Latest news with #Punjab-centric
Indian Express
3 days ago
- Politics
- Indian Express
Punjab DGP cites Pak Army Chief's Florida comments to caution rank and file to remain alert
In his meetings with Police officers across Punjab for the past two days, Director General of Police Gaurav Yadav has referred to the anti-India statements made by Pakistan's Army Chief Field Marshal Asim Munir in Florida, USA, and asked the Punjab Police officials to be alive to the inimical designs of the Pakistan Army on India and Punjab. In the past 48 hours the DGP has been hotfooting across Jalandhar, Amritsar, Ferozepur, Bathinda, Patiala and Ludhiana holding meetings with with all 8 ranges, 28 CPs/SSPs, and SP/DSPs on security issues and getting feedback. Munir had made several provocative statements about India during a black-tie dinner in Tampa, Florida, on August 10. According to reports, he issued a nuclear threat, stating, 'We are a nuclear nation, if we think we are going down, we'll take half the world down with us,'. He also addressed the Indus Waters Treaty, warning that Pakistan would destroy any dam India builds on the Indus River with 'ten missiles,'. The DGP referred to the security situation on J&K and how in recent past Pakistan has attempted to create unrest in Punjab through sporadic violence carried out by terrorist groups and gangsters who are actively supported by its intelligence agency Inter Services Intelligence (ISI). 'The DGP cautioned that there were continuous efforts being made by Pakistan to destabilise the security situation through gangs and separatist groups and that Munir's comments show where his focus lies and what plans he may have to inflict damage on India through over and covert means. The DGP pointed out that the ring leaders of all Punjab-centric violent groups were located in Pakistan and these groups had their vital nodes in that country too therefore it was necessary for Punjab Police to remain alert ,' the officer said. The field officials were briefed by the DGP that it has been observed in the recent past that the Pakistan Intelligence Operatives (PIOs) have become very desperate in Punjab and have been pressing their local contacts for some immediate 'action'. 'The district level officials were informed that the Pak intelligence agents have been very, very active and their desperation to carry out some destabilising event is recognised by the fact that they have started directly calling up their Indian contacts, especially in the border areas, ans asking them to 'do something',' a senior official said. The DGP also touched upon inter-district coordination and modern policing and emphasised seamless coordination between districts, enhanced use of technology like CCTV and advanced surveillance systems. He also encouraged open discussions with SHOs to gather ground-level feedback, strengthening community welfare and operational efficiency. The meetings also underscored the focus to dismantling drug networks and acting decisively against organised crime and gangsters.
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Express Tribune
26-07-2025
- Politics
- Express Tribune
Imran's release unlikely, sons won't come to Pakistan: K-P Governor
Listen to article Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa (K-P) Governor Faisal Karim Kundi has said that the release of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) founder Imran Khan from prison appears unlikely, adding that his sons are also not expected to return to Pakistan. Addressing senior journalists in Peshawar on Saturday, Kundi dismissed speculation about the involvement of Khan's sons, Sulaiman and Kasim, in PTI's upcoming protest campaign. 'It is highly unlikely they will come back,' he said, reiterating that prospects of Imran Khan's release remain slim. Earlier this month, Khan's sister Aleema Khan claimed that both sons would join the party's anti-government protest movement, expected to begin in August. She had also stated that the former prime minister would lead the campaign 'from inside the jail'. Reports suggest that Khan's sons have held meetings with key figures in the United States ahead of their possible visit to Pakistan. However, Governor Kundi appeared dismissive of these developments, describing them as political optics rather than reality. On the broader political and administrative front, the governor stressed the need for a tribal jirga to address unresolved issues in the former Federally Administered Tribal Areas (FATA). He proposed that the jirga include tribal elders, ex-parliamentarians, and political stakeholders from the region. 'The merger of FATA with K-P cannot be undone without a constitutional amendment,' he said, urging the federal government to release the development funds that were promised at the time of the merger. Turning to the security situation in the province, Kundi painted a grim picture. 'The law and order situation is dire. Extortion is being collected openly — even in broad daylight — from traders, local leaders, and ordinary citizens,' he said. 'In Dera Ismail Khan, people avoid stepping out of their homes after Asr prayers due to fear.' He also criticised what he termed the federal government's Punjab-centric approach to national initiatives. 'Schemes like the laptop programme, youth development projects, and Daanish Schools have excluded the youth of K-P,' he said. Commenting on the state of sports infrastructure, Kundi described the renovation of Peshawar's Arbab Niaz Stadium as substandard and said the lack of quality sports facilities was one reason why Pakistan Super League (PSL) matches have not been held in the province. On PTI's internal politics, the governor claimed the party was facing deep factionalism in K-P. 'They cannot even bring out 20 vehicles for their planned protest on August 5,' he concluded.
Express Tribune
29-03-2025
- Business
- Express Tribune
Sindh objects to motorway construction in Punjab
Listen to article Sindh has raised objections to the federal government's decision to fund a new Rs436 billion Punjab-centric motorway by again ignoring the Sukkur-Hyderabad motorway despite declaring it as a top priority. The federal government's decision to fund the Lahore-Sahiwal-Bahawalnagar motorway is also in violation of the National Fiscal Pact, signed by the federal and four provincial governments as part of the $7 billion International Monetary Fund (IMF) programme. The pact requires the devolution of expenditures in sectors such as higher education, health, social protection and regional public infrastructure to provinces. Sindh Minister for Planning and Development Saeed Ghani raised the objection during a meeting of the Executive Committee of the National Economic Council (Ecnec) held in the current week. Ecnec approved the Lahore-Sahiwal-Bahawalnagar Motorway at a 65% higher cost of Rs436 billion. Talking to The Express Tribune, Ghani said that he raised objection to the construction of the new motorway with federal funding as the decision was not justified because work on the 306km Hyderabad-Sukkur motorway could not start because of the lack of funding. Compared to the 295km Lahore-Bahawalnagar motorway costing Rs436 billion, the cost of 306km Sukkur-Hyderabad motorway is estimated at nearly Rs400 billion. National Highway Authority (NHA) Chairman Sheheryar Sultan this week told the Senate Standing Committee on Planning that the government was in discussions with various creditors for financing the Sukkur-Hyderabad motorway, known as M-6. Saeed Ghani said that when he objected to the funding of Lahore motorway, he was told that the federal government was still trying to find funding sources. However, an Ecnec summary stated that the source of funding was "100% through federal PSDP", he added. Pakistan is facing a serious resource crunch and there is also a bar by the IMF on funding provincial-nature schemes. Provinces get a 57.5% share in taxes collected by the federal government. Contrary to the Lahore motorway, the Sukkur-Hyderabad motorway is part of the main South-North road network and is the only missing link. Federal Minister for Planning Ahsan Iqbal said that Ecnec allowed NHA only to start work on package-I (a) from the Lahore Ring Road to the Raiwind Kasur Road Interchange, measuring 18.5 km, through the Public Sector Development Programme (PSDP) funds where it had acquired land. For remaining portions, the NHA would carry out a feasibility study and approach Punjab for 50:50 share and then submit a new PC-1 for approval, he added. However, Ecnec's statement included the Rs436 billion project among 13 schemes having total cost of nearly Rs1.3 trillion, which it approved on Tuesday. The Lahore motorway project comprises construction of two sections. First section consists of a six-lane motorway with a length of 220 km, starting from the Lahore Ring Road and passing through Hujra Shah Muqeem, Depalpur, Okara, Sahiwal, Chichawatni, Harappa and terminates on the National Highway, N-5, near Kassowal. The second section, having four lanes with a 75km length, is an offshoot of the first section near Depalpur and passes near Pakpattan, Arifwala, further crosses Sutlej river and terminates at Michanabad. The revised PC-I was recommended by the Central Development Working Party (CDWP) in June 2024 with conditions that package-I of phase-I of the project, starting from the Lahore Ring Road to the Raiwind Kasur Road Interchange measuring 18.5 km, and the Raiwind Kasur Road Interchange to the Bhimke-Chunian Road measuring 33 km (package-II) would only be executed by the NHA under the Economic Development Cooperation Fund (EDCF) of the Korean Exim Bank. The Korean bank provided a loan of $269 million, or Rs75 billion. CDWP had decided that land acquisition would be carried out by the NHA to the extent of package-1 of 51.5 km prior to the start of procurement/execution of package-I. The planning ministry document revealed that work on phase-I (a) of package-I (the Lahore Ring Road-Raiwind Kasur Road Interchange of 18.5 km out of the total length of 295 km, had already been taken up for construction, which is now at advanced stages of procurement. The Frontier Works Organisation (FWO) is the lowest bidder for the package-I, according to these documents. The cost of the package-I (a) from Lahore to Raiwind Road is Rs17.4 billion, including Rs3.7 billion earth work cost. Ecnec was requested that as 90% land acquisition process had been completed for package-I (a), the NHA may be allowed to start work on package-I (a) through PSDP funds as per the originally approved PC-I and package-I (b) on full availability of funds within the stipulated time period.
