Lahore Division

Lahore : ReNews Pakistan
The Parks and Horticulture Authority (PHA) has prepared a comprehensive plan to restore and renovate 808 parks across Lahore as part of a wider initiative to improve public recreational spaces, strengthen urban greenery and enhance the city’s overall appearance.
PHA Managing Director Ahmed Usman Javaid said the authority intends to involve students and members of civil society in the restoration process to encourage community participation and make public parks more attractive, functional and accessible for citizens.
He said the rehabilitation programme will focus not only on the physical condition of parks but also on improving the management and maintenance of trees and plantation across the city.
According to the PHA chief, trees will be geo tagged to improve monitoring and record keeping, while additional measures will be introduced to ensure better care and maintenance of Lahore’s green assets.
The authority also plans to improve plantation in so called grey areas of the city, where greenery is currently limited. The initiative is aimed at increasing green cover and improving the visual character of areas that have comparatively fewer trees and landscaped spaces.
Ahmed Usman Javaid said major projects including the Linx of Lahore and the Green Corridor would also contribute to the city’s beautification drive and help improve the overall performance of the authority.
The proposed restoration of 808 parks represents a large scale intervention in Lahore’s network of public green spaces. Parks serve as important recreational facilities for residents and also contribute to urban landscaping, environmental improvement and community activity.
The PHA is expected to focus on renovation, plantation, landscaping and improved maintenance as part of the programme, while community participation is intended to create a stronger sense of ownership among citizens.
The managing director also said special arrangements would be made for Independence Day celebrations, with Lahore to be decorated in green and white to mark August 14.
The authority said the combination of park restoration, improved plantation, tree monitoring and major green infrastructure projects is intended to make Lahore greener, more attractive and better equipped with quality public spaces for residents.

Lahore : Riaz Hussain ReNews Pakistan
The Lahore Development Authority (LDA) has launched a major crackdown on illegal commercial buildings, unauthorized constructions and commercial fee defaulters, sealing 99 properties and demolishing several illegal structures across the city.
Acting on the directives of LDA Director General Tahir Farooq, teams from the Town Planning Wing carried out operations in the LDA controlled area, including Gulshan Mustafa Society, Punjab Government Employees Cooperative Housing Scheme, Naz Town, Pine Avenue, Punjab University Town, Gulberg, Faisal Town, Canal Road, Samanabad, Poonch Road and Allama Iqbal Town.
During the operation, LDA teams demolished illegal foundations of an under construction building in Gulshan Mustafa Society. In Punjab Government Employees Cooperative Housing Scheme II, an illegally constructed floor was demolished and the relevant properties were sealed.
Several unauthorized shops were demolished in Naz Town, while action was also taken against illegal structures near Kahna Flyover and Defence Road. An unauthorized service station on Main Pine Avenue Road was demolished, while boundary walls of an illegal marquee site in Punjab University Town Phase II were also pulled down.
According to the LDA, 29 properties in Gulberg and Faisal Town were sealed over unauthorized commercial use, while another 42 properties on Canal Road, Samanabad and Poonch Road were sealed for non payment of commercial fees and illegal business activities.
During a separate recovery operation, another 28 properties were sealed in Allama Iqbal Town, taking the total number of properties sealed during the operations to 99.
The sealed premises included private schools, colleges, academies, halls, salons, cafes, restaurants, food outlets, grocery stores, clinics, hardware and electrical stores, pharmacies, shops, car showrooms, offices and other commercial establishments.
The operation was conducted under the supervision of Chief Town Planner I Asad uz Zaman and Chief Town Planner II Azhar Ali.
LDA Director General Tahir Farooq said indiscriminate action against illegal commercial buildings, unauthorized constructions and commercial fee defaulters would continue.

Lahore : Riaz Hussain ReNews Pakistan
PIAF, the Anjuman e Tajiran DHA Board and the Awami Business Group Defence have reaffirmed their commitment to continue joint efforts and mutual cooperation for protecting the rights of the business community, resolving traders’ issues and promoting commercial activity, while pledging to further strengthen ties among the three platforms in the future.
Shahan Ahmed Sheikh, President of the Traders’ Association DHA Board, Chairman of the Awami Business Group and Convener of the LCCI Committee on DHA Realtors and Traders, said in a message to the business community that relations among PIAF, the Traders’ Association DHA Board and the Awami Business Group Defence have long been based on sincerity, mutual respect, service and unity.
He said the cooperation would continue in the same spirit and would be further strengthened in the coming years.
The statement noted that traders and industrialists are currently facing a range of economic and administrative challenges, making unity and effective coordination among business organisations increasingly important.
It said a strong collective voice could help ensure that traders’ concerns are communicated more effectively to the relevant authorities, while also enabling organised efforts for the introduction of business friendly policies.
Business leaders said PIAF has established itself as an important platform for representing Lahore’s business community, particularly within the Lahore Chamber of Commerce and Industry, and has continued to play a role in protecting traders’ rights, highlighting their concerns and supporting business development.
The statement stressed the need to make such platforms more active and effective in order to provide strong and credible representation to the business community by bringing together the voices of different markets, trade bodies and business groups.
In this regard, the leaders called for further expansion of cooperation among PIAF, the Traders’ Association DHA Board and the Awami Business Group Defence.
The services of PIAF’s senior leadership were also acknowledged, with special appreciation expressed for Mian Anjum Nisar, Muhammad Ali Mian, Faheem Sehgal and other senior leaders for their contributions, guidance and support for the business community.
The statement said senior business leaders had played an important role over the years in addressing traders’ concerns, raising their issues at relevant forums and promoting trust and unity within the business community.
It added that during challenging economic conditions, the need for effective representation and a strong collective platform for businesses becomes even more significant.
The business leaders reaffirmed their commitment to further strengthen the PIAF platform and continue joint efforts to highlight the concerns of traders and industrialists, safeguard their rights and improve the overall business environment.
They also urged the business community to rise above personal and group differences, unite around shared interests and support initiatives aimed at promoting trade, investment and commercial activity.