LAHORE: A Punjab police woman officer has made the country proud on the global stage. The International Association of Women Police (IAWP) has selected SSP Riffat Bukhari for the ‘Excellence in Performance Award’. SSP Riffat Bukhari is currently serving in the Punjab Safe Cities Authority (PSCA). President of IAWP Deborah Friedl congratulated lady officer Riffat and commended her efforts in a special letter, saying “your selection was recognition of your services on a global level”. It is pertinent to note that every year this award is given to a woman police officer to acknowledge her outstanding services to society. SSP

ISLAMABAD: Taking strict action on the complaints of farmers, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has directed the federal government to immediately purchase wheat from farmers. PM Shehbaz Sharif has also increased the target of wheat procurement from 1.4 million metric tons to 1.8 million metric tons, the statement released by PM Office said today. The premier has also issued instructions to Pakistan agricultural storage and services corporation to increase the target of wheat procurement and ensure transparency for farmers in the procurement process. Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif’s decision is expected to benefit thousands of farmers across the country and provide them

ISLAMABAD: A meeting chaired by Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi on law and order situation today decided in principle to establish a special protection force for the security of foreign nationals in the federal capital territory. On the occasion, the Interior Minister directed to ensure foolproof security of foreign nationals. The Interior Minister said special attention should be given to the security of all important offices and places including the red zone in Islamabad. Mohsin Naqvi said Islamabad Safe City project will have to be equipped with modern requirements like Lahore Safe City. He said they are improving the condition of

LAHORE: Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz met Ambassador of the Netherlands in Pakistan Mrs Henny de Vries in Lahore. According to a statement on Saturday, during the meeting, discussions centred on mutual interests, enhancing bilateral relations, and fostering trade ties between Holland and Punjab. Mrs Henny de Vries extended congratulations to CM Maryam Nawaz Sharif on her historic election as the first woman chief minister of Punjab. In her remarks, the chief minister urged Dutch companies and investors to seize the abundant business opportunities available in the province. CM Maryam Nawaz emphasised the potential benefits of adopting the Netherlands’ advanced

SRINAGAR: The High Court of Indian illegally occupied Jammu and Kashmir has quashed fourth detention order in a row under the Public Safety Act (PSA) against former spokesperson of the banned Jamaat-e-Islami (JeI), Advocate Zahid Ali, directing the authorities to compensate him for the illegal incarceration. According to a Kashmir Media Service report on Saturday, in his habeas corpus petition before the court, Advocate Zahid Ali of Nehama, Pulwama had challenged the detention order the district Magistrate Pulwama had passed against him. Justice Rahul Bharti in his judgment said, “This court cannot resist but to hold that the preventive detention

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) Central Information Secretary Faisal Karim Kundi said on Saturday his party was having no issue in line with the talks with the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) and military leadership. Addressing the press conference, Kundi asserted: “The PTI has five franchises. Each one of them has its own narrative. Those people who have been brought back to the country by the PTI are indulged in terrorism” “The PTI wants to kowtow to those who are rendering services, while the party [PTI] wants to attack the retired people.” Kundi said: “Talks will be possible if the PTI admits

LAHORE: The Lahore High Court (LHC) today fixed for hearing PTI President Parvez Elahi’s bail petition in illegal recruitments case on May 2. Justice Shehram Sarwar Chaudhry of the Lahore High Court will hear the bail plea of former Punjab chief minister Parvez Elahi on May 2. Petitioner Elahi adopted the stance that anti-corruption court had rejected the post-arrest bail ignoring facts and figures in the case. He prayed to the court that his bail should be approved in the Punjab Assembly recruitment case. It should be noted that on March 27 last month, an anti-corruption court had rejected the

ISLAMABAD: Power Division on Saturday refuted reports regarding the imposition of a fixed tax on solar power, terming them as baseless and misleading. In a statement, the Power Division clarified that no such summary has been sent to the government regarding the imposition of a fixed tax on solar power. The Power Division stated that the subsidy of Rs 1.90 per unit is borne by the government, which is affecting around 2.5 to 3 crore poor consumers and is putting an undue burden on them. If this continues, the poor consumers will have to bear an additional burden of at