Blaze News - Pakistan

Another alleged incident involving the killing of stray dogs by the Metropolitan Corporation Lahore has surfaced after a new video emerged showing the carcasses of stray dogs being transported near Harbanspura Ring Road. The video purportedly shows the dead dogs being loaded onto vehicles associated with the Punjab Chief Minister's Suthra Punjab programme. It also alleges that vehicles assigned to the cleanliness initiative were used to transport the animals. In the footage, a citizen can be heard questioning an official about a court ban on killing stray dogs. The official allegedly responds that there is "no ban" and that "the government is carrying it out." The video has surfaced despite directions issued by the Lahore High Court requiring the Punjab government to implement the Punjab Animal Birth Control (TNVR) Policy 2021. During court proceedings, government officials assured the court that stray dogs would not be culled and would instead be manage...

Urbanisation, shrinking green spaces, artificial lighting and widespread misconceptions among the public are contributing to a gradual decline in bat populations in Lahore, wildlife experts and biologists have warned, stressing the need for conservation measures to protect the species and maintain urban biodiversity. The historic Bagh-e-Jinnah remains one of the largest bat roosting sites in Lahore, where hundreds of bats can still be seen hanging from old trees during the day before leaving in search of food at dusk. However, experts say their numbers have been steadily declining over the years. According to wildlife expert Shahzaib Khurshid, rapid urban expansion is the primary reason behind the decrease in bat populations. He said the construction of roads, housing schemes and commercial projects has led to the loss of mature trees and natural habitats that bats depend on for shelter. “Bats prefer old and dense trees in relatively undisturbed environments. As cities con...

A renewed campaign by the Municipal Corporation Lahore (MCL) against stray dogs has sparked controversy, with animal rights activists alleging that dogs are being killed through poisonous injections and other inhumane methods in different parts of the city, while protesters are also facing legal action and harassment. In recent days, operations against stray dogs were carried out in Sultan Colony, Township, Shadbagh, Green Town and several other localities. According to district administration and MCL officials, the actions were initiated following complaints from residents and incidents of dog attacks. The administration launched a large-scale operation after a child was killed in Sultan Colony a few days ago, claiming that multiple stray dogs had been captured during the campaign. Officials said the purpose of the operation was to ensure the safety of citizens and protect lives and property. However, animal welfare organisations and activists described the operations as illeg...

For more than a decade, Lahore has choked under a thick blanket of smog and air pollution. But successive governments seem more focused on polishing their green credentials than making a real difference. Continuing this trend, the newly formed Environment Protection Force aims to lead by example in a city where most commercial and private vehicles still run on petrol, with no proper emissions monitoring. Its solution? Patrolling the streets and conducting inspections in 25 gleaming hybrid cars—purchased at a staggering cost of Rs 250 million, funded under the World Bank Green Program. To give the government the benefit of the doubt, some might call it a step in the right direction. But that argument quickly falls apart when most commuters in the city can barely afford an electric motorbike, let alone an eco-friendly car. The new force, however, will have access to 250 electric motorbikes, along with modern inspection equipment—including tablets and instruments for gas and water analysi...

Jamaat-e-Islami (JI) chief Hafiz Naeemur Rehman has issued a stern warning to the government, vowing that his party will ensure the full implementation of the agreement reached with the authorities in Rawalpindi/Islamabad. Speaking at a rally on Mall Road, Lahore, against the recent hike in electricity prices and contracts with Independent Power Producers (IPPs), Hafiz Naeem threatened a nationwide "wheel-jam" strike if the government attempts to deviate from the agreed terms. The rally, titled "Haq Do Awam Ko," saw a large turnout, including a significant number of women. Naeem declared that the JI has become a beacon of hope for the oppressed, and the party will not allow the government to backtrack on its promises. "We will enforce every single clause of the agreement," Naeem asserted, referring to the 45-day deal struck with the government after a 14-day sit-in in Islamabad. He warned that any attempt by the government to retract from the agreement wou...

Some activists working for the protection of the environment in Pakistan have claimed that 2,170 tons of paper was used for the preparation of ballots as well as other documents used in the recent general elections in the country and 49,600 trees were chopped down for this purpose. However, experts said the country did not produce paper itself, but imported it. They added that Pakistan recycled used paper and cardboard for the polls. In the 2018 general elections, 800 tons of paper was used for printing the ballots. This time, the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) had estimated that 2,170 tons of paper was required for printing the ballots for this year’s general elections. Read more: PML-N, PPP agree to cooperate for Pakistan's stability According to environmental expert Dr Usman Ali, hardly any paper is produced in Pakistan. He explained that the country lacked the resources to set up such an industry, adding that Pakistan imported the product because cypress trees were neede...

Police in Punjab’s Jhelum district have demolished minarets at an Ahmadi worship place, declaring it illegal. The action was taken following threats issued by the local leadership of Tehreek-e-Labbaik Pakistan (TLP). According to a spokesperson for the Ahmadi community, on the night of July 14 and 15, the police in Kala Gujaran, Jhelum district, razed the minarets of the Ahmadi worship place. Local TLP leader Asim Ashfaq Rizvi had threatened the District Police Officer (DPO) of Jhelum that if the administration did not demolish the minarets by the 10th of Muharram, then they would gather people and do it themselves. As per information, on July 14, the Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP) summoned representatives of the local Ahmadi community and directed them to demolish the minarets themselves. However, the Ahmadi community maintained that the construction of the minarets was not illegal. Read more: Mob vandalises Ahmadi place of worship in Sargodha According to the spokesperson, on ...

A distressing incident has come to light as a female student from Punjab University filed a complaint against a rickshaw driver in Lahore, accusing him of harassment after she objected to his inappropriate behavior during the ride. Shockingly, despite passage of a week since her ordeal, the police have yet to register a First Information Report (FIR). According to the complaint lodged at the Muslim Town police station, the incident unfolded when the Punjab University student boarded an auto-rickshaw from the Punjab University (IBA) stop with the intention of reaching DHA. Read more: Bus hostess harassed on way to work The uncomfortable situation arose when the rickshaw driver, soon after commencing the ride, began watching an inappropriate video on his mobile phone at a high volume, disregarding the student's objections. ہم لوگ ہیلتھ ڈیپارٹمنٹ کی پورن ویڈیو پر ہنگامہ کر رہے ، لیکن پی یو کی طالبہ کیساتھ چند روز قبل ایسا ہی واقعہ ہوا، رکشہ والے نے طالبہ کو بٹھاتے ہی رکشے میں پورن ویڈ...