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LAHORE: The Services and General Administration Department of the Punjab government has proposed a residential project worth over Rs 4.23 billion to construct luxury apartments for government officers.

The project has been included in the development budget for the current fiscal year 2026-27 and is proposed to be built on 60 kanals and one marla of government land on Burki Road in Lahore Cantt. Under the plan, 24 two-bedroom apartments will be constructed for government officers in a building comprising a basement, ground floor, and six stories. The cost of the apartment building alone is estimated at over Rs 2.05 billion.

According to project documents, the facility will feature a VIP gym, library, indoor games, seminar room, VIP executive lounge, and a café. Additionally, a separate convention hall covering approximately 40,246 square feet is proposed at a cost of Rs 547.2 million. The project also includes surface parking facilities for 164 cars and 47 motorcycles, while allocations of Rs 145.1 million for generators, over Rs 55.4 million for a solar system, over Rs 335.8 million for external works, more than Rs 152.1 million for furniture, and Rs 10 million for gym equipment have been proposed. The project is targeted for completion within 24 months.

Meanwhile, the Planning and Development (P&D) technical wing and the PDWP forum have raised serious concerns over the heavy cost of the project, questioning the necessity and expenditure on imported construction materials and high-end luxury amenities. Recommendations have been made to review the costs of elevators, HVAC systems, generators, solar systems, and other expensive utilities. Furthermore, constructing a basement exclusively for 26 parking spaces was deemed an ineffective and costly solution, with officials directing a review of surface parking options given the ample land available on site.

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ISLAMABAD: Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Secretary General Salman Akram Raja announced on X that he and his associates have been released after being illegally detained by police for four continuous hours.

According to details, Raja stated that he, Latesab Satti, Akhlaq Satti, and several other friends were held in unlawful detention for four hours with the sole purpose of preventing them from attending the funeral of the late Ejaz Satti. He remarked that the fear of the public has stripped decision-makers of wisdom and understanding, human rights have become meaningless, and he expressed gratitude to friends for their good wishes.

Prior to his release, PTI Chairman Barrister Gohar stated on X that lawyer Shaukat Basra had informed him that Salman Akram Raja was being held at a police station for the past two hours.

Demanding Raja’s immediate release, Barrister Gohar stated that approximately 700 workers have been arrested over the past few days. He further added that arrest warrants have also been issued against members of the national and provincial assemblies. Terming these actions illegal, he demanded that this pattern must come to an immediate end.

Also Read: 155 PTI Workers Ordered Detained in Rawalpindi, List of 118 More Prepared

ISLAMABAD: A major alleged corruption scandal has surfaced at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, with an investigation report claiming that Rs12 billion was illegally collected from citizens during the process of document attestation.

A copy of the investigation report submitted to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs has emerged. The report was prepared by a four-member committee headed by Director General Audit Inspection Dr Ahmed Ali Sarohi.

According to the report, a network involved in collecting money from citizens during the attestation of documents was identified. It stated that citizens were allegedly charged up to Rs800,000 for using illegal channels for document attestation.

The report claimed that Rs12 billion was illegally collected within a period of one year, amounting to Rs1 billion being taken from citizens every month.

According to the findings, a courier company had a special relationship with an official of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

Ministry officials said the report also contains the names and statements of officers and personnel allegedly linked to the network and accused of playing a role in collecting money from citizens.

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The investigation report stated that an official working in the Foreign Secretary’s office was also allegedly part of the network.

The names of several Directors General of different wings of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, a former additional secretary and a former diplomat have also been included in the investigation report.

It has also emerged that the report, which was sent to the Foreign Secretary’s office in July, was not forwarded to the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) or any other investigative agency.

The report further revealed that despite the investigation committee submitting its findings and recommendations, several of the officials allegedly involved were subsequently posted abroad.

ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has directed the establishment of facilitation desks comprising administration officials, volunteers and petrol pump staff to help citizens avail themselves of the government’s petrol subsidy scheme.

A review meeting on the progress of the PM Special Relief Scheme was held in Islamabad on Wednesday under the chairmanship of Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif. The scheme is aimed at providing relief to low-income and middle-class segments amid an increase in petroleum product prices in view of the situation in the Gulf.

Under the scheme, fuel subsidies are being provided to owners of motorcycles, rickshaws and vehicles with engine capacity of up to 800cc.

The prime minister directed that facilitation desks be established to make it easier for citizens to obtain the subsidy. He said personnel at the desks should guide eligible citizens seeking relief under the scheme.

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Shehbaz Sharif directed that citizens be provided with all possible assistance during registration and other required procedures. He also instructed the relevant authorities to remain active in creating public awareness about the scheme.

The prime minister was informed that following the launch of the scheme’s pilot in Islamabad, it has now been launched across the country, including Azad Jammu and Kashmir and Gilgit-Baltistan.

According to the briefing, the registration process has been simplified and requires only four pieces of information: the Computerised National Identity Card number, vehicle number plate, province of registration and vehicle registration date.

Complete details of the fuel subsidy scheme are available on the Urdu website www.pmfuelrelief.pk, while the number of successful registrations is gradually increasing. Provincial governments are cooperating fully in implementing the scheme nationwide.

ISLAMABAD — The Capital Development Authority (CDA) has officially cancelled and withdrawn the layout plan (LOP) for “Bahria Town (Phase III-E & IV)” in Zone-5, Islamabad, with immediate effect. The decisive regulatory action follows a 15-year failure by the project sponsors, M/s Bahria Town (Pvt) Ltd (BTPL), to secure a formal No Objection Certificate (NOC) and comply with mandatory planning terms.

Background and Regulatory Breaches

Originally approved on December 8, 2010, across 2,999 kanals, the housing scheme proceeded with site development and plot sales without ever obtaining the required CDA NOC—a direct violation of the CDA Ordinance 1960 and the ICT (Zoning) Regulation, 1992.

According to the CDA, numerous grave violations were identified on-site, including unauthorized commercial buildings along Corniche Road, as well as encroachments and constructions on public amenity plots, parks, graveyards, and riverbeds. Previous show-cause notices and directives issued to vacate and restore public spaces were met with replies deemed factually incorrect and unacceptable by the authority.

Audit Findings and Legal Precedent

The crackdown also incorporates findings from the Directorate General of Federal Audit (Audit Para 3.4.65/2023-24), which flagged illegal commercial construction along Corniche Road. The Departmental Accounts Committee (DAC), chaired by the Secretary of the Ministry of Interior, subsequently ordered the removal of these illegal structures.

The CDA’s decision aligns with a September 26, 2019, Islamabad High Court judgment (Writ Petition No. 2766/2019) involving Bahria Town and the CDA. The court ruled that executing development activities under unapproved revised layout plans disentitles the petitioner from receiving relief under the court’s equitable jurisdiction.

Immediate Enforcement and Consequences

Invoking Clause-5 (II) of the ICT (Zoning) Regulation, 1992, the CDA withdrew the LOP, enacted an immediate suspension of building plan approvals for the scheme, and halted the processing of all other cases involving M/s BTPL due to its default status.

Copies of the cancellation order have been dispatched to key administrative and law enforcement bodies—including the Islamabad Deputy Commissioner, SSP, Director Enforcement (East), Director Building Control (South), utility providers (IESCO and SNGPL), the Press Information Department (PID), and the Securities and Exchange Commission of Pakistan (SECP)—to execute demolition actions, halt advertising, and enforce compliance across the board.