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An internal report has revealed that 268 borrowers have defaulted on loans worth more than Rs2.68 billion at the Bank of Punjab (BOP), raising questions about the recovery of outstanding loans at the province’s government-owned bank. According to the report, each of the 268 borrowers has outstanding liabilities exceeding Rs1 crore. The list reportedly includes individuals, firms and companies with significant loan defaults. Sources familiar with the matter claimed that some prominent political and business figures may also be included among the borrowers. However, the identities and details of the alleged defaulters have not been independently verified. The reported figures have renewed concerns over the bank’s loan recovery mechanisms and lending practices. Large loan defaults can affect a financial institution’s liquidity and its ability to extend credit to other customers, particularly when recovery remains delayed. The Bank of Punjab is a major government-owned financial institution in Punjab and conducts both commercial and government-related banking operations. The Punjab Provincial Cooperative Bank is another state-owned financial institution, but its activities are primarily focused on the cooperative sector. Banking experts have called for stronger monitoring of large loans, improved recovery mechanisms and greater transparency in lending by state-owned banks. They say timely recovery of defaulted loans is essential to protect public resources and maintain confidence in the banking system. The report has also raised questions about the circumstances under which the loans were approved and the steps taken by the bank to recover the outstanding amounts. The Bank of Punjab management has so far not issued an official statement confirming or rejecting the figures contained in the report. Further verification of the reported list, including the identities of the borrowers and the status of recovery proceedings, would be necessary before any individual or company can be held responsible for the alleged defaults.

Lahore: The Punjab Assembly has ordered an investigation into a suspected irregularity involving the transfer of 30 kanal of land after a fee was reportedly collected for only 2 kanal. The issue was raised during a session of the Punjab Assembly, prompting Speaker Malik Muhammad Ahmad Khan to express concern over the alleged shortfall in fee collection. The Speaker questioned how land measuring 30 kanal could be transferred after charging a fee applicable to only 2 kanal. He also raised concerns about the potential loss caused to the national exchequer. The Speaker said that if the reduction in the fee had been made under a court order, the relevant senior official of the Board of Revenue should appear before the court and explain the circumstances surrounding the decision. The matter also drew the attention of Opposition Leader Rana Aftab Khan, who raised concerns over possible revenue losses and weaknesses in the land administration system. The discussion highlighted questions about the procedures followed by the revenue authorities while assessing land and collecting transfer-related fees. Members stressed the need to determine how the discrepancy occurred and who was responsible for approving the transaction. Considering the sensitivity of the matter, the Speaker referred the issue to the relevant assembly committee for detailed examination. He directed that the matter be properly investigated and that the facts behind the alleged irregularity be established. The development has raised broader concerns about transparency in land transfers, assessment procedures and revenue collection in Punjab. The committee is expected to examine the relevant record and determine whether any official negligence or violation of rules occurred. The investigation will also seek to establish whether the fee was reduced under a valid legal or judicial order and whether the provincial or national exchequer suffered a financial loss as a result.

Lahore: The Punjab Specialized Healthcare and Medical Education Department has ordered an inquiry against five medical superintendents over the issuance of handwritten Medico-Legal Certificates (MLCs) and Post-Mortem Reports (PMRs), despite mandatory procedures requiring the documents to be generated through a computerized system. The action follows serious concerns raised by a Lahore High Court Division Bench regarding the continued issuance of handwritten medico-legal documents at several teaching hospitals across Punjab. According to an official departmental order issued on August 2, 2026, a meeting was held at the Specialized Healthcare and Medical Education Department on July 8 to examine the issue. The meeting reviewed records showing that several hospitals had issued handwritten MLCs and PMRs during the preceding months in violation of established standard operating procedures. The hospitals identified in the departmental record include Nishtar Hospital Multan, Allama Iqbal Memorial Teaching Hospital Sialkot, Dr Faisal Masood Teaching Hospital Sargodha, Services Hospital Lahore and Allama Iqbal Teaching Hospital Dera Ghazi Khan. The highest number of handwritten MLCs was reported at Allama Iqbal Memorial Teaching Hospital Sialkot, where 1,243 such certificates were issued, along with 43 handwritten PMRs. Nishtar Hospital Multan reportedly issued 816 handwritten MLCs and 182 handwritten PMRs. Dr Faisal Masood Teaching Hospital Sargodha recorded 735 handwritten MLCs and 48 PMRs, while Services Hospital Lahore issued 680 handwritten MLCs. At Allama Iqbal Teaching Hospital Dera Ghazi Khan, the record showed 768 handwritten MLCs and 10 handwritten PMRs. The department said the available record provided sufficient grounds for proceedings against the concerned officers under Section 3 of the Punjab Employees Efficiency, Discipline and Accountability (PEEDA) Act, 2006. The allegations relate to alleged misconduct and inefficiency in the discharge of official responsibilities. Among the officers facing inquiry is Dr Rao Amjad Ali Khan, former Medical Superintendent of Nishtar Hospital Multan. The issue has also raised questions about the responsibility of officials and staff working in forensic and medico-legal departments. Questions have emerged over how handwritten reports continued to be issued despite the availability of a mandatory computerized system. Computerization of MLCs and PMRs was introduced to improve transparency, maintain reliable records and reduce the possibility of alteration or manipulation of sensitive medico-legal documents. Such reports can play an important role in criminal investigations and court proceedings. The inquiry is expected to establish why the prescribed digital system was bypassed, identify officials responsible for the violations and determine whether disciplinary action is warranted. The department will also examine the circumstances surrounding the issuance of the handwritten reports and the role of the relevant hospital administrations.

Punjab Police Chief Abdul Kareem has said the deaths of two women at Lahore’s Township Police Station were caused by combined drug toxicity, ruling out physical violence or police torture as the cause of death. Addressing a press conference at the Central Police Office in Lahore, the Inspector General of Police said a detailed investigation had been conducted into the deaths. The Lahore CCPO and DIG Investigation also attended the briefing. According to the IG, the Medical Board found no signs of physical assault, external injuries or wounds on either woman. A separate magisterial inquiry conducted under Section 176 of the Code of Criminal Procedure also found no evidence of torture by police officials. The police reviewed complete CCTV footage related to the incident and recorded statements from police personnel and witnesses. The two women had been brought to Township Police Station following action on a 15 emergency call. A case under Sections 379 and 420 of the Pakistan Penal Code was subsequently registered after a written complaint was received. Police said both women had previously been involved in several alleged fraud and cheating cases registered in Lahore and Gujrat. CCTV footage also showed that their clothes appeared to have been torn before they were taken into police custody. The Medical Board had earlier observed several injection marks on the women’s arms. Samples were subsequently collected by the Punjab Forensic Science Authority for detailed examination. The final forensic report has now confirmed the presence of nine different types of drugs in samples obtained from both women. The Medical Board concluded that the combination of drugs caused toxicity, leading to cardiopulmonary arrest and death. IG Punjab Abdul Kareem said the police would continue to follow the law and ensure transparent accountability. He stressed that no individual would be treated as being above the law. The police chief also briefed the media on several other cases. He said significant progress had been made in the Hina Javed murder investigation in Rawalpindi, where three suspects were nominated and two had been arrested. Investigators, he said, established that an incident initially reported as suicide was actually a murder. Regarding the Abdullah Tahir murder case, the IG said police were working to arrest the suspected shooters. The suspects reportedly fled towards Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, and efforts were underway to trace their whereabouts. On police reforms, Abdul Kareem said the Dolphin Force was being reorganised, with its command and control to be placed under local station house officers. The department is also considering modern electric motorcycles for the force, while new motorcycles have already been provided to Murree Police for improved patrolling. The IG further announced stronger measures against corruption within the police department. He said the Internal Accountability Branch was being strengthened and regional and district police officers had been directed to take strict action against officials involved in corrupt practices. Speaking about the Ghaziabad rape case, the IG said police had arrested the nominated suspect and secured relevant medical, forensic and CCTV evidence. Footage from the police station, Safe City cameras and other local cameras was collected, while statements from the victim, complainant, relatives and other relevant individuals were recorded. Police personnel found negligent in the case were suspended and departmental inquiries were initiated. The Punjab Institute of Mental Health also conducted assessments of the victim.

ISLAMABAD: The National Assembly Standing Committee on Rules of Procedure and Privileges has summoned Metropolitan Corporation Lahore’s Metropolitan Officer (Regulation), Jawad-ul-Hassan, to appear in person before the committee on September 1. The summons were issued on the direction of committee chairman Afzal Khokhar after the officer failed to attend an earlier committee meeting despite being served a notice. According to the National Assembly Secretariat, Jawad-ul-Hassan has been directed to appear at 2pm on September 1 in the Constitution Room of Parliament House, Islamabad. The committee took notice of his absence from its August 12 meeting and decided that his personal appearance should be ensured at the next proceedings. The summons were issued under Rule 227(3) of the Rules of Procedure and Conduct of Business in the National Assembly, 2007. The provision allows the committee to take steps to secure attendance when required in connection with parliamentary proceedings. The official notice also warned that failure to comply could lead to further action under the powers available to the committee. These powers include authority similar to that of a civil court for enforcing attendance and requiring the production of relevant documents. To ensure that the summons are properly served and implemented, the National Assembly Secretariat has sought assistance from the Punjab chief secretary. The inspector general of police Punjab has also been asked to provide necessary assistance, within the law, to facilitate the officer’s attendance before the parliamentary committee. Meanwhile, the chief officer of the Metropolitan Corporation Lahore has been directed to ensure that Jawad-ul-Hassan is informed about the summons and appears before the committee personally. The latest development represents an escalation following the officer’s earlier failure to attend the proceedings. The committee is now seeking his direct appearance rather than allowing the matter to proceed in his absence. The September 1 hearing is expected to provide the committee an opportunity to question the officer directly and examine the circumstances surrounding his previous non-appearance.

HARIPUR: Police have arrested four suspects in connection with the alleged abduction, sexual assault and murder of a five-year-old girl whose body was recovered from a deserted well in Haripur after an extensive search operation. Haripur District Police Officer Shafiullah Gandapur said the child was reported missing by her father on August 10. Police registered a case under relevant provisions of the Pakistan Penal Code and launched a search operation to trace her. A special investigation team was subsequently formed, comprising senior police officers, investigators and female police officials. A separate technical team was assigned to examine digital evidence, including CCTV footage, call records and geofencing data. Police reviewed footage from around 200 cameras and examined the records of 20 suspected telephone numbers. Investigators said footage from 12 cameras proved particularly significant in reconstructing the child’s movements after she left home and identifying individuals allegedly travelling in the area on foot and on a motorcycle. Three suspects were initially arrested, and police also recovered a motorcycle allegedly used in the incident. According to police, one suspect recorded a statement before a court admitting his involvement in the alleged abduction and sexual assault. The other suspects were produced before the court for further legal proceedings. Police later arrested a fourth suspect. Information obtained during the investigation led officers to a deep, dry and overgrown well located on a vacant plot near Link Road on University Road, close to a warehouse. A search team, assisted by Rescue 1122 personnel, recovered the child’s body from the well. The recovery operation was monitored by the DPO and senior members of the investigation team. The body was shifted to the Rescue 1122 Trauma Centre in Haripur, where a post-mortem examination was conducted. Doctors collected X-rays and samples for DNA and other forensic examinations. The results are awaited. The investigation has faced additional difficulties because some suspects are reportedly underage and did not possess identity documents. Police said they therefore examined telephone records linked to their family members and other numbers considered relevant to the case. The search for the missing child involved hundreds of personnel. More than 400 police officials, along with staff from the Tehsil Municipal Administration and Water and Sanitation Agency, participated in searches covering drains, sewerage lines, vegetation, vacant plots and deserted locations around the University of Haripur, Pathan Colony and nearby areas. Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa Inspector General of Police Zulfiqar Hameed took notice of the case, while Hazara DIG Nasir Mahmood Satti visited Haripur to review the investigation. The DPO briefed him on the evidence collected, CCTV findings and progress in identifying and arresting the suspects. The DIG also met the victim’s family and assured them that the investigation would be pursued according to law. Meanwhile, K-P Chief Minister Sohail Afridi condemned the alleged crime and ordered a comprehensive investigation. He directed authorities to ensure that every aspect of the case was examined and that those found responsible were dealt with strictly under the law. The chief minister expressed condolences to the child’s family and said crimes against children would not be tolerated. He assured the family that the provincial government would support them and that the suspects would face legal consequences if found guilty.