Punjab Province

Lahore | ReNews Pakistan
The Punjab Safe Cities Authority has decided to expand its panic button project to further strengthen security arrangements for Chinese nationals living and working across the province.
Under the initiative, a modern emergency alert system will be installed at Chinese residential compounds, accommodation facilities and project sites, enabling occupants to immediately notify the relevant authorities in the event of a security threat or other emergency.
Officials said pressing the panic button would instantly transmit an emergency alert to the concerned law enforcement agencies, helping improve inter agency coordination and reduce response times during critical incidents.
As part of the expansion, the Special Protection Unit, which is responsible for providing security to Chinese nationals, will also be equipped with panic button technology to enhance its operational capacity and emergency response capabilities.
In the first phase, QR code enabled panic buttons will be installed at more than 200 Chinese linked residential and project locations across Lahore.
Authorities said the technology would enable security agencies to respond more quickly and effectively to emergencies while further strengthening protection measures for Chinese citizens and strategically important project sites.
The Punjab Safe Cities Authority said work was also underway to further upgrade the emergency alert system as part of broader efforts to improve security arrangements for Chinese nationals residing in the province.

Rawalpindi | ReNews Pakistan
The Punjab government has directed the Communication and Works (C&W) Department to complete the Rawalpindi/Murree/Kohala (RMK) Road project by August, accelerating efforts to improve connectivity between Rawalpindi, Murree and Kohala while easing growing traffic congestion on the Murree Expressway.
The directive was issued by Punjab Minister for Communication and Works Malik Sohaib Ahmed Bharth during an inspection of the under construction project, which forms a key component of Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz’s Murree Development Plan. The minister, accompanied by senior officials of the C&W Department, reviewed construction quality and progress along more than 31 kilometres of the road corridor.
Officials briefed the minister that the project has reached approximately 60% physical completion, with work on the remaining sections continuing at an accelerated pace to meet the government's completion target. Bharth instructed the department to ensure that the August deadline is achieved without compromising engineering quality, construction standards or public safety.
Once completed, the RMK Road is expected to provide an alternative and more efficient route to Murree and Kohala, significantly improving regional connectivity. The project is also intended to reduce travel time, enhance road safety, facilitate economic activity and strengthen tourism infrastructure by offering better access to one of Punjab’s busiest hill destinations.
The upgraded road is expected to ease pressure on the Murree Expressway, which experiences heavy traffic, particularly during weekends, holidays and peak tourist seasons. Improved road infrastructure is also anticipated to benefit local communities by enhancing access to markets, services and economic opportunities.
Meanwhile, construction-related closures along portions of the RMK Road have diverted a substantial volume of traffic onto the Murree Expressway at a time when tourist arrivals continue to increase. In response, the City Traffic Police Murree has introduced a special traffic management plan to minimise congestion and maintain smooth traffic flow.
Under the plan, additional traffic personnel have been deployed at key intersections, major roads and popular tourist destinations across Murree. Authorities have also advised motorists to use alternative routes wherever possible, follow official traffic advisories and cooperate with traffic wardens to reduce delays during the ongoing construction period.
The Punjab government has reiterated that timely completion of the project remains a priority, describing the RMK Road as an important infrastructure initiative that will improve mobility, strengthen regional integration and support the long-term development of the Murree tourism corridor.

Lahore | ReNews Pakistan
The Lahore High Court, in a significant ruling concerning evacuee trust properties, has declared that trust or evacuee land cannot be reallotted to any individual, institution or organisation. The court further ruled that such land may only be used for public welfare and official purposes.
Mr. Justice Chaudhry Muhammad Iqbal dismissed a petition seeking the transfer of evacuee trust land during the preliminary hearing and issued a nine page written judgment.
The court observed that the laws governing evacuee properties were repealed in 1975 and, as a result, no legal authority now exists to make fresh allotments or grant alternative land to any person.
According to the judgment, all evacuee property has become the property of the government. Once such land came under state ownership, neither the Chief Settlement Commissioner nor any board retained the authority to make decisions regarding its allotment.
The court further clarified that the government may use evacuee land only for projects serving the public interest. Any allotment of such property in favour of a private individual or institution would have no legal validity.
The judgment also stated that any allotment of evacue land made in violation of the law would be considered void from the outset. It added that failure to record an old allotment order in official records within the prescribed period deprives it of legal effect.
The petitioner had argued that his grandfather purchased three kanals of land through an open auction in Mailsi in 1960. However, due to his illiteracy and lack of knowledge of legal procedures, the transfer of the land was never entered into the official record.
The petitioner had requested the court to direct the Multan commissioner to register the transfer of the land in the government record.
The Lahore High Court, however, accepted the arguments presented by the government counsel and ruled that there was no legal basis for registering a land transfer on the strength of repealed laws and decades-old allotment orders.
The petition was therefore declared inadmissible and dismissed at the initial stage.