Daily Times

Punjab Governor/Chancellor Sardar Saleem Haider Khan presided over a meeting regarding the establishment of a medical college in Attock district at the Governor’s House here on Saturday.

In the meeting, former Punjab caretaker Health Minister Javed Akram gave a detailed briefing about the project. Deputy Commissioner Attock Rana Atif Raza participated in the meeting through video link.

Chairman Punjab Higher Education Commission, Dr. Shahid Munir, was also present in the meeting. He informed the Punjab Governor/Chancellor about the exhibition of research projects of Punjab universities to be held in the next few months.

Speaking on the occasion, Governor Sardar Saleem Haider said that the establishment of a medical college would provide medical education and public health facilities to the poor people of the remote areas of Punjab province. He said that satellite centers would be established in backward tehsil Fateh Jhang and other areas of Attock district. He added that the establishment of these satellite centers would promote community medicine practice of international standards. He also directed to form a working committee to expedite the project of establishing a medical college. As regards the exhibition of research projects, he said that the representatives of the industry should also be invited in the exhibition of the research projects to develop academia-industry linkage. Special Secretary Academics Abdul Rahman Shah, Deputy Secretary Dr. Asad and Deputy Secretary Zil e Huma from the Governor’s Secretariat were also present in the meeting .

Flour prices: The prices of flour have been further reduced on the instructions of Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz.

Punjab Food Minister Bilal Yasin has announced that a notification has been issued regarding the reduction in the prices of 10 and 20-kilogram flour bags across the province.

Bilal Yasin stated that in Lahore, the price of a 20-kilogram flour bag has been reduced by 70 rupees. Consequently, the new price for a 20-kilogram flour bag in Lahore will be 1730 rupees.

He mentioned that in Sheikhupura, the price of a 20-kilogram flour bag has been reduced by 100 rupees, making it 1640 rupees. In Jhelum, Chakwal, Pakpattan, and Narowal, the price has been reduced by 80 rupees, while in Multan, Sahiwal, Sargodha, and Attock, it has been reduced by 60 rupees.

Bilal Yasin also noted that in Rawalpindi, Hafizabad, Sialkot, Nankana, and Okara, the price of a 20-kilogram flour bag has been reduced by 50 rupees. In Toba Tek Singh, Jhang, Chiniot, Khushab, Bhakkar, Lodhran, Rajanpur, Muzaffargarh, Layyah, and Rahim Yar Khan, the price has been reduced by 40 rupees. In Faisalabad, Gujranwala, Gujarat, Wazirabad, and Mandi Bahauddin, the price of flour has been reduced by 30 rupees. In Bahawalpur, Bahawalnagar, Dera Ghazi Khan, Khanewal, Vehari, and Mianwali, the price of a 20-kilogram flour bag has been reduced by 20 rupees.

Anti-Dengue Drive: An anti-dengue drive, initiated by the district administration, is in full swing under which surveillance is being carried out at various points in the provincial capital. In this regard, Assistant Commissioner Shalimar Anam Fatima visited Union Council UC-52 Wahga zone on Saturday, where she inspected anti-dengue arrangements and instructed the house owners about dengue preventive measures. She checked houses, empty plots and commercial markets of the area and assessed the close monitoring of dengue larvae elimination. She checked the attendance and performance of anti-dengue squad deputed on field duty in the area.

Similarly, Assistant Commissioner City Rai Baber visited UC-10 Forest Colony to inspect anti-dengue arrangements at under-construction commercial buildings. He also assessed dengue surveillance and door marking in the area and issued warnings to various property owners over larvae presence. He directed the dengue teams deputed in the area to gear up pace of anti-dengue spray process.

Assistant Commissioner Raiwind Zenab Tahir inspected anti-dengue measures at UC-121, and reviewed the dengue team?s performance and directed them to upload factual data on dengue dashboard.

All other assistant commissioners also conducted inspection visits in their jurisdictions and monitored the anti-dengue arrangements besides monitoring the fumigation process.

In the past 24 hours, dengue larvae were found at 2,042 locations, with 1,935 notices issued and 107 cases registered. This year, 42,477 notices have been issued and 2,638 cases registered, covering 23,368 hotspots. DC Lahore emphasised the full deployment of resources to tackle dengue larvae amidst the rains and changing weather. She appealed to the citizens to keep their surroundings clean and fresh to avoid dengue fever. People are requested not to let rainwater stand anywhere.

Overpricing: The price control magistrates conducted inspections at 1,885 locations, leading to the arrest of eight individuals for overpricing fruits, vegetables, and other essential items.

Lahore Deputy Commissioner (DC) Rafia Haider told the media on Saturday that 16 cases had been registered for violations of the government set prices. Furthermore, fines totaling Rs 400,000 were imposed for 77 instances of non-compliance.

Meanwhile, to inspect field operations to ensure complete drainage of rainwater in Lahore, Assistant Commissioner City Rai Babar evaluated the WASA camp at Qurtaba Chowk with WASA officials and assessed water drainage at Bhatti Chowk, where 55mm rain was recorded. WASA’s equipment is operational, with de-watering machinery in place.

OSD:The Punjab government has issued a notification to make three senior officers OSD.

They include MD Cholistan Development Authority Naeem Iqbal Syed, DG PHA, Faisalabad, Mian Abdul Qadeer Shah and ADCR Rahim Yar Khan, Ahmed Raza Butt.