Air Punjab to lease 4 planes
Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz Sharif has directed the authorities concerned to launch Pakistan's first provincial airline, 'Air Punjab, and approved in principle a plan to initiate the Lahore-Rawalpindi bullet train project.
Chairing a meeting for a detailed briefing on the plans, she directed the authorities to immediately lease four Airbus planes for Air Punjab.
She said the airline would initially start flights within the country. After the completion of a year, Air Punjab will also be able to start foreign flights.
She directed the relevant authorities to immediately make arrangements to lease latest aircraft for the airline. She also directed them to make arrangements to make Air Punjab the best airline in the country.
Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz was also informed, "The journey time from Lahore to Rawalpindi through bullet train will be reduced to about two and a half hours."
She reviewed various options for running the bullet train in collaboration with Pakistan Railways, and assigned Senior Minister Marriyum Aurangzeb the task in this regard.
Directing the authorities to take steps for launching Pakistan's first bullet train, the chief minister said, "The option of public-private partnership for the bullet train project is also being considered."
She also sought plans for launching high-speed trains on six more routes in Punjab. The routes are Lahore-Shahdara-Narowal, Lahore-Raiwind-Kasur-Pakpattan-Lodhran, Sheikhupurat-Jaranwala-Shorkot, Shorkot-Jhang-Sargodha, Lala Musa-Sargodha via Malikwal and Faisalabad-Chak Jhumra-Shaheenabad.
The chief minister also reviewed the Lahore Yellow Line and Gugranwala Mass Transit Line projects.
She set the deadline of May 30 to complete the feasibility study for the Thokar Niaz Baig to Harbanspora Yellow Line, and June 15 for the Gujranwala Mass Transit project.
Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz was also briefed in detail about an e-taxi project.
Meanwhile, Member of Provincial Assembly Malik Noshir Khan Langrial met the chief minister and thanked her for the launch of the Multan-Vehari road project. "The completion of Multan-Vehari road will benefit millions of people living in four adjoining districts," he said.
The CM said the promise of providing free medicines to patients will be fulfilled at all cost.
Tourism capital
"Lahore, a city of history, heritage and love, has been declared 'Tourism Capital 2027' at the sixth ECO Tourism Ministerial Meeting in Erzurum, Turkiye," said Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz in a message of gratitude on a social networking website.
She added, "With its magnificent historical heritage, colourful culture and immense potential, Lahore is ready to welcome the world."
The chief minister said, "As ECO Tourism Capital 2027, Lahore is going to be an attractive centre of tourism on the global stage. We deeply thank ECO countries for choosing Lahore as ECO Tourism Capital 2027."
She vowed to bring the beauty of Pakistan, Punjab and Lahore to the world with the trust, support and cooperation of the Economic Cooperation Organisation (ECO).
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Business Recorder
3 hours ago
- Business Recorder
AirAsia close to buying at least 100 Airbus jets in shift to A220, sources say
PARIS: AirAsia is in advanced discussions to place an order for at least 100 Airbus jets at next week's Paris Airshow, a deal likely to mark the introduction to its fleet of the planemaker's smallest jet, the A220, industry sources said. AirAsia X announces brand new route from Karachi to Kuala Lumpur, providing affordable connectivity to Malaysia's capital AirAsia and Airbus declined to comment.
Business Recorder
7 hours ago
- Business Recorder
Maryam, US diplomats discuss enhanced cooperation
LAHORE: Chief Minister Punjab Maryam Nawaz Sharif met US Chargé d'Affaires Natalie A Baker and Consul General Kristin K Hawkins and discussed matters pertaining to further strengthening the long-standing Pak-US relations and enhancing cooperation in areas of mutual interest. The CM appreciated Natalie Baker's dynamic and positive role as Chargé d'Affaires in Pakistan. She also appreciated the constructive and positive role of the United States in the recent Pakistan-India strained relations. The chief minister expressed solidarity with the people of California on being a sister state. She described her meeting with the US Congressional Pakistan Caucus as positive and constructive. She highlighted the active and positive role of the United States and deemed it highly important for attaining sustainable peace in the South Asian region. Pakistan-US relations are a valuable partnership based on shared values and strategic interests. She highlighted, 'Pakistan is emerging as a strategic partner for the United States in various sectors including textile. Punjab is the largest and most economically vibrant province in the country and welcomes US investment and cooperation in multiple sectors. The Pakistani-American community played the role of a strong bridge in further strengthening cordial relations between the two countries.' The CM outlined, 'We deem the United States as an important global ally on confronting formidable challenges such as climate change, food security and sustainable development. The Punjab government is keen to further expand its strategic partnership with the United States.' She apprised that Punjab province holds the honour of establishing the first Women's Virtual Police Station. Copyright Business Recorder, 2025
Business Recorder
9 hours ago
- Business Recorder
Agri resources: PKRC urges govt to abandon corporate farming
LAHORE: The Pakistan Kissan Rabita Committee (PKRC) termed the '2025 Economic Survey' a wake-up call and called upon the government to abandon corporate farming and military control over agricultural resources and redistribute public agricultural lands among landless farmers, especially women and youth in plots of up to 12.5 acres. PKRC General Secretary Farooq Tariq, while commenting on Economic Survey of Pakistan 2024-25, said according to the survey, the agriculture sector recorded a meagre growth rate of just 0.56–0.6 percent in the past year - the lowest in the last nine years. Without the moderate growth in livestock (4.72%), fisheries (1.42%), and forestry (3.3%), the dismal performance of major crops would have dragged the overall sector into even deeper decline. The most staggering drop occurred in major crops, whose collective production fell by 13.49 percent. Cotton suffered a massive 30.7 percent decline with its cultivated area shrinking by 15.7 percent. Cotton ginning was also declined by 19 percent, compounding the crisis. Wheat production declined by 8.9 percent, primarily because the government, despite earlier promises, refused to purchase wheat from farmers at PKR 3,900 per 40 kg, leaving growers in despair. Other critical crops like sugarcane, rice, and maize also registered declines ranging from one percent to 15 percent. In December 2024, Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz claimed that wheat had been cultivated on 16.5 million acres—achieving 82 percent of the province's target. However, ground realities have proven otherwise. All major farmer organizations had already criticized the government's failure to procure wheat at the promised support price and warned that growers were abandoning wheat cultivation. Instead of acknowledging its policy failures, the government blames climate change: erratic monsoons, delayed sowing, and extreme heat. But the reality is that the government's neoliberal agricultural policies have failed miserably. By exposing farmers to the whims of the free market and refusing to implement meaningful protections, these policies have caused a steep drop in production, Farooq Tariq added. He said for the first time, the survey admits that cultivated area has decreased - especially for cotton and wheat. This has had a direct impact on national food security. Agriculture contributes 23–24% to Pakistan's GDP and provides employment to 37 percent of the workforce. A crisis in this sector affects the entire economy. Suggesting ways to strengthen the agricultural sector, PKRC General Secretary also proposed a ban on new canals, particularly those impacting the Indus River system, legal implementation of Minimum Support Prices (MSP), starting with wheat at PKR 4,000 per 40kg and a ban on private wheat imports and strengthening PASSCO for public procurement. He also called for accountability for the wheat crisis, including arrest and investigation of hoarders and speculators, regulation of agricultural markets to prevent price volatility, rejecting IMF and WTO policies that undermine farmers; rebuilding public procurement systems and ensuring real access to interest-free loans for small farmers, while excluding agri-businesses and banks from subsidies. Copyright Business Recorder, 2025
