of the Punjab government, all possible facilities would be provided to the public during Eid-ul-Azha.
The deputy commissioner said the district administration would continuously monitor the arrangements at cattle markets to ensure smooth operations and resolve public complaints without delay.

Vehari: [Tariq Aziz Ansari District Coordinator ReNews Pakistan]
An important meeting regarding building fitness certificates for public and private schools was held in Vehari under the chairmanship of Deputy Commissioner Khalid Javed Goraya. The meeting reviewed the safety standards of educational institution buildings and the implementation of government SOPs.
Addressing the meeting, Deputy Commissioner Khalid Javed Goraya directed all public and private schools to ensure the acquisition of building fitness certificates.
He said the survey of school buildings should be completed at the earliest, adding that legal action would be taken against those operating schools without valid fitness certificates.
The Deputy Commissioner said public and private educational institutions must strictly comply with government SOPs. He made it clear that children should not be taught in unsafe or dilapidated buildings, while such structures should be sealed immediately to prevent any untoward incident.
Khalid Javed Goraya said the protection of students and teachers is the top priority of the district administration. He added that all necessary measures would be completed on a priority basis to maintain parents’ confidence and ensure a safe future for children through a secure educational environment.
Additional Deputy Commissioner General Ghulam Murtaza, CEO Education Nasir Aziz, DEO Elementary Female Andleeb Asghar, DEO Elementary Mehr Muhammad Javed, District President Private Schools Association Mian Jahanzeb and other school owners attended the meeting.